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 a collaborative learning 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 fostering a collaborative and interactive learning environment.
  • 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 Sundays to work through the PILOT problem set with the other leaders who are supporting the course to ensure you are prepared for your next session.
  • 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 professional staff.

Qualifications

Students interested in becoming PILOT leaders must:

  • Be a registered undergraduate 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 strong leadership and interpersonal skills to facilitate and encourage collaborative active learning.
  • 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 2026-2027 academic year opens February 2nd, 2026. The deadline for applying is February 16th, 2026. You can access and submit the application using the link below:

2026-2027 PILOT Leader Application

You will need:

  • Résumé
  • Unofficial Transcript

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: Based on your group and technical interview, 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.