Intern/Co-op - Tech Ops Engineering (2027)

United Airlines; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

medical

dental

vision

life

accident & disability

parential leave

employee assistance program

commuter

paid holidays

paid time off

401(k)

flight privileges

Job summary

United Airlines invites motivated students to join its Technical Operations internship program. You will work alongside TO professionals on real aviation projects, gaining hands-on experience across multiple engineering disciplines within a major airline network.

This paid internship spans 10–12 weeks during Summer 2027, with placements potentially in Houston, Chicago, or San Francisco. Strong emphasis on analytics, cost analysis, and process improvement will be part of the role.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum of 12 semester hours in core degree coursework.
• Rising junior at internship start; able to participate for 10–12 weeks in Summer 2027.
• Legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship now or in the future.

Responsibilities

• Work with Technical Operations professionals; internships are paid and may offer university credit.
• Placement areas may include Line & Base Engineering, Interiors Engineering, Avionics, Powerplant Engineering, Fleet Management, Reliability, Base Planning, Airframe Maintenance Strategy, Predictive Maintenance, etc.

Skills

AI tools

Critical thinking

Education

Engineering majors

Job description

Achieving our goals starts with supporting yours. Grow your career, access top-tier health and wellness benefits, build lasting connections with your team and our customers, and travel the world using our extensive route network.

Come join us to create what’s next. Let’s define tomorrow, together.

Description

At United, we offer internships, co-ops, and full-time opportunities for early career professionals. In any role, you’re a key member of our team, contributing to real projects that help move the business forward while gaining hands‑on experience, growing your professional skill set, and connecting with industry leaders. You’ll also have a chance to build community through our employee‑run Business Resource Groups, participate in industry conferences, and enjoy unlimited standby travel anywhere we fly.

We have some of the best aircraft in the world. Our Technical Operations team is full of aircraft maintenance technicians, engineers, planners, ground equipment and facilities professionals, and supply chain teams that help make sure they’re well taken care of and ready to get our customers to their desired destinations. If you’re ready to work on our planes, join our Tech Ops experts and help keep our fleet in tip‑top shape.

Key Responsibilities

As a Technical Operations intern, you’ll work side‑by‑side with our TO professionals, taking on problems and learning about our industry. Internships are paid and course credit hours may be considered depending on university’s guidelines. Technical Operations interns will be placed throughout our system, depending on project / field. Potential placements include but are not limited to: Line & Base Engineering, Interiors Engineering, Avionics, Powerplant Engineering, Fleet Management, Reliability, Base Planning, Airframe Maintenance Strategy, Predictive Maintenance and more. And depending on the team, you could be located in: Houston, TX, Chicago, IL, or San Francisco, CA. Regardless of your assignment, you will work on projects that will provide you with applicable, real‑world experience in one of our many engineering disciplines.

Responsibilities could include the following (dependent on placement):

• Provide aircraft engineering support to line and check aircraft
• Review, evaluate and resolve next steps on manufacturer bulletins, management requests and regulatory requirements on United Airlines Airbus/Boeing aircraft
• Prepare cost analysis on projects
• Investigate and provide decisions for non‑conformances resulting from in‑service failures or maintenance incidents
• Data extraction, normalization and analysis, data‑based modeling/forecasting
• Trend valuations across fleet/stations specific to time in check, work package scope, and costs
• Process optimization and mapping out existing gaps and possible mitigations

Accepting applications from September 1, 2026 through September 25, 2026

Qualifications

• Must be pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or another related field
• Must have a minimum of 12 semester hours in core degree course work
• Individual should be a rising junior (at minimum) when internship begins
• Must be available for 10-12 weeks during Summer 2027
• Work related travel may be required, individuals must be able to travel without any restrictions
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship now or at any point in the future

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated understanding of the capabilities and limitations of generative AI tools and the ability to leverage AI effectively to support research, analysis, content creation, and problem-solving. Applies critical thinking to validate AI-generated outputs while adhering to organizational policies related to responsible AI use, data privacy, and security.

The starting rate for this role is $20.00.

The base salary range/hourly rate listed is dependent on job‑related, non‑discriminatory factors such as experience, education and skills. This position may also be eligible for bonus and/or long‑term incentive compensation awards.

You may be eligible for the following competitive benefits:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life
• accident & disability
• parental leave
• employee assistance program
• commuter
• paid holidays
• paid time off
• 401(k)
• flight privileges

United Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law. We provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation, contact [e-mail]