Director of AI/ML Engineering Remote Nationwide or Hybrid in MN/DC

Optum Tech is a global leader in health care innovation. Our teams develop cutting-edge solutions that help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. From advanced data analytics and AI to cybersecurity, we use innovative approaches to solve some of health care's most complex challenges. Your contributions here have the potential to change lives. Ready to build the next breakthrough? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Join the Chief Digital Office (CDO) as a Director of AI/ML Engineering within our Consumer Engineering division. This team is at the forefront of transforming the healthcare experience by building intuitive, data-driven digital products that empower our members. In this role, you will lead the technical vision for AI-driven consumer solutions, leveraging innovative machine learning techniques to personalize health journeys and improve outcomes. You will lead a high-performing engineering team to deploy scalable, high-impact AI models that drive the next generation of digital healthcare.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. For all hires in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office a minimum of four days per week.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Integrate enterprise AI tools, set AI goals in development plans, and align hiring with AI competencies, actively removing barriers to accelerate adoption
• Champion the ethical use of AI by embedding transparency, fairness, and accountability throughout the entire AI lifecycle
• Strategically use AI to solve problems, unlock opportunities, and deliver tangible business value
• Champion AI as a core driver of the team's success and proactively shape how that AI is developed, deployed, and utilized
• Direct the engineering strategy for large-scale AI/ML initiatives, ensuring alignment with Consumer Engineering goals
• Oversee the end-to-end development, deployment, and optimization of machine learning models in a production environment
• Mentor and grow a team of AI/ML engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous innovation
• Collaborate with senior CDO leadership to prioritize roadmaps and allocate resources effectively

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 degree or equivalent experience
• 10+ years of professional experience in technology engineering
• 5+ years of experience specifically in AI/ML engineering, including the development and production of models
• 3+ years of experience in a leadership or management capacity, overseeing technical engineering teams
• Proven track record of deploying large-scale AI/ML models into a consumer-facing production environment
• Expertise in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and MLOps principles

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Computer Science, AI, Data Science, or related fields
• Specific expertise in Generative AI, recommendation engines, or Natural Language Processing (NLP)
• Experience with cloud platforms such as Azure, AWS, or GCP for AI/ML workloads
• Solid proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow)
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills

*All employees working remotely 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 range from $134,600 to $230,800 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

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.