Pilot Line Supervisor

Job Type: Full-Time / On-Site

Salary: $110,000 to $125,000

The Pilot Supervisor leads and manages the Wilmington Estane Pilot Line. This role focuses on providing short-term guidance to pilot line operators and executing a strategic vision for the pilot line.

• Lead and manage Pilot Line operations and staff to scale-up new product processes from the lab to commercial production scale.
• Develop and coach pilot line team, including annual reviews, career development discussions, safety compliance/audit support, and cultural discussions, and providing timely feedback.
• Coordinate and communicate priorities, scheduling, and reporting of continuous reactive extrusion, secondary/post-processing, and melt compounding pilot line operation.
• Manage the pilot line schedule and communicate priorities on a bi-weekly basis to targeted stakeholders.
• Actively manage non-working, slow-moving (NWSM) inventory.
• Supervise, lead, and execute strategic initiatives for the pilot line, including capital expansions, business process, and organizational structure improvements.
• Design processes, prepare engineering estimates, and coordinate capital projects on pilot line equipment.
• Communicate with technical and non-technical members of product development teams to understand and apply project needs for successful scale up and product realization.
• Apply and maintain systems associated with new chemical introduction, Responsible Care Management System (RCMS), Management of Change (MOC), Process Safety Management (PSM), and the Pilot Plant Request (PPR).
• Manage pilot line expense and capital budget, and attend monthly budget review meetings.
• Work with the Wilmington Plant finance team to review monthly raw material consumptions, R&D material tax credits and budget deviations.
• Generate yearly management feedback report that captures key measures of success.

• Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering.
• 2+ years experience in manufacturing operations in a chemical facility.
• 2+ years hands‑on experience in Chemical and Polymer Process Engineering, including troubleshooting and problem solving.
• Knowledge of Project Management in a stage‑gate system.
• Knowledge of manufacturing operations, including process and equipment design.
• Knowledge of chemical and polymer unit operations, including process and equipment design.
• Knowledge of experimental design (DOE) and data analysis using fundamental statistical techniques and statistical software.

• Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in operations.
• Experience supervising others.
• Demonstrated experience as hands‑on mechanical and chemical process engineer.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Experience managing both internal and external customers.

• Standing, walking, or operating equipment for extended periods.
• Working in a lab or manufacturing setting with appropriate PPE provided.
• Use of computers and digital tools in an office or hybrid environment.
• Occasional lifting or movement of materials.
• Adherence to rigorous safety protocols and ergonomic standards.

• Competitive salary with performance-based bonus plans.
• 401(k) match + Age-Weighted Defined Contribution.
• Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Paid holidays, vacation, and parental leave.

Job Segment:
Chemical Research, Facilities, Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Materials Science, Engineering, Operations, Science