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Principal Software Engineer - Remote or Hybrid in MN and DC

Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

With these values to guide us, our people are committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we are honored to serve.

Principal Software Engineer - Remote or Hybrid in MN and DC

Requisition number: 2353999 Job category: Technology Primary location: Eden Prairie, MN Date posted: 05/11/2026 Overtime status: Exempt Travel: No

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's Public Cloud engineering team is responsible for developing software, managing security and financial controls, and creating reusable application patterns that enable the enterprise to operate efficiently within the public cloud space. The Optum product teams leverage this platform to deliver value in a safe, quick, and sustainable manner, aligning with Optum's mission to help people live healthier lives and makes the health system work better for everyone.

Join our team and work collaboratively with product owners, operational staff, and technology leadership in an agile environment to create business value. Your contributions will be utilized by thousands of Optum and UnitedHealth Group engineers as they develop mature enterprise applications on public cloud. Don't miss this opportunity!

The ideal candidate for this position should possess exceptional software engineering abilities, with a demonstrated history of efficiently managing and utilizing public cloud resources. They should also possess agile development leadership qualities. As a principal engineer, you will leverage these skills to design and engineer new services and software that prioritize scalability, interoperability, and code maintainability.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Design, develop, and operate secure cloud platform services and soware that meet business requirements
  • Lead a team of cloud platform engineers to ensure that technical solutions align with architectural principles, design patterns, and enterprise security requirements
  • Demonstrate innovation, streamline