U

United Airlines

Flies passengers and cargo worldwide from US hubs

IT Application Development Manager

Full-TimePosted on 10/20/2026
$112.5k - $146.5k+ Bonus + Long-term incentive compensation awards
Mid
Bachelor's
Chicago, IL, USA
In Person
Engineering ManagementEngineering Leadership
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Computer Science, or an equivalent field of study.
  • At least 3 years of application delivery and lifecycle management experience.
  • Experience with web-based development, .NET, C#, MS SQL, Angular, and AWS development services and technologies.
  • Understanding of digital platforms, tools, and emerging technologies, including AI, IoT, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
  • Experience overseeing highly critical applications requiring 24/7 operational support, incident management, and high availability and uptime.
  • Experience managing on-premises web-based applications.
  • Experience managing cloud-native applications and services, including infrastructure as code, container orchestration, and cloud-based security practices.
  • A proven track record of ownership and successful delivery.
  • Ability to prioritize projects and initiatives based on business goals and strategic objectives.
  • Experience maintaining scalable and reusable tools and technologies.
  • Experience leading digital transformation initiatives and driving innovation and modernization across an organization's application portfolio.
  • Proficiency in managing software development projects, including familiarity with Waterfall, Agile, DevOps practices, and software lifecycle management.
  • Ability to leverage data analytics to drive decision-making and improve digital products and services.
  • A proven track record of leading and developing high-performing teams.
  • Strong planning and organizational skills.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to clearly present ideas to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Ability to quickly triage and drive resolution of production support situations.
  • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship.
  • Successful completion of an interview is required to meet the job qualification.
  • Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position.
Responsibilities
  • Lead the end-to-end delivery and maintenance of applications, including cloud-based applications.
  • Manage the application lifecycle from development through deployment and maintenance, ensuring efficient and reliable operations.
  • Manage work requests and projects within committed budget, schedule, and quality expectations while meeting department performance goals.
  • Maintain high standards of application performance, reliability, and availability.
  • Partner with technical and business stakeholders to ensure application delivery supports business processes, customer experiences, loyalty, and revenue growth.
  • Collaborate with business units to prioritize product development and lead key initiatives.
  • Align development and operational efforts with strategic priorities and ensure contributions drive business outcomes.
  • Influence stakeholders to define clear deliverable priorities and business outcomes, and ensure goals are met.
  • Ensure the application lifecycle supports business goals, enhances end-user experiences, and optimizes operational efficiency.
  • Collaborate with teams and business constituents to provide daily operational support.
  • Coordinate between teams to support operational performance and application delivery.
  • Provide delivery estimates and business case updates for IT performance metrics, monthly project status reports, and quarterly resource-planning reviews.
  • Manage technology vendor relationships to ensure partnerships deliver organizational value.
  • Identify technical obstacles early and work with the team to resolve them.
  • Escalate, assist with, and follow through on resolving issues related to technology-solution delivery.
  • Collaborate and share knowledge to develop effective solutions to problems.
  • Facilitate collaboration between teams to identify emerging technologies and trends that could improve solutions and future-proof applications.
  • Assess and refine development processes and methods to improve team performance and product quality.
  • Promote automation to streamline processes, reduce manual work, and improve efficiency across the application lifecycle.
  • Implement and continuously improve Agile best practices.
  • Ensure technology solutions align with architectural and evolving security standards, and manage application changes smoothly with minimal disruption to business operations.
  • Work with the team to manage and implement changes in a fast-paced environment.
  • Establish metrics-driven accountability by regularly reviewing processes against operational KPIs and business objectives.
  • Ensure work complies with established processes, JSOX, and other internal controls, including SDLC, change management, production control, standards, architecture review, incident response, PCI, and PII information security.
  • Improve processes using feedback from operational incidents and performance metrics.
  • Plan project staffing, forecast budgets, and communicate progress to senior IT and business leadership.
  • Promote cross-functional skill development so team members gain exposure to operational practices such as SRE and DevOps alongside development practices.
Desired Qualifications
  • AWS certifications at Developer Associate, Solutions Architect Associate, or higher level.
  • Working knowledge or experience with high-availability systems.
  • Working knowledge or experience with machine learning, large language models, and artificial intelligence.
  • Aviation industry knowledge or experience, particularly with regulatory standards.

About the company

United Airlines flies passengers and cargo across the United States and to destinations around the world, running a hub network that spans Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington Dulles and Guam. It was a founding member of Star Alliance, the global airline partnership that links its routes and frequent-flyer benefits with carriers such as Lufthansa and Air Canada. Travelers book seats in economy, premium and Polaris business cabins, and United earns money from fares, bag and seat fees, cargo, and its MileagePlus loyalty program, which sells miles to card partners. United traces its roots to Varney Air Lines, which began flying airmail in 1926, and is based in Chicago.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Chicago, Illinois

Founded

1926

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Premium travel fuels growth: premium revenue rose 16% in Q2 2026 as total revenue reached $17.7 billion.
  • Hiring keeps expanding: United had 117,500 employees by June 2026, up 5.6% from a year earlier.
  • Cabin crew pay is climbing: the flight attendant deal reached in March 2026 lifts base pay 31% on average.

