INTERNSHIP DETAILS
Intern - Tech Ops Planning & Strategy (Summer 2026)
CompanyUnited Airlines
LocationChicago
Work ModeOn Site
PostedJanuary 30, 2026

Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
As a Technical Operations intern, you will work alongside professionals to tackle problems and gain industry knowledge. Responsibilities may include providing engineering support, preparing cost analyses, and optimizing maintenance processes.
Internship Type
full time
Company Size
73339
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
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About The Company
This is the story of airline that leads the industry from ground to clouds. Our global cast of over 100,000+ hero characters are each on a journey to be a force for good for our customers, the planet and each other. Come be part of this story.
About the Role
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.<br><br>Come join us to create what’s next. Let’s define tomorrow, together.<br><br><h2>Description</h2><p>There’s never been a more exciting time to join United Airlines. We’re on a path towards becoming the best airline in the history of aviation. Our shared purpose – Connecting People, Uniting the World – is about more than getting people from one place to another. It also means that as a global company that operates in hundreds of locations around the world with millions of customers and tens of thousands of employees, we have a unique responsibility to uplift and provide opportunities in the places where we work, live and fly, and we can only do that with a truly diverse and inclusive workforce. And we’re growing – in the years ahead, we’ll hire tens of thousands of people across every area of the airline. Our internships are paid, and course credit hours may be considered depending on university’s guidelines. Internships include a competitive benefits package sought at keeping you happy, healthy and well-traveled. From mentorship opportunities to benefits like medical insurance and privileges like space available travel, United is truly a one-of-a-kind internship experience. Are you ready to travel the world?</p><p><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Frutiger, "Frutiger Linotype", "Dejavu Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13.02px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">At United, 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.</span></span></p><h2 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(37, 37, 37);font-family:"Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Frutiger, "Frutiger Linotype", "Dejavu Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:1rem;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 5px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><strong>Key Responsibilities<o:p></o:p></strong></h2><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:"Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Frutiger, "Frutiger Linotype", "Dejavu Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13.02px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 12px;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">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 your university’s guidelines. Technical Operations interns will be placed throughout our system, depending on project / field. Potential placements include but are not limited to: <strong>Data Analytics, Digital Fleet Management, Strategic and Base Planning, Airframe Maintenance Strategy, Predictive Maintenance, Engineering, Supply Chain</strong> and more<strong>.</strong> Regardless of your assignment, you will work on projects that will provide you with applicable, real-world experience in one of our many technical disciplines.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:"Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Frutiger, "Frutiger Linotype", "Dejavu Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13.02px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 12px;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Responsibilities could include the following (dependent on placement):<o:p></o:p></p><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:"Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Frutiger, "Frutiger Linotype", "Dejavu Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13.02px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0in 0px 12px;orphans:2;padding:0px 0px 0px 20px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Provide aircraft engineering support to line and check aircraft<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Review, evaluate and resolve next steps on manufacturer bulletins, management requests and regulatory requirements on United Airlines Airbus/Boeing aircraft<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Prepare cost analysis on projects<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Investigate and provide decisions for non-conformances resulting from in-service failures or maintenance incidents<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Data extraction, normalization and analysis, data-based modeling/forecasting<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Trend valuations across fleet/stations specific to time in check, work package scope, and costs<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Process optimization and mapping out existing gaps and possible mitigations<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Create, maintain and implement long term airframe maintenance plans<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Building, maintaining and modeling aircraft maintenance visit scenarios to minimize cost and increase aircraft utilization<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Scheduling optimization for aircraft maintenance events<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Building work packages and coordinating aircraft heavy maintenance visits</li></ul><p> </p><h2>Qualifications</h2><h2 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(37, 37, 37);font-family:"Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Frutiger, "Frutiger Linotype", "Dejavu Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:1rem;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px 0px 5px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><strong>What’s needed to succeed (Minimum Qualifications):<o:p></o:p></strong></h2><ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:"Open Sans", "Segoe UI", Frutiger, "Frutiger Linotype", "Dejavu Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13.02px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0in 0px 12px;orphans:2;padding:0px 0px 0px 20px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Must be pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mathematics, Supply Chain/Logistics, Business or another related field<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Must have a minimum of 12 semester hours in core degree course work<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Individual should be a rising junior (at minimum) when internship begins<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Must be available for 10-12 weeks during Summer 2024<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Work related travel may be required, individuals must be able to travel without any restrictions, including internationally<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:1.25;">Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship now or at any point in the future</li></ul><br>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.<br><br>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) and flight privileges.<br><br>United Airlines is an equal opportunity employer. United Airlines recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, veteran status and other protected status as required by applicable law. Equal Opportunity Employer - Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled/LGBT.<br><br>We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions. Please contact <a href="mailto:JobAccommodations@united.com" target="_blank">JobAccommodations@united.com</a> to request accommodation.
Key Skills
Mechanical EngineeringAerospace EngineeringElectrical EngineeringIndustrial EngineeringMathematicsSupply ChainLogisticsData AnalyticsPredictive MaintenanceEngineeringCost AnalysisProcess OptimizationAircraft MaintenanceScheduling OptimizationData ExtractionTrend Valuations
Categories
EngineeringTransportationLogisticsData & AnalyticsConsulting
Benefits
MedicalDentalVisionLifeAccident & DisabilityParental LeaveEmployee Assistance ProgramCommuterPaid HolidaysPaid Time Off401(k)Flight Privileges
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