Principal Data Scientist

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.

This role is part of UnitedHealth Group’s Responsible AI Program, sitting within the program’s data science center of excellence. This position combines data science with healthcare innovation, AI ethics, and regulatory compliance, providing a unique opportunity to help shape the future of AI applications in healthcare.  In this role, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine AI methodologies, develop and validate robust testing protocols to identify potential model failures.  A successful candidate will interact with diverse teams using a wide variety of AI methods and validate test plans and results.  The role also requires ability to write clear documentation on use-case specific testing requirements.  You will also engage with stakeholders to advocate for and drive the adoption of responsible AI practices, providing a unique opportunity to shape the future of ethical AI applications in healthcare.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Clearly communicate with diverse teams including legal, compliance, and AI development over a wide variety of AI methods including Generative AI and traditional ML
• Document findings, create reports, and present results to stakeholders
• Design, and develop job aids and guidance documentation for best practices of responsible AI
• Develop Python scripts to automate testing processes and analyze results
• Help identify vulnerabilities related to PII/PHI exposure in AI interaction
• Maintain test data sets and contribute to improving testing methodologies
• Stay abreast of the latest developments in AI/ML research and incorporate relevant findings into work
• Provide mentorship and guidance to colleagues, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement
• Assist in designing and executing Red Team testing scenarios for conversational AI systems
• Comply with the terms and conditions of the employment contract, company policies and procedures, and any and all directives (such as, but not limited to, transfer and/or re-assignment to different work locations, change in teams and/or work shifts, policies in regard to flexibility of work benefits and/or work environment, alternative work arrangements, and other decisions that may arise due to the changing business environment). The Company may adopt, vary or rescind these policies and directives in its absolute discretion and without any limitation (implied or otherwise) on its ability to do so

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree plus over five years of experience in computer science, applied mathematics, applied statistics, or related quantitative fields
• Extensive experience with advanced natural language processing models and Python-based ML frameworks such as scikit-learn, Pandas, and Numpy
• Deep understanding of AI ethics and fairness considerations
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills

• Proficiency in the full machine learning lifecycle including development, deployment, and maintenance

   

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including product managers and business stakeholders
• Familiarity with healthcare systems including claims payment and call centers
• Ability to translate business needs into technical solutions
• Knowledge of large language models, conversational AI, prompt engineering, and adversarial testing
• Awareness of regulatory frameworks relevant to AI in healthcare
• Basic understanding of information security principles

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.