VP AI ML Engineering

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 inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Optum is seeking a visionary AI leader to deliver Conversational AI solutions to UnitedHealthcare Consumers and Optum Patients. The successful candidate will play a critical role in transforming our digital experiences to conversational experiences, through multiple engagement channels (including web, app, chat, voice, and search), with a particular emphasis on transforming how consumers engage in the US health care system.  In this role you will help make UnitedHealth Group’s consumer obsessed digital vision come to life by using AI to deliver our next generation Conversational Experiences.

Job Summary:

Define and lead the strategic vision, architecture, and implementation of AI solutions across our consumer-facing digital experiences.  Partner closely with business and product teams to identify and prioritize strategic opportunities for leveraging AI within web, mobile, chat messaging, voice messaging, and search channels. Oversee the development of scalable, secure, and innovative AI solutions designed to enhance consumer engagement and deliver personalized, intuitive self-service experiences that transform our current digital experiences into conversational experiences.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Define, communicate, and execute the architectural vision and strategic roadmap for AI applications across all consumer engagement channels, ensuring alignment with overall business goals and consumer experience objectives
• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, user experience, and business stakeholders to identify, prioritize, and implement high-impact AI opportunities across web, mobile, chat messaging, voice messaging, and search platforms
• Lead the architectural design and implementation of advanced AI solutions, including conversational AI/chatbots, virtual assistants, personalized content generation, and search enhanced with conversational capabilities that transform our existing digital experiences into conversational experiences
• Champion the integration of AI best practices throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from ideation and prototyping through deployment, monitoring, and continuous optimization
• Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to architects and engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning
• Establish and enforce architectural standards, guidelines, and governance processes for AI solutions, ensuring scalability, performance, security, regulatory compliance, and adherence to data privacy best practices
• Continuously monitor emerging AI technologies, tools, and industry trends, proactively recommending innovative approaches to enhance digital consumer interactions and experiences
• Represent the organization in technical discussions, strategic partnerships, and industry forums related to AI, consumer engagement, and digital innovation
• Evangelize AI capabilities and opportunities internally and foster the development of AI talent by actively identifying, mentoring, and developing talent within the consumer engineering organization
  
  

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:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in software architecture and engineering
• Proven experience leading the architectural vision, strategy, and successful delivery of AI solutions at scale (ideally within conversational AI, virtual assistants, content generation, and/or dynamic consumer engagement)
• Hands-on technical expertise in AI technologies and frameworks, including large language models (LLMs), natural language generation (NLG) including voice and chat, and conversational interfaces
• Demonstrated experience with consumer-facing digital solutions across multiple channels (web, mobile, chat, voice, and search)
• Excellent communication, leadership, and collaboration skills
• Track record of success effectively influencing and inspiring cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders to drive change
• Experience ensuring solutions adhere to regulatory compliance, ethical considerations, data privacy, and security best practices

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven experience implementing AI solutions within consumer-focused industries, particularly in self-service digital environments
• Experience creating GenAI solutions
• Deep understanding of consumer engagement strategies, user experience principles, and best practices across digital self-service channels
• Familiarity with cloud-based AI platforms, APIs, Agile development, and DevOps methodologies
• Track record of innovation, thought leadership, and successful execution of transformative AI initiatives
• Healthcare domain knowledge
• Bachelor’s or Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer 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 us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $196,600 to $337,100 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable. 

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.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

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