Department:
Technical OperationsOur Company Promise
We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.
Job Description:
As a Powerplant Planner, you'll help ensure the reliability and availability of the Company's engine and APU fleet by monitoring on-wing engine health, forecasting fleet and spare engine needs, and coordinating off-wing engine activity. You'll plan and oversee engine removals, shop visits, build-ups, and teardowns while partnering across Departments and with external vendors to maintain asset visibility and effective engine management strategies. This role analyzes and manages Ready Spare Engine and APU inventories, supports AOG readiness by maintaining engine availability at stocked stations, and plays a critical role in protecting daily operations. Success in this position requires strong planning, analytical, and organizational skills, along with the ability to quickly adapt and reprioritize in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment.
Additional Details
The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours.
U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.
We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.
Responsibilities
Creates, gathers, and analyzes engine data and forecasts; creates and fulfills ad hoc report requests, and provides business insights
Assists in the planning and forecasting of Fleet transaction initiatives within Tech Ops
Identifies drivers of key performance indicators (KPIs), tracks and communicates these with Leaders across the organization
Assists Sr. Planner and/or Sr. Manager in consolidating performance measurements and supporting various other PowerPlant Planning activities
Plans Jet Turbine engine and APU removals and preservation compliance with Life limited components
Ensures daily engine planning activities in the engine planning team
Manages removed engines through SWA engine shop to minimize SWA turnaround time
Uses analytical skills to assist in developing forecasting models, spares projections, and other planning tools
Produces a schedule for Engine/APU removals and replacement, executing such work
Maintains and coordinates with Powerplant Engineering the Watch List of engines at potential risk for removal for appropriate planning and communication with other departments
Coordinates the removal schedule with Finance, Fleet Asset Management, and other departments to ensure that the financial impact of schedule changes is understood
May perform other job duties as directed by Employee's Leaders
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Fundamental knowledge and priciples of operation of Aviation Gas turbine engines and fleet management concepts
Ability to run engine planning programs with OEM/Vendor and powerplant related inputs.
Ablity to plan and manage engines within FAA and OEM guidelines
Understanding of aircraft maintenance language and documentation processes
Ability to maintain a high level of confidence and trust with all levels of leadership
Ability to demonstrate and maintain a high regard for confidential and sensitive information
Ability to think like an owner. Demonstrates a high level of responsibility.
Ability to apply logical approaches to solving complex problems and identifying solutions
Ability to self-start and work autonomously, with limited and disparate information
Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of employees up to and including leadership (written, oral, interpersonal)
Proficient in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams, etc.)
Skilled in team-building and consensus-building
Ability to build strong interpersonal relationships and lead through influence
Education
Required: High School Diploma or GED
Required: Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Intermediate level experience, fully functioning broad knowledge in:
Data Analytics
Airline technical operations
Planning or Project management
Licensing/Certification
N/A
Physical Abilities
Ability to perform work duties from [limited space work station/desk/office area] for extended periods of time
Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job
Other Qualifications
Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
Must be at least 18 years of age
Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines
Pay & Benefits:
Competitive market salary from $81,200.00 per year to $90,200.00 per year* depending on qualifications and experience. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the Company.
Benefits you’ll love:
Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)
Southwest will help fund your Retirement Savings Plan, which includes a dollar-for-dollar 401(k) Company match contribution of up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**
Potential for annual profit-sharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan—when Southwest profits, you profit***
Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents
Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You'll have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan, and coverage will be retroactively available to your first day of employment.
Explore more benefits you’ll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits
*Pay amount doesn’t guarantee employment for any particular period.
**401(k) Company match contributions are subject to the plan’s vesting schedule. Match contributions may vary based on the position.
*** Profit-sharing contributions are subject to the Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company.
Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Skills Required
- Bachelor's Degree
- High School Diploma or GED
- Intermediate experience in Data Analytics
- Intermediate experience in Airline Technical Operations
- Intermediate experience in Planning or Project Management
- Fundamental knowledge of aviation gas turbine engines and fleet management concepts
- Ability to run engine planning programs with OEM/vendor inputs
- Ability to plan and manage engines within FAA and OEM guidelines
- Understanding of aircraft maintenance language and documentation processes
- Proficient in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams)
- Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of employees and leadership
- U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S.; no sponsorship available
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Ability to perform work duties from a limited-space workstation/desk for extended periods
Southwest Airlines Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Southwest Airlines and has not been reviewed or approved by Southwest Airlines.
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Pay Growth & Progression — Pay progression is described as materially improving after major 2024 union agreements, especially for pilots and flight attendants. Compensation satisfaction is framed as stronger over time as step scales and seniority accumulate.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support stands out through a dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match and the presence of profit-sharing contributions that can add to retirement savings. Stock purchase access is also positioned as an additional ownership-oriented component of total rewards.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellbeing and lifestyle value is elevated by extensive space-available travel privileges and broad travel-related discounts that can materially offset personal travel costs. Recognition mechanisms like points-based rewards are also positioned as an added lifestyle-oriented perk.
Southwest Airlines Insights
What We Do
At Southwest Airlines we connect People to what’s important in their lives—that also means connecting our Employees to what’s important in their lives! Our Employees value the opportunity to work hard, be creative, and have fun on the job. Southwest Airlines recognizes, respects, and values differences. By fostering a culture that embraces and utilizes our diversity, we create competitive advantages in teamwork and innovation that contribute to our overall success.







