Research Scholar - Operations Research (summer 2026)

Internship Opportunity At United Airlines

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.

The Analytics and Innovation (AI) team at United Airlines works to innovate, transform, and solve complex business problems resulting in significant and measurable enterprise impact through the application of deep cross-functional business expertise and advanced analytics. We work with business and technology partners across the enterprise to influence strategic decisions, enterprise strategy, business process, and to help connect the dots across the enterprise. We aim to be an organization with whom and within everyone loves to work!

Operations Research experts within the AI team partner with business areas to generate practical solutions to complex problems by leveraging big data, explore new business alternatives and drive improvement in business decisions through innovations, research & development, and product knowledge. The team integrates mathematical modeling and analysis to critical financial, operational and/or strategic planning decisions. Interns are fully immersed in our culture and given meaningful project work. Interns leverage their skills to support value-added projects across many of United's departments.

Qualifications

• Must be a current master's or PhD student in Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Industrial Engineering or a related field with at least one semester left after the summer ends
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Knowledge of modeling toolkits such as SAS, Python, R, OPL, CPLEX, VBA, or similar
• Ability to work in Unix/Linux platforms with languages including C/C++, Java, Python, or similar
• Creativity and innovative thinking in developing solutions to complex business problems
• Ability to document and present technical information from the business problem definition to the implementation stage in a way that effectively addresses varying levels of management and different audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills with a focus on teamwork
• Successful completion of the interview is required to meet job qualification
• Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position

Positions are based in Chicago, IL. The starting rate for this role is $20.00. The base salary range/hourly rate listed is dependent on job-related factors such as experience, education, and skills. This position is also 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) and flight privileges.

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. 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.