Director, Cabin Operations and Field Support Engineering

American Airlines • $150K — $180K *

Fort Worth, TX 76137In-Person

Aerospace & Defense

8 - 10 years of experience

Today

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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Aviation, or related field, or equivalent experience
10 years of airline industry experience
7 years of leadership experience in technical operations or engineering
Experience managing and coaching technical teams
Knowledge of FAA, OSHA, and EPA regulations
Familiarity with aircraft cabin systems and maintenance documentation
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Responsibilities

Set strategic direction for Cabin Operations and Field Support Engineering
Lead and develop senior managers and engineers
Establish performance expectations for cabin reliability and operational responsiveness
Direct response to significant cabin and IFEC issues
Sponsor cross-functional initiatives to improve customer experience
Ensure operational findings influence future aircraft designs
Communicate organizational performance and resource needs to senior leadership

Benefits

Travel perks for you and your family to explore 365 destinations
Comprehensive health benefits from day one
Wellness programs to support personal health
401(k) program with employer contributions after one year
Additional benefits including employee assistance and discounts on travel services

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Full Job Description

10/13/26

Location: DFW Headquarters Building 8 (DFW-SV08)
Cities: Fort Worth - TX
Requisition ID: 88728

Job Description

Why you'll love this job

Oversees the vision, strategic direction and day-to-day leadership of Cabin Operations and Field Support Engineering.
Directs the Cabin Operations and Field Support organizations to improve cabin and IFEC reliability, reduce operational disruptions and provide timely technical support to the operating fleet. Plays a key role in collaboration across Technical Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Supply Chain and other internal and external partners.

What you'll do

As noted above, this list is intended to reflect the current job but there may be additional essential functions (and certainly non-essential job functions) that are not referenced. Management will modify the job or require other tasks be performed whenever it is deemed appropriate to do so, observing, of course, any legal obligations including any collective bargaining obligations.

Set the strategic direction for Cabin Operations and Field Support Engineering, aligning organizational priorities with company safety, reliability, operational, customer-experience, and financial objectives
Lead and develop senior managers, managers, and engineers while building organizational capability, succession readiness, and a strong leadership pipeline.
Establish performance expectations and hold leaders accountable for cabin and IFEC reliability, operational responsiveness, repeat discrepancies, deferred maintenance, and systemic issue resolution.
Direct the organization's response to significant cabin, IFEC, and structural issues, ensuring risks are appropriately assessed, escalated, prioritized, and resolved.
Govern interiors reliability and field-support strategies across all American Airlines fleet types.Establish operating rhythms, governance processes, and performance measures that provide leadership visibility and drive sustained improvement in reliability, discrepancy aging, response effectiveness, and corrective-action closure.
Sponsor cross-functional initiatives that reduce operational disruptions, improve customer experience, and strengthen the reliability and maintainability of cabin products and systems.
Ensure operational findings, reliability trends, and lessons learned influence future aircraft designs, retrofit programs, supplier requirements, maintenance strategies, and technical standards.
Partner with senior leaders across Technical Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Technology, and Customer Experience to establish priorities and resolve enterprise-level issues.
Provide executive oversight for the operational readiness, entry into service, and post-implementation stabilization of cabin modifications and new aircraft systems.
Establish strategic relationships with cabin and IFEC equipment suppliers, repair vendors, regulators, and industry organizations, and hold external partners accountable for performance and contractual commitments.
Direct the evaluation and adoption of methods, technologies, products, and processes that improve safety, reliability, maintainability, operational performance, and lifecycle cost.
Establish governance for policies, procedures, technical guidance, training, and compliance within the areas of responsibility.
Develop and manage capital, expense, and headcount plans; allocate resources based on operational risk, strategic priorities, and expected business value.
Communicate organizational performance, emerging risks, resource needs, and recommended actions to senior leadership.
Foster a culture of safety, caring, collaboration, accountability, innovation, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.
Represent American Airlines in senior-level supplier, industry, and regulatory forums, as required.

