Principal Software Engineer – Basking Ridge, NJ or Remote

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Join our dynamic team as a Principal Software Engineer, where you will lead the charge in modernizing our technology stack, driving excellence in software engineering practices, and mentoring the next generation of engineering talent. This role is pivotal in setting high standards and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead initiatives focused on technology modernization and the adoption of modern software engineering practices
• Oversee delivery management to ensure timely and high-quality software releases
• Implement and enforce best practices for code quality and security
• Mentor and develop junior engineers, fostering a culture of learning and growth and promoting best practices and ensuring the delivery of high-quality code
• Set and maintain high standards for software development and engineering excellence and enable teams to leverage AI Tools to the fullest 
• Act as a change agent, driving the adoption of modern engineering practices across the organization
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align engineering efforts with business goals
• Continuously evaluate and improve engineering processes and tools

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or a related field
• 15+ years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5+ years in a leadership or principal engineering role
• Programming: 10+ years of expertise in C#, Typescript, Java
• 10+ years of experience in Distributed Systems: solid experience in designing and implementing scalable, high-availability, and low-latency distributed systems
• 10+ years of experience in Databases: Expertise in both relational (Oracle, PostgreSQL) Security & Compliance: solid understanding of security best practices, PCI-DSS compliance, encryption, and fraud detection techniques
• 10+ years of experience in API & Integrations: Experience designing and developing RESTful APIs and event-driven architectures using Kafka or similar technologies
• 8+ years of DevOps & CI/CD: Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible), and monitoring tools like Prometheus, Grafana, or Datadog
• 5+ years in Performance Optimization: Expertise in optimizing high-traffic, real-time payment processing systems for latency and throughput
• 5+ years of hands-on experience with cloud providers (Azure) and cloud-native architectures (Kubernetes, serverless, microservices)

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Work experience in NoSQL databases (Elastic Search and MongoDB)
• Experience in working with global agile teams
• Collaboration: Experience working in cross-functional teams, including security, SRE, and product development teams
• Experience working in the payments, fintech, or banking industry, with a deep understanding of payment processing systems, financial transactions, security and regulatory requirements
• Proven ability to collaborate well with product and program stakeholders
• Leadership: Proven ability to mentor and guide engineers, influence technical decisions, and drive innovation
• Problem-Solving: Proven solid analytical and troubleshooting skills in complex distributed environments
• Communication: Proven effective communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders, including product managers, compliance teams, and business leaders

*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy 

The salary range for this role is $124,500 to $239,400 annually based on full-time employment. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. UnitedHealth Group complies with all minimum wage laws as applicable. In addition to your salary, UnitedHealth Group offers benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with UnitedHealth Group, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants. 

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug – free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.