5+ years of experience in software engineering, AI/ML, or data engineering
Hands-on experience with generative AI and AI agents
Ability to translate ambiguous business problems into technical solutions
Knowledge of AI systems, including models and enterprise data
Experience with APIs and cloud services
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Responsibilities
Embed with business teams to identify AI opportunities
Transform ambiguous problems into clear AI use cases
Prototype AI workflows and validate solutions quickly
Act as the technical lead for deployment and testing
Resolve barriers across various teams for successful implementation
Monitor and optimize deployed AI solutions
Advise leaders on AI's impact on business processes
Benefits
Opportunity to work on transformative AI projects
Collaborative environment with cross-functional teams
Access to cutting-edge AI technologies
Professional development and growth opportunities
Engagement in shaping AI practices across the organization
Full Job Description
Description
Build the AI that changes how the world's largest airline runs
United is building the best airline in aviation history, and AI is central to how we operate, serve customers, and support employees. As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you'll embed with business teams, find the best AI opportunities, and turn them into deployed solutions. You'll own results that deliver measurable value, not just demos.
What you'll do
Find the right opportunities
Embed with business teams to understand priorities and pain points, and analyze end-to-end workflows for bottlenecks where AI can materially improve outcomes
Turn ambiguous problems into clear AI use cases with measurable outcomes, prioritized by value, feasibility, data readiness, risk, and scalability
Help leaders choose between AI solutions and other analytical models
Prototype and validate fast
Prototype AI workflows and agents fast, and test viability before major investment
Translate business process requirements into technical designs for human-AI interactions, including system decision logic, human-in-the-loop controls, escalation mechanisms, and exception handling.
Build and test the agentic workflows across models, data, and enterprise systems
Take it to production
Act as the hands-on technical lead, working with AI engineers, data, and product teams on architecture, testing, and deployment
Resolve barriers across business, security, data, engineering, security, risk, and governance teams
Deploy into controlled production, then improve based on real user behavior
Build secure, reliable AI applications using modern engineering practices (CI/CD, automated testing), and equip teams to run and extend them
Monitor performance, cost, and quality, and keep optimizing deployed solutions
Prove the value
Set baselines and success metrics up front, support business cases with cost and performance estimates, and measure adoption and realized value
Partner with business, change, and end-user teams to redesign workflows around the solution, and apply lessons learned to future projects
Shape AI transformation
Advise leaders on how AI can reshape business processes and operating models, and contribute technical input to transformation roadmaps
Capture reusable patterns and engineering practices for building, deploying, and operating AI, and build AI capability across the company
Partner with governance, security, and technology teams to keep solutions responsible and resilient
Qualifications
What you bring (minimum qualifications)
Experience building and deploying production solutions in software engineering, AI/ML, data engineering, solutions architecture, or technical product development
Hands-on experience with generative AI, LLMs, or AI agents, including fast prototyping and testing
Ability to turn ambiguous business problems into technical solutions that deliver business value
Working knowledge of AI systems, including models, agents, retrieval, enterprise data, evaluation, security, and governance
Experience with APIs, enterprise integrations, and cloud services
Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder skills, and comfort in ambiguous environments
3+ years of relevant work experience
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship
Successful completion of interview required to meet job qualification
Reliable, punctual attendance is an essential function of the position
What sets you apart (preferred qualifications)
Deploying generative or agentic AI in a large enterprise
Experience with Azure AI, Azure OpenAI, Microsoft Copilot, or comparable platforms
Experience building responsible AI practices into production solutions, including evaluation and monitoring
Creating reusable AI components or evaluation assets adopted across multiple business areas
Consulting, forward-deployed, product engineering, or technology strategy background
Airline, transportation, or other complex operations experience
Fluent use of generative AI tools in your own work, with critical validation of outputs and adherence to responsible AI, privacy, and security policies
5+ years of relevant work experience
About United Air Lines, Inc
United Airlines is a major American airline that operates a large domestic and international route network. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and is a founding member of the Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance. United Airlines operates a fleet of over 800 aircraft and serves more than 350 destinations in over 50 countries.