All you'll need for success

Minimum Qualifications- Education & Prior Job Experience

Demonstrates the highest level of ethics and integrity.
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Aviation, a related field of study, or equivalent experience/training.
10 years of airline industry experience.
7 years of leadership experience in an area related to technical operations, engineering, aircraft maintenance, reliability or field support.
Experience managing and coaching technical teams and leaders.
Experience working and interacting effectively with the FAA.
Demonstrated knowledge of American Airlines company policy and the Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP).
Demonstrated knowledge of FAA, OSHA and EPA regulations pertaining to aircraft maintenance, repair, engineering and vendor management.
Demonstrated knowledge of aircraft cabin systems, interiors, IFEC, field support, maintenance documentation and troubleshooting processes.
Demonstrated knowledge of safety and airworthiness investigation, root-cause analysis, corrective action and aircraft/component reliability analysis.

Skills, Licenses & Certifications

Ability to influence others through strong interpersonal, collaboration and negotiation skills.
Ability to be an action-oriented and results-driven leader with a natural aptitude for engaging employees across multiple workgroups.
Ability to balance immediate operational priorities with long-term reliability improvement and organizational development.
Ability to build and facilitate relationships at all levels of the organization, both internally and externally.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to simplify complex technical and operational topics and interact effectively at all levels.
Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to use performance data to prioritize action.
Strong project and change-management skills and the ability to work well under pressure, meet deadlines and maintain the highest regard for safety, quality and compliance.
Believes in and promotes the American Airlines five leadership attributes:
• Caring - We care about all team members
• Collaboration - We succeed as a team
• Development - We build future leaders
• Results - We drive to be the best
• Future - We continually challenge the status quo

What you'll get

Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer:

Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network.
Health Benefits: On day one, you'll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that's just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more.
Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself - that's why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need.
401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year.
Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more

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About American Airlines

American Airlines is a major American airline. It was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The airline operates a large domestic and international network, with flights to over 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American Airlines is a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance and operates a fleet of over 800 aircraft. The company is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange.

American Airlines Careers

Join the dynamic team at American Airlines, a leader in global aviation and an innovator in the airline industry. With a wide range of job opportunities, American Airlines is the perfect place to advance your career, offering roles that cater to a variety of skills and professional interests. Work You’ll Do At American Airlines, you will be part of a team that is dedicated to providing world-class service and shaping the future of travel. Our employees enjoy a culture of collaboration and respect, where diversity and inclusion are celebrated. With American Airlines, you can contribute to a legacy of innovation and leadership in the skies. Transform Your Career American Airlines is not just a company; it's a community where you can grow your career through a robust suite of professional development and diversity training programs. Our leadership is committed to nurturing talent and recognizes the value of each individual’s growth. Join a team that leads with integrity and a passion for progress. At American Airlines, your career trajectory is bolstered by our commitment to innovation and excellence in the aviation industry. Internship Opportunities Kickstart your career with an internship at American Airlines. Gain invaluable industry experience, build your resume, and make connections that will propel your professional life. Our internships offer hands-on experience in a variety of departments, helping you discover your path in the aviation industry. Benefits of Working With Us American Airlines places immense value on the well-being of its team members. Employees enjoy competitive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, employee discounts, and flexible spending accounts. More than just perks, our benefits are designed to support your life, both at work and at home. Explore Job Opportunities Whether you’re looking to enhance your career in engineering, customer service, or leadership, American Airlines has a position that will match your skills and passions. We are continuously hiring and looking for motivated individuals who are ready to take their careers to new heights. Stay Connected Join Our Team Search open positions that align with your skills and interests. We are looking for passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players. SEARCH AMERICAN AIRLINES JOBS Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. READ CAREERS BLOG Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Discover the exciting and rewarding opportunities that await at American Airlines.

Learn more about American Airlines

Size

123,400 employees

Market Cap

$8 billion

Industry

Aerospace & Defense

Net Income

-$8.8 billion

Founded

1930

5 Year Trend

-5.7%

Revenue

$17.3 billion

NASDAQ

AAL

* Ladders Estimates

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