Purdue Operational Rotation Program

1st Year Rotation (10 Weeks) 

Purdue Operational Rotation Program

Job Description

1st Year Rotation – 10 Weeks

Overview

This 10-week, full-time rotation provides early-career professionals with hands-on exposure to key areas of Global Crossing Airlines’ operational, technical, and corporate functions.

Participants may be assigned to the Operations Control Center (OCC), Crew Scheduling, Aircraft Maintenance/Technical Operations, or a Corporate Department, based on their area of study, interests, qualifications, and Company needs.

Through direct involvement with experienced aviation professionals, participants will gain a practical understanding of how operational, technical, and corporate teams work together to support a safe, compliant, reliable, and efficient airline operation.

What You Will Be Doing

Depending on the assigned rotation, participants may support activities in one of the following areas:

Operations Control Center (OCC) / Crew Scheduling

• Support daily OCC or Crew Scheduling activities, including monitoring flight status, crew coverage, and operational constraints.

• Assist with disruption management by tracking delays, cancellations, aircraft swaps, and crew legality considerations.

• Participate in operational briefings and shift handovers to understand real-time operational decision-making.

• Analyze operational data and help identify trends impacting on-time performance, crew utilization, and operational reliability.

• Contribute to process improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, communication, and operational resilience.

Aircraft Maintenance / Technical Operations

• Work alongside Aircraft Maintenance Technicians and Technical Operations personnel to gain exposure to airline maintenance activities.

• Observe and assist, as appropriate and under proper supervision, with scheduled and unscheduled aircraft maintenance activities.

• Gain exposure to aircraft inspections, troubleshooting, servicing, and maintenance processes.

• Become familiar with maintenance documentation, technical manuals, work packages, and recordkeeping requirements.

• Observe how maintenance teams coordinate with Maintenance Control, OCC, and other operational departments to support aircraft availability and reliability.

• Participate in shift briefings and maintenance handovers to understand how aircraft discrepancies and maintenance priorities are communicated and managed.

• Support maintenance-related projects and process improvement initiatives, as assigned.

Corporate Functions

Participants assigned to a corporate rotation may gain exposure to departments such as Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Safety, Security, Commercial, or other corporate and administrative functions, depending on their area of study and Company needs.

Activities may include:

• Support day-to-day departmental activities and special projects.

• Assist with data collection, analysis, reporting, and preparation of business information.

• Participate in departmental meetings and cross-functional projects.

• Gain exposure to corporate processes, policies, and business practices within the airline industry.

• Support process improvement initiatives and help identify opportunities to improve efficiency and communication.

• Collaborate with different departments to understand how corporate functions support airline operations.

• Assist with department-specific projects aligned with the participant’s academic background, interests, and professional development goals.

What You Will Learn

Participants will gain practical exposure to their assigned area, including:

OCC / Crew Scheduling

• How the OCC functions as the nerve center of an airline.

• Fundamentals of crew scheduling, legality, and regulatory considerations.

• How operational decisions balance safety, compliance, cost, reliability, and customer impact.

• Communication and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced, time-critical environment.

Aircraft Maintenance / Technical Operations

• The role of Aircraft Maintenance Technicians within a Part 121 airline operation.

• Fundamentals of scheduled and unscheduled aircraft maintenance.

• How aircraft discrepancies are identified, documented, communicated, and addressed.

• The importance of maintenance documentation, regulatory compliance, safety, and quality.

• How Technical Operations coordinates with OCC and other departments to support aircraft reliability and operational requirements.

• Practical communication, teamwork, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills in an airline maintenance environment.

Corporate Functions

• How corporate departments support the overall operation and strategic objectives of an airline.

• How different business functions collaborate with operational and technical teams.

• Fundamentals of professional communication, project management, data analysis, and business decision-making.

• How policies, procedures, compliance requirements, and business processes are applied within an airline environment.

• How to work effectively within cross-functional teams and contribute to departmental projects and initiatives.

• Practical workplace skills applicable to future careers in aviation and corporate environments.

Development & Support

• Assigned rotation leader and mentor.

• Defined learning objectives based on the participant’s assigned department.

• Regular feedback throughout the rotation.

• Exposure to experienced professionals across airline operations, Technical Operations, and corporate functions.

• Opportunities to observe and participate in real-world operational, technical, and business projects.

• Cross-functional exposure to better understand how different areas of the organization work together.

Qualifications

• Current Purdue University student pursuing a degree in Aviation, Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering, Aviation Maintenance, Operations, Business, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Management, or a related field.

• Strong interest in the aviation industry and airline operations, technical functions, or corporate business functions.

• Ability to think critically, stay organized, and perform effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

• Commitment to professionalism, safety, and regulatory compliance.

• Ability to adapt to different work environments and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

• For operational assignments, ability and willingness to work in a 24/7 airline environment, which may include nights, weekends, holidays, and other non-standard hours.

• For Aircraft Maintenance/Technical Operations assignments, willingness to work in an active aircraft maintenance environment and comply with all applicable safety requirements.

Location & Schedule

• On-site

• Full-time for the duration of the 10-week rotation.

• Department and work location will be determined based on the participant’s assigned rotation, academic background, interests, and Company needs.

• Schedule may vary based on the assigned department and may include non-standard hours for operational and Technical Operations assignments.

• Competitive pay and housing stipend.