Senior Metallurgy Engineer

The Senior Metallurgy Engineer at United Airlines is responsible for supporting the technical operations of aircraft maintenance, focusing on the maintenance, overhaul, and analysis of aerospace metal alloys. The role involves mentoring engineering teams, analysing failure modes, managing projects, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent aviation maintenance experience, along with over five years’ relevant experience. Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, project management, and communication skills are essential. The position offers a base salary range of $100,415 to $130,758, with eligibility for bonuses and comprehensive benefits. Preferred qualifications include advanced technical degrees, airline or industry experience, and expertise in Boeing or Airbus structures and composite materials. The Senior Metallurgy Engineer at United Airlines plays a pivotal role in supporting the technical operations of aircraft maintenance, focusing on the maintenance and overhaul of aircraft components. This position is responsible for analysing failure modes, mentoring engineering teams, and ensuring regulatory compliance and operational efficiency. The role requires hands-on expertise in metallurgy, material science, and aerospace metal alloys, with a strong emphasis on project management and technical problem-solving. Compensation for this role ranges from $100,415 to $130,758 per hour, with eligibility for bonuses, long-term incentives, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, accident & disability, parental leave, employee assistance, commuter, paid holidays, paid time off, 401(k), and flight privileges. 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.

Description

At United, we have some of the best aircraft in the world. Our Technical Operations team is full of aircraft maintenance technicians, engineers, planners, ground equipment and facilities professionals, and supply chain teams that help make sure they’re well taken care of and ready to get our customers to their desired destinations. If you’re ready to work on our planes, join our Tech Ops experts and help keep our fleet in tip-top shape.

Technical Operations/Maintenance

Technical Operations includes the maintenance and overhaul of our aircraft. This includes aircraft maintenance technicians, engineers, planners, ground equipment and facilities teams, supply chain teams and more.

Job overview and responsibilities

Experience in Metallurgy and/or material science, heat treating, welding, shot peen. Practical knowledge of properties of aerospace metal alloys, including metallographic sample preparation, microstructure, heat treatment, and welding. Industry experience as a metallurgist is a plus. Able to mentor other engineering groups on specifying material process for repair development. Analyze failure modes of aircraft engines and components. Self-guide and manage projects with and without support from others on the team. Prefer direct experience with metallographic sample preparation, microstructure analysis, and heat treatment. Oversight includes metallographic and SEM labs. Demonstrates ability to work independently as well as collaborating and foster engagement with stakeholders. Studies analyze and seek solutions to problems related to the design, operation, maintenance, performance, modification, or repair of aircraft, and their components.

• Use a structured, logical, and analytical approach in problem solving
• Defines maintenance program, configuration, and serviceability criteria ensuring safe and legal operation
• Analyze and implement regulatory requirements
• Author, design, and manage technical work scopes
• Provide on-site technical support for shop, line, and base operations
• Interfaces with internal and external organizations (OEMs, OSVs) regarding specific aircraft, engine, and component issues
• This position develops potentially complex solutions and implementation plans, project justification, cost/benefit analysis, management of project implementation, technical support, and obtaining FAA approvals as required
• Coordinate work with other operational groups to ensure airworthiness, safety, regulatory compliance, operational reliability, and operational efficiency
• Organize and manage the priorities for assigned responsibilities and accomplish the work processes to meet all the deliverables for projects or maintenance program changes/technical specification revisions

Qualifications

What’s needed to succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

• Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent aviation maintenance experience required

• 5 plus years of experience

• Strong understanding of material science and metallurgy. Manufacturing processes including heat treat, welding, machining, casting, forging, plating, shot peen, composites

• Strong organizational and project management skills

• Professional report writing and presentation skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced maintenance environment with time-critical return to service deliverables

• Ability to simplify complex technical issues into clear, actionable communication for non-technical audiences

• Clear, concise executive-level communication skills

• Strong working knowledge of Boeing and Airbus SRMs, SBs, and OEM documentation

Preferred

• Metallurgical and Material Science with one or more other technical degrees in related fields (Mechanical/Aerospace/Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, etc.)

• Prior airline experience a plus

• Boeing or Airbus related structures and/or composite training preferred

• Airline or Industry experience with general ATA Chapters which encompass, aircraft structures, and disciplines

• Specific ATA 21, 25, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 72-chapter structures related experience

• NAA, NTSB and Aerospace OEM joint investigation experience

• Understanding of wet and dry analytical chemistry techniques

• High level of knowledge level of analytical instrumentations and techniques such as scanning electron microscope

The base pay range for this role is $100,415.00 to $130,758.00.
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. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law. We provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation, contact [Job Accommodations@united.com](mailto:Job Accommodations@united.com)

At United, we have some of the best aircraft in the world. Our Technical Operations team is full of aircraft maintenance technicians, engineers, planners, ground equipment and facilities professionals, and supply chain teams that help make sure they’re well taken care of and ready to get our customers to their desired destinations. If you’re ready to work on our planes, join our Tech Ops experts and help keep our fleet in tip-top shape.

