Principal Data Scientist – Payment Integrity

Optum is a global organisation 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. 

In healthcare, evolution doesn’t just happen. It takes innovation, imagination, and a passion for solving problems in new and better ways. And innovation is taking place at a lightning-fast pace every day at Optum. 

As the fastest growing part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, we’re expanding our team in Ireland and creating excellent opportunities for those who want greater purpose and more impact in their work. We’ll provide the investment, support, and resources to advance your career. You’ll provide the talent, ambition, and drive. 

The Principal Data Scientist – Payment Integrity will partner with the Payment Integrity (PI) business units to build scalable solutions to business problems. The role requires strong collaboration with internal partners to support and help set the analytics direction and to deliver on identified opportunities. The successful candidate will contribute to creating and maintaining clear, strategic vision and a plan for bringing actionable, innovative analytic solutions to fruition. 

Schedule: Full-time position with standard working hours of Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.

Careers with Optum offer flexible work arrangements and individuals who live and work in the Republic of Ireland will have the opportunity to split their monthly work hours between our Dublin or Letterkenny office and telecommuting from a home-based office in a hybrid work model. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Implement analytic activities to support decision-making for UnitedHealthcare Payment Integrity (PI); in particular, analyze medical spend and identify PI cost-saving and/or avoidance opportunities
• Use data analytics/science techniques to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement in medical spend and/or reduction in provider abrasion (pre-service or pre-payment engagement vs. post-payment actions)
• Analyze performance data to help identify areas for improvement and make data-driven recommendations
• Collaborate with different lines of business to understand their analytic needs, propose & deliver business solutions and drive change. The Principal Data Scientist will work closely with cross-functional teams, including Optum PI and line of business partners, to analyze opportunities, develop solutions, and support successful execution of initiatives to drive savings and/or improve the provider claim experience
• Implement process improvement initiatives and automation for efficiency where appropriate
• Research, interpret, and analyse diverse and complex data and communicate findings to influence the business direction
• Utilise a broad range of analytic approaches including predictive analytics, issue detection, trend analysis, and data visualisation to best address the business priorities

You will be rewarded and recognised 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 providing development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree (or higher) in relevant field (data science, analytics, mathematics, economics, business, statistics, engineering, or finance) OR equivalent experience
• Extensive experience working within technical and business professionals in a matrix management environment, managing multiple priorities and deadlines
• Proven track record of leading analytics projects
• Expert level of proficiency in SQL, and at least one scripting language such as SAS, R, or Python
• Advanced level of proficiency with Data Visualisation / Dashboard tools (e.g., Power BI)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in Payment Integrity

Please note you must currently be eligible to work and remain indefinitely without any restrictions in the country to which you are making an application. Proof will be required to support your application.

All telecommuters will be required to adhere to the UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy.

 

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 marginalised 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: Optum is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, race, and membership of the Traveller community, or any other characteristic protected by law. Optum is a drug-free workplace. © 2025 Optum Services (Ireland) Limited. All rights reserved.

 

 

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