Department

Technology

Our 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

Notice: We ask that you apply with your personal email address rather than your school email (.edu) so we can stay connected about future roles at Southwest. Be sure to attach a resume to your application.

Software Engineer Interns will work full-time within the Technology Department. You may be asked to support a variety of projects within one or more of the following Teams:

Digital Platforms (Native App Development) Team: As an intern on the Digital Platforms Team, you will work alongside a dynamic group of developers supporting Southwest Airlines’ iOS and Android applications—the primary platforms our Customers use to purchase tickets, check in for flights, and access key revenue and service features. This role offers hands-on experience in mobile development within a collaborative environment, providing exposure to impactful projects that enhance the Customer experience.
Ground Operations Technology Team: As an intern on the Ground Operations Technology Team, you'll play a key role in supporting Southwest Airlines’ airport operations and modernization efforts by delivering accurate flight and operational data to airports for display screens and digital signage, ensuring Customers and Employees have the most up-to-date travel information. You'll also support the boarding process visually and audibly, providing tools that enable safe and efficient aircraft boarding, and extend services to Cruise Ship partners for off-site check-in capabilities. We support six products across this Team, creating a collaborative and interactive learning environment with opportunities to expand your knowledge in multiple areas of technology and operations.
SAP Finance Team: As an intern on the SAP Finance Team, you will support the backbone of Southwest Airlines’ financial applications, SAP, which enables critical Accounting and Treasury functions such as Financial Accounting, Finance Close and Consolidations, Debt and Cash Management, Management and Regulatory Reporting, and Finance Controls. This team partners closely with Finance business stakeholders to deliver technology capabilities that drive financial operations across the entire organization, providing a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in enterprise systems and financial technology.
People and Communications – Social Business and Communications Team: As an intern on the Social Business and Communications Team, you'll have the unique opportunity to collaborate with Southwest Airlines’ Social Business and Corporate Communications Teams to deliver technical solutions that steer the Company’s voice across social channels and enable effective, meaningful communication with Employees. This work includes building capabilities that help our Employees connect with one another and stay informed, while supporting the tools and technologies that drive engagement and communication at scale. This internship offers hands-on experience in creating impactful solutions that strengthen both external and internal communication strategies.

Additional Details

Software Engineer Interns will work full-time within the Technology Department.
This role is offered as a remote workplace position, which may require travel for trainings, meetings, conferences, etc. Outside of those required visits, the majority of your working time may be spent in an approved remote location, away from our Corporate Campus. Please note, while this is a remote position, there is limited group of states or localities ineligible for Employees to regularly perform their work off-site. Those ineligible locations are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New Hampshire New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming, and Puerto Rico.
If you currently reside in an ineligible location, you may relocate to an eligible location and be considered for an internship.
Receive free, unlimited space available travel privileges for yourself (taxes and fees may apply on international travel).
Interns will be provided any required equipment, such as a laptop, for the internship.
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.

Duties and Responsibilities

Analyze, design, write program code, test, document, and implement functionally appropriately, technically sound, and well-integrated application systems in accordance with Customer requirements, and organizational methodologies and standards.
Respond to production problems and implement immediate resolution efforts across technology areas.
Maintain awareness of technology trends in area of responsibility.
Meet commitments and deliverables related to participating in projects.

Basic Qualifications

High School Diploma, GED or equivalent education required
Must be at least 18 years of age
Must have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
You must have a valid U.S. Social Security Number to complete the full hiring process
This position requires authorization to work in the United States as a permanent employee without sponsorship now or in the future

Education

Progress towards degree, major, or minor in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems or Information Technology, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Business OR similar degree
Progress towards a 4-year undergraduate degree preferred
To be eligible, you must be currently enrolled as a full-time student (as defined by your university) at the time of application and during the internship
1-2 semesters remaining at the time the internship ends is preferred
Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA at the time of application

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Preferred: Experience with cloud technologies, with a preference for AWS services such as Lambda, EC2, S3, and IAM; cloud training or coursework in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
Preferred: Experience with scripting and software testing techniques.
Preferred: Exposure to native app development.
Preferred: Classroom and/or coursework in software development.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience using at least one programming language.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience using Java, API, Node Js, Python, JavaScript, JSON, XML, HTML, CSS, React, Jira, Kafka, GitLab basics, including pipelines and CI/CD concepts.
Preferred: Exposure to or understanding of event-driven architecture.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience with React preferred
Preferred: Knowledge of Agile or Scaled Agile (SAFe) methodologies.
Preferred: Basic knowledge of software development methodologies, practices, concepts, technologies, and technical options.
Preferred: Ability to stay organized and manage multiple and concurrent assignments under tight deadlines.
Preferred: Previous internship or work experience as a Software Engineer within the past 12 months.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience delivering presentations in a group setting.
Preferred: Works well in a culture that is open, direct, respectful, courteous, and compassionate.

Time Commitment and Pay

Required: Full-time 40hrs a week
Must maintain a consistent weekly schedule during normal business hours at a max of 8hrs per day
Program Dates: May 19 – August 7, 2026
$25-$29 per hour, corresponding with progress toward degree (students with more completed semesters may qualify for higher rates within the range)
Stipends may be offered based on eligibility and program criteria

To apply, you must submit your application and upload a resume for each role online at www.southwest.com/careers.

We are committed to helping individuals with disabilities participate in the workforce and ensuring equal opportunity to apply and compete for jobs. If you need accommodation at any point in the hiring process due to a disability, you may email the Accommodations Team or call 877-792-4792.

Education

High School Diploma, GED or equivalent education required.
Progress towards degree, major, or minor in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems or Information Technology, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Business, or a similar degree.
Progress towards a 4-year undergraduate degree preferred.
To be eligible, you must be currently enrolled as a full-time student (as defined by your university) at the time of application and during the internship.
1-2 semesters remaining at the time the internship ends is preferred.
Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA at the time of application.

Other Qualifications

Must be at least 18 years of age.
You must have a valid U.S. Social Security Number to complete the full hiring process

Experience

Preferred: Experience with cloud technologies, with a preference for AWS services such as Lambda, EC2, S3, and IAM; cloud training or coursework in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
Preferred: Experience with scripting and software testing techniques.
Preferred: Exposure to native app development.
Preferred: Classroom and/or coursework in software development.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience using at least one programming language.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience using Java, API, Node Js, Python, JavaScript, JSON, XML, HTML, CSS, React, Jira, Kafka, GitLab basics, including pipelines and CI/CD concepts.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience with React preferred
Preferred: Knowledge of Agile or Scaled Agile (SAFe) methodologies.
Preferred: Basic knowledge of software development methodologies, practices, concepts, technologies, and technical options.
Preferred: Ability to stay organized and manage multiple and concurrent assignments under tight deadlines.
Preferred: Previous internship or work experience as a Software Engineer within the past 12 months.
Preferred: Classroom and/or industry experience delivering presentations in a group setting.
Preferred: Works well in a culture that is open, direct, respectful, courteous, and compassionate.

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Please print/save this job description because it won't be available after you apply.

Job Posting End Date

01/11/2026

✨ Job alerts

✨ Job alerts

Staff Software Engineer - Imagery & Visualization

Software Engineer Summer 2026 Internships