Technical Operations/Maintenance

Technical Operations includes the maintenance and overhaul of our aircraft. This includes aircraft maintenance technicians, engineers, planners, ground equipment and facilities teams, supply chain teams and more.

Job overview and responsibilities

Experience in Metallurgy and/or material science, heat treating, welding, shot peen. Practical knowledge of properties of aerospace metal alloys, including metallographic sample preparation, microstructure, heat treatment, and welding. Industry experience as a metallurgist is a plus. Able to mentor other engineering groups on specifying material process for repair development. Analyze failure modes of aircraft engines and components. Self-guide and manage projects with and without support from others on the team. Prefer direct experience with metallographic sample preparation, microstructure analysis, and heat treatment. Oversight includes metallographic and SEM labs. Demonstrates ability to work independently as well as collaborating and foster engagement with stakeholders. Studies analyze and seek solutions to problems related to the design, operation, maintenance, performance, modification, or repair of aircraft, and their components.

• Use a structured, logical, and analytical approach in problem solving
• Defines maintenance program, configuration, and serviceability criteria ensuring safe and legal operation
• Analyze and implement regulatory requirements
• Author, design, and manage technical work scopes
• Provide on-site technical support for shop, line, and base operations
• Interfaces with internal and external organizations (OEMs, OSVs) regarding specific aircraft, engine, and component issues
• This position develops potentially complex solutions and implementation plans, project justification, cost/benefit analysis, management of project implementation, technical support, and obtaining FAA approvals as required
• Coordinate work with other operational groups to ensure airworthiness, safety, regulatory compliance, operational reliability, and operational efficiency
• Organize and manage the priorities for assigned responsibilities and accomplish the work processes to meet all the deliverables for projects or maintenance program changes/technical specification revisions

What’s needed to succeed (Minimum Qualifications):

• Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent aviation maintenance experience required

• 5 plus years of experience

• Strong understanding of material science and metallurgy. Manufacturing processes including heat treat, welding, machining, casting, forging, plating, shot peen, composites

• Strong organizational and project management skills

• Professional report writing and presentation skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced maintenance environment with time-critical return to service deliverables

• Ability to simplify complex technical issues into clear, actionable communication for non-technical audiences

• Clear, concise executive-level communication skills

• Strong working knowledge of Boeing and Airbus SRMs, SBs, and OEM documentation

Preferred

• Metallurgical and Material Science with one or more other technical degrees in related fields (Mechanical/Aerospace/Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, etc.)

• Prior airline experience a plus

• Boeing or Airbus related structures and/or composite training preferred

• Airline or Industry experience with general ATA Chapters which encompass, aircraft structures, and disciplines

• Specific ATA 21, 25, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 72-chapter structures related experience

• NAA, NTSB and Aerospace OEM joint investigation experience

• Understanding of wet and dry analytical chemistry techniques

• High level of knowledge level of analytical instrumentations and techniques such as scanning electron microscope

Equal Opportunity Employer
The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy applies to all employment decisions including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, promotions, pay practices, benefits, disciplinary actions and terminations. For more information, visit https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/hr/eeo.

• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. 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 Responsibilities
• Responsible for supporting the maintenance and overhaul of aircraft components, including mentoring engineering groups on material process specification.
• Play a key role in shaping failure mode analysis and component repair development.
• Help drive innovation in project management by self-guiding and managing projects independently or with team support.
• Take ownership of analysing and implementing regulatory requirements and ensuring safe and legal operation.
• Deliver high-quality technical work scopes, project justification, cost/benefit analysis, and management of project implementation.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to coordinate work with operational groups for airworthiness, safety, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Lead efforts to provide on-site technical support for shop, line, and base operations, including interfacing with OEMs and OSVs.
• Organise and manage priorities for assigned responsibilities to meet project and technical deliverables. Skills
• Strong understanding of material science and metallurgy, including manufacturing processes such as heat treat, welding, machining, casting, forging, plating, shot peen, and composites.
• Proficiency in analysing and implementing regulatory requirements and ensuring airworthiness and safety.
• Experience with Boeing and Airbus SRMs, SBs, and OEM documentation is required.
• Ability to simplify complex technical issues into clear, actionable communication for non-technical audiences.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with professional report writing and presentation abilities.
• Experience in a fast-paced maintenance environment with time-critical return to service deliverables.
• Preferred: Metallurgical and Material Science with additional technical degrees in related fields, prior airline experience, Boeing or Airbus related structures and/or composite training, airline or industry experience with ATA Chapters, NAA, NTSB, and Aerospace OEM joint investigation experience, understanding of wet and dry analytical chemistry techniques, and high-level knowledge of analytical instrumentation such as scanning electron microscope. Education
• A bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent aviation maintenance experience is required.