What critics are saying

  • Fuel prices squeeze profits: in July 2026, United expected nearly $6 billion more fuel expense for the year.
  • Mechanics' labor fight drags on: United technicians rejected a Teamsters tentative deal 53.5% to 46.5% in September 2026.
  • Newark growth was capped: the FAA limited the airport to 72 hourly flights from January through October 2026.

What makes United Airlines unique

  • United gives loyalty members free fast WiFi: it targets Starlink on nearly 1,000 aircraft by end of 2026.
  • Its Pacific reach extends past Hawaii: United runs a hub on Guam, a US island territory near Asia.
  • United dominates New York's Newark airport: it runs about 70% of the flights there.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Parental Leave
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Commuter
  • Paid Holidays
  • Paid Time Off

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

11%

1 year growth

11%

2 year growth

11%
Yahoo Finance
Oct 21st, 2026
United bets on Starlink to win brand-loyal flyers as Q3 revenue rises 17% to $17.9B

United Airlines is betting that Starlink, SpaceX's in-flight satellite internet service, will win over customers loyal to other airlines. Chief executive officer Scott Kirby said on the company's third-quarter 2026 earnings call that the carrier sees evidence the service influences which airline people choose. United offers more Starlink flights than the entire US airline industry combined, Kirby said. It has launched a tracker so customers can check whether their flight has the service. Kirby said some customers loyal to rival airlines switched solely because of Starlink, and stayed after trying United. He expects higher revenue per available seat mile in 2027 and beyond. Third-quarter total operating revenue rose 17% year over year to $17.9 billion. Loyalty and premium revenue each grew 17%, while basic economy revenue rose 16%.

PR Newswire
Sep 24th, 2026
United Airlines receives first GTF Advantage-powered A321XLR from RTX's Pratt & Whitney

United Airlines has received its first Airbus A321XLR aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney's GTF Advantage engines, marking the inaugural delivery of this enhanced engine variant. The GTF Advantage offers up to twice the operational lifespan of current GTF engines and provides 4-8% more takeoff thrust, enabling extended range capabilities. The engine features an advanced hot section design and remains fully compatible with existing GTF models, simplifying fleet operations. Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, plans to transition its entire PW1100G-JM production line to the Advantage specification by 2028. Current GTF operators will be able to access 90-95% of the Advantage's durability improvements through a Hot Section Plus upgrade option, available from early next year during scheduled maintenance visits.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 17th, 2026
DISH and United Airlines bring live football to 35,000 feet via Starlink screens

DISH and United Airlines have partnered to bring live football to passengers on Starlink-enabled flights. The service launches this week on over 200 United aircraft, expanding to nearly 700 planes by February 2027. Passengers will have access to nine live sports channels including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, NFL Network, and Prime Video's Thursday Night Football. The service covers both college and professional football games throughout the 2026–2027 season. The partnership uses DISH's OnStream platform, which delivers entertainment across multiple business sectors including hospitality, senior living, and aviation. The collaboration aims to keep sports fans connected to live games whilst travelling at 35,000 feet.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 27th, 2026
United trades at forward P/E of 11 as US airfares jump 25.5% and CEO predicts more rises

US airline fares rose 25.5% year over year in July, and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby expects further gradual increases through the first half of 2027 if demand holds. United's second-quarter revenue reached $17.67 billion, up 16% year over year. Despite industry-wide fare growth, United shares have gained only 2.69% year to date, compared with Delta's 20.64% rise. United trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 11, versus Delta's 13. Kirby framed the fare increases as structural catch-up, noting airport fees have risen roughly 60% since COVID and maintenance costs remain elevated. He told investors that airfares are still 13% below 2019 levels in real terms.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 24th, 2026
United Airlines CEO targets JFK expansion and new international routes amid rising fuel costs

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby announced plans to expand at New York's JFK Airport and increase international routes. The airline aims to acquire takeoff and landing slots from struggling carriers, potentially returning to JFK next year through its partnership with JetBlue Airways. United's second-quarter operating revenue rose 16% year over year to $17.7 billion, with revenue per available seat mile up 12.1%. The carrier raised its full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance to $9 to $11, despite expecting nearly $6 billion in additional fuel expenses for 2026. The expansion builds on United's existing network of more than 370 destinations across six continents. Shares closed at $113.17, down 18% from their June record high.