Associate AI/ML Engineer

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.

We are seeking an Associate AI/ML Engineer (early‑career) who is excited to grow in a supportive, collaborative environment. You'll be set up for success with clear expectations, opportunities to pair with senior engineers, and mentorship as you learn‑by‑doing-contributing to AI services, exploring Generative AI, and building foundational skills across machine learning and data engineering. We value curiosity, steady progress, and thoughtful questions as much as technical output.

You will enjoy the flexibility to telecommute* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities:

• AI/ML Solution Development
  • Implement and iterate on AI and machine learning solutions (including Generative AI) by building prototypes, integrating models into services, and improving quality based on evaluation results
• Model Training, Evaluation & Optimization
  • Support proof‑of‑concepts and model experiments and help baseline performance using clear evaluation metrics (with guidance on approach and tooling)
• Platform & Infrastructure Engineering
  • Contribute to training and inference pipelines using Databricks, PySpark, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) with guidance from senior engineers
• Generative AI & Advanced Techniques
  • Learn and apply GenAI building blocks such as RAG and prompt orchestration tools (e.g., LangChain); exposure to vector databases is a plus
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with emphasis on responsible use of AI 
  • Support performance and cost improvements (e.g., caching, batching, basic optimization), and learn model optimization techniques (quantization/distillation) as needed
• Software Engineering & APIs
  • Contribute to building and testing APIs (e.g., REST with FastAPI) and learn delivery fundamentals such as containers (Docker) and simple app frameworks (e.g., Flask/Streamlit) as needed
• Collaboration & Communication
  • Collaborate with cross‑functional partners to understand business needs, ask clarifying questions, and communicate progress and results clearly
• Leadership, Mentorship & Culture
  • Participate in design and code reviews, learn from feedback, and contribute to team standards for quality, safety, and trust

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear directions 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 degree in Computer Science, or IT or Data Science, or a related field
• 1+ years of software engineering experience (including internships, co‑ops, academic, or personal projects) delivering well‑tested applications and services
• 6+ months of AI/ML engineering experience, including prototyping, evaluation, and supporting deployment/monitoring in collaboration with senior engineers
• 6+ months of hands‑on experience (coursework, internships, or projects) with Python and SQL; familiarity with Java and scripting is a plus
• 6+ months of experience with any one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP) through internships, labs, or projects or professional experience 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with MLOps concepts (experimentation tracking, model packaging, deployment patterns, and monitoring basics)
• Exposure to Infrastructure as Code tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation (learning‑level or project experience)
• Awareness of data governance and access control concepts; familiarity with Databricks features like Delta Lake and Unity Catalog is a plus
• Familiarity with common AI/ML libraries and basic patterns for integrating models into applications (inference, evaluation basics, and logging/monitoring fundamentals)
• Exposure to big data technologies such as Spark; familiarity with ecosystem tools (e.g., Kafka/Hadoop) is a plus
• Basic understanding of data science fundamentals (statistics/probability, metrics, and data modeling); deeper coursework or hands‑on project experience is a plus
• Exposure to Databricks and Spark (PySpark/SparkSQL) through coursework, projects, or professional experience; familiarity with building basic data pipelines is a plus
• Familiarity with distributed data processing concepts (batch/streaming fundamentals, data partitioning, and performance basics)
• Foundational understanding of clean, maintainable code, debugging, and basic API/service concepts; eager to learn system design and modern engineering best practices
• Ability to design, build, deploy, and operate production‑ready services with guidance, including exposure to CI/CD and cloud infrastructure

*All Telecommuters will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.

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 rangefrom $60,200 to $107,400 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

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.

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.

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