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Usda Pilot Jobs in Ohio (NOW HIRING)

Perform preventive maintenance on laboratory, pilot plant, and facility related equipment to ... Comply with all applicable regulations and standards, including GMP, AIB, OSHA, HACCP, FDA, USDA ...

Usda Pilot information

See Ohio salary details

$47.1K

$124.5K

$191.1K

How much do usda pilot jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for usda pilot in Ohio is $124,462.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $95,100.00 and $147,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a USDA Pilot?

A USDA Pilot operates aircraft for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support missions such as agricultural research, wildfire suppression, pest control, and wildlife management. These pilots may fly fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft, often in challenging conditions, to monitor and protect natural resources. They work closely with USDA scientists, land managers, and other government agencies to conduct aerial surveys, transport personnel or equipment, and implement conservation efforts.

What are the typical assignments and work environments for a USDA Pilot?

USDA Pilots typically conduct aerial surveys, monitoring agricultural land, forests, or wildlife, and may also assist in emergency response situations such as wildfire detection or pest control. The work often involves flying fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters over varied terrains and collaborating closely with USDA scientists, field staff, and government agencies. Most USDA Pilots split their time between flight operations, pre-flight planning, and administrative tasks like reporting and data collection. The role can require travel to remote or rural locations and may involve flexible hours depending on project needs and weather conditions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the USDA Pilot position?

Succeeding as a USDA Pilot requires advanced piloting skills, a commercial pilot’s license, and in-depth knowledge of aviation regulations and agricultural operations. Familiarity with aerial surveillance equipment, GPS mapping systems, and government reporting tools is often necessary. Strong decision-making, adaptability, and attention to detail, along with excellent communication, help handle diverse missions and dynamic field conditions. These competencies ensure safe and effective aerial operations that support USDA mission goals in resource management and agricultural oversight.

What are the most commonly searched types of Usda Pilot jobs in Ohio?

The most popular types of Usda Pilot jobs in Ohio are:

Infographic showing various Usda Pilot job openings in Ohio as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 83% In-person, 2% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $124,462 per year, or $59.8 per hour.

Senior Food Technologist

Hunter the Head Hunter

Columbus, OH

$95K - $110K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 18 days ago


Job description

About the Company

Our client is a rapidly growing frozen food manufacturer with a strong portfolio of branded products and robust in-house manufacturing capabilities. The organization is committed to innovation, operational excellence, and delivering high-quality frozen foods to consumers nationwide.

Position Overview

The Senior Food Technologist will be responsible for the development, optimization, and commercialization of frozen food products from concept through launch. This role plays a key part in driving innovation, improving existing products, and supporting manufacturing scale-up efforts while ensuring quality, food safety, sensory performance, and cost objectives are achieved.

The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise in frozen food systems, ingredient functionality, commercialization, and plant support within a high-volume food manufacturing environment.

Key ResponsibilitiesProduct Development & Commercialization
  • Develop and optimize formulations for frozen foods including entrees, sauces, vegetables, snacks, and ready meals
  • Conduct bench-top development, pilot plant trials, and plant-scale validations
  • Lead commercialization activities from lab through full-scale manufacturing
  • Ensure products achieve targeted taste, texture, appearance, nutritional, and shelf-life requirements
  • Support innovation initiatives as well as renovation and optimization of existing products
Frozen Food Technical Expertise
  • Apply knowledge of freezing technologies including IQF and blast freezing systems
  • Optimize formulations to reduce ice crystal formation, freezer burn, moisture migration, and texture degradation
  • Troubleshoot product performance challenges related to frozen storage and reheating conditions
  • Evaluate ingredient functionality and processing interactions within frozen food applications
Manufacturing & Plant Support
  • Partner closely with Operations teams during production startup and commercialization activities
  • Troubleshoot plant-related processing and formulation challenges
  • Develop and maintain detailed product specifications, process parameters, and manufacturing documentation
  • Ensure consistency and manufacturability across production environments
Cost Optimization & Continuous Improvement
  • Identify cost-saving opportunities through ingredient optimization and process improvements
  • Support productivity and value engineering initiatives without compromising product quality
  • Analyze formulation and production data to recommend technical improvements
Quality & Compliance
  • Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, HACCP, GMP, SQF, and internal food safety standards
  • Support shelf-life studies and frozen product stability validation
  • Work cross-functionally with Packaging, Quality, Procurement, and Marketing teams to support business objectives
  • Interface with ingredient and packaging suppliers to evaluate new technologies and materials
Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, or related technical field
  • 5–10+ years of food R&D experience with strong frozen food expertise preferred
  • Experience commercializing products from bench development through plant-scale production
  • Strong understanding of frozen food systems, ingredient functionality, and thermal processing
  • Experience with frozen entrees, ready meals, snacks, vegetables, sauces, or related categories preferred
  • Strong project management and organizational skills
  • Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving capabilities
  • Ability to balance quality, speed-to-market, and cost objectives
  • Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
Preferred Experience
  • Frozen CPG manufacturing
  • USDA/FDA regulated food manufacturing environments
  • Commercialization and plant startup support
  • Shelf-life and sensory evaluation work
  • Value engineering and cost reduction projects
  • Multi-functional collaboration within high-volume manufacturing operations