United Air Lines, Inc

Principal Architect - Information Technology

United Air Lines, Inc$150K — $180K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or related field required
  • 5+ years of relevant experience
  • Experience with common architecture frameworks such as Microservices and API management
  • Experience in designing and building applications using AWS (or Azure or GCP) cloud architecture
  • Expertise in AWS and Kubernetes to support cloud infrastructure
  • Strong knowledge of DevOps practices including CI/CD and automation tools
  • Solid understanding of security best practices including vulnerability management
  • Experience in hardware integration and PCI compliance

Responsibilities

  • Lead architectural design and strategy for enterprise applications focusing on kiosks
  • Continuously evaluate emerging technologies and align platform with business goals
  • Design and implement secure integration layers for application software and kiosk hardware
  • Anticipate future tech needs and communicate with leadership and teams
  • Identify AI and digital self-service capabilities and guide architectural evolution
  • Define maturity models and improve developer experience and system quality
  • Establish engineering best practices and mentor development teams
  • Implement observability dashboards to enhance system visibility

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work at the forefront of kiosk technology and cloud innovation
  • Collaboration with cross-functional teams to shape enterprise architecture
  • Access to cutting-edge tools and technologies in cloud infrastructure
  • Mentorship opportunities for professional development
  • Engagement with emerging AI and automation capabilities
  • Involvement in defining best practices that shape the company's technical direction
Full Job Description
Description

Job Overview and Responsibilities

The Principal Architect - IT leads the architectural design and strategy of our enterprise applications, with a specific focus on device integrations and logistics for Self-Service Kiosks. In this role, the Principal Architect will champion the development of resilient, high-performing, and scalable cloud systems capable of supporting diverse business capabilities and delivering continuous organizational value. The Principal Architect collaborates closely with enterprise architecture teams, guides development squads on large-scale system best practices, and serves as a critical bridge between IT and business stakeholders to translate complex needs into sustainable cloud solutions.

Combining deep technical expertise in system integration, scalability, and security with specialized knowledge of hardware and device integration layers, the Principal Architect will continuously evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends. The Principal Architect's vision will ensure our self-service kiosk platform architecture remains innovative, modern, and perfectly aligned with our evolving strategic goals.

  • Continuously evaluate emerging technologies, cloud services, and industry trends to modernize the self-service platform and ensure alignment with evolving business goals.


  • Lead the design and implementation of secure, resilient integration layers connecting application software with kiosk hardware and Common Use platform( CUSS).


  • Anticipate future technology requirements and communicate those to leadership and multi-functional teams


  • Proactively identify emerging AI and digital self-service capabilities such as personalization, real-time decisioning, identity verification, and kiosk offline mode. Develop proof-of-concept applications and guide architectural evolution accordingly.


  • Lead AI SDLC, including AI - assisted requirements, architecture reviews, code generation, automated testing and release quality gates


  • Define maturity models and drive measurable improvements in velocity, quality and developer experience.


  • Establish engineering best practices, conduct rigorous design reviews, and mentor development teams in building high-scale, resilient systems.


  • Partner with cross-functional architects at the enterprise level to ensure applications are deeply integrated, highly performant, and capable of supporting multiple business capabilities


  • Advanced system visibility by implementing best-in-class observability dashboards and leveraging A/B testing to experiment with feature requirements.


Qualifications

What's needed to succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science , Computer Engineering, Information Systems, other computer related field required


  • 5+ years of relevant experience


  • Experience in common architecture frameworks such as Microservices, API management


  • Experience in designing and building applications using AWS (or Azure or GCP) cloud architecture & services and support of highly available and resilient multi-region platforms


  • Expertise in AWS and Kubernetes to support cloud infrasturcure .


  • DevOps and CI/ CD:Strong knowledge of DevOps practices, including CI/CD, automation, and observability tools (Harness, Dynatrace, DataDog , Splunk).


  • Security and Vulnerability Management:Solid understanding of security best practices, including vulnerability management and mitigation.


  • Experience in hardware integration


  • PCI Compliance: Proven experience in implementing and maintaining PCI compliance for enterprise applications.


  • A mindset for continuous learning and staying updated on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices


  • 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 will help you propel from the pack (Preferred Qualifications):

  • Master's degree in Computer Science


  • AWS certification


  • 3-5+ years of AWS experience


  • 1-3 years of Common Use platform experience


  • 3-5 years of optimizing downstream dependencies for speed and reliability


  • 1-3 years of experience with various kiosk functions and peripherals (IATA/AEA spec, Camera, Printers, Payment, Scanners, status LED's, etc )

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.
Learn more about United Air Lines, Inc
Size
87,400 employees
Market Cap
$12.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
-$7 billion
Founded
1926
5 Year Trend
-7.6%
Revenue
$15.3 billion
NASDAQ

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