Academic Support > PILOT > Become a PILOT Leader

Responsibilities

PILOT leaders are students who have mastered the material for the courses they support. They are also dedicated to creating an environment where participants feel comfortable problem solving in front of their peers. Leaders must:

  • Develop and maintain a positive and productive relationship among the PILOT group members, focusing on inclusion and consensus building.
  • Empower students to take an active role in their learning process, while still maintaining credibility and influence over the group dynamic.
  • Facilitate weekly problem-solving sessions for groups of 6-13 students. The weekly sessions are held Monday through Thursday evenings (note: some Friday or Saturday daytime sessions are possible).
  • Attend a mandatory leader meeting on Sunday afternoons to work through the PILOT problem set with the other leaders who are supporting the course.
  • Commit to leading their group(s) for the duration of the semester.
  • Attend fall and spring professional development trainings and commit to ongoing professional development workshops.
  • Maintain current attendance records and to communicate regularly and in a timely manner with the advisory board leaders, their Head PILOT Leader(s), and the PILOT learning director.

Qualifications

Students interested in becoming PILOT leaders must:

  • Be registered undergraduate or graduate students at Johns Hopkins University.
  • Have earned an A- in the specific JHU course students would like to lead a session for. Students with AP credit who have taken a higher-level course and earned at least an A- are also eligible. (Exceptions may be possible on a case-by-case basis).
  • Be able to communicate effectively and have a mature, professional demeanor.
  • Demonstrate leadership skills and potential to plan and organize not only themselves but also a group of students.
  • Effectively respect, appreciate, and work with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
  • Maintain consistency, reliability, and integrity in the face of challenge and change.

How to Apply

Our application period for the 2024-2025 academic year is now closed. Applications will open again next spring for the following academic year.

You will need:

  • Résumé
  • Unofficial Transcript

Your application is reviewed based on:

  • Course performance
  • Tutoring and mentoring experience
  • Quality of essay responses
  • Ability to meet deadlines
  • Schedule availability

Interview Process:

  • Step 1: You will be scheduled to observe a PILOT session.
  • Step 2: You will be scheduled to attend a group interview and a technical interview with a panel of Advisory Board PILOT Leaders and experienced PILOT Leader staff.
  • Step 3: You may receive an invitation to interview one-on-one with PILOT Learning staff

Our needs and open positions change each year. If you apply and are not hired, please consider applying again another year. With rare exception, PILOT leaders are trained in the fall for the entire year.