Lead Software Engineer

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.

The Optum Technology Digital team is on a mission to disrupt the healthcare industry, transforming UHG into an industry-leading Consumer brand. We deliver hyper-personalized digital solutions that empower direct-to-consumer, digital-first experiences, educating, guiding, and empowering consumers to access the right care at the right time. Our mission is to revolutionize healthcare for patients and providers by delivering cutting-edge, personalized and conversational digital solutions. We're Consumer Obsessed, ensuring they receive exceptional support throughout their healthcare journeys. As we drive this transformation, we're revolutionizing customer interactions with the healthcare system, leveraging AI, cloud computing, and other disruptive technologies to tackle complex challenges. Serving UnitedHealth Group's digital technology needs, the Consumer Engineering team impacts millions of lives through UnitedHealthcare & Optum. 

The Optum Technology Chief Digital Office (CDO) Leadership team is transforming Optum to be an industry-leading Consumer brand. We are on a journey towards delivering a best-in-the-industry consumer experience to our patients and providers by delivering personalized digital solutions that support our consumers throughout their healthcare journeys. This team is transforming to meet the moment - to begin radically altering the way our customers engage with the healthcare system using modern tech to solve some of the most complex problems experienced along the way.

Serving all of UnitedHealth Group's digital technology needs, the CDO team is responsible for driving outcomes across nearly 30 million+ human lives with UnitedHealthcare insurance, a number which puts UHC at the top of the pack as the largest managed care provider in the United States. 

This Lead AI/ML Engineer serves as a senior technical authority responsible for driving the design, development, and delivery of advanced AI/ML solutions across complex enterprise environments. This role provides hands on leadership in model architecture, data engineering, and MLOps while guiding globally dispersed engineering teams to ensure high quality, scalable, and compliant AI capabilities. The engineer partners with business stakeholders, product leaders, and cross functional technical teams to translate strategic objectives into production ready AI systems, setting engineering standards, ensuring responsible AI practices, and overseeing end to end execution of critical AI/ML initiatives.

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:

• Lead and contribute to the design and hands-on implementation of AI/ML systems that enables Optum to derive information from patient data in a scalable, reliable, and cost-effective manner
• Partner with product managers, data scientists, prompt designers, engineers, and business stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable AI systems
• Leverage AI assisted tools for design, implementation, code reviews, and testing
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, maintainable, and efficient code and specifications. Lead by example to deliver product quality the first time
• Drive architectural decisions and contribute to our long-term technical strategy for AI/ML systems
• Own the full lifecycle of AI/ML initiatives-from problem definition and data exploration to agent development, deployment, and monitoring. Define project scope, success metrics, and timelines in collaboration with cross-functional teams and ensure timely delivery while not compromising on quality
• Stay ahead of the curve on emerging AI/ML technologies, tools, and research, and evaluate their applicability to business problems. Embrace and promote a culture of innovation through rapid iteration, experimentation and data driven decision-making
• Be a trusted technical advisor to management, internal stakeholders, and customers
• Mentor and lead other engineers to reach their potential

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 with 7+ years of experience or Master's and 5+ years of experience in Computer Science or related field
• 4+ years of experience in Python programming
• 4+ years of hands-on experience in modern cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure or Google or GCP)
• 4+ years of experience working with various AI/ML infrastructure, tools and platforms across the full stack of AI/ML technology
• 2+ years of experience in a team lead role
• 1+ years of experience leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Proven track record of engaging with customers to design and deliver at least two complete AI products, from ideation to product release

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience with the challenges of delivering and monitoring LLM based cloud systems into production
• Experience in Healthcare
• Proven solid communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
• Demonstrated bias for Action
• Demonstrated passion for innovation and staying current with emerging AI/ML trends

*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 $112,700 to $193,200 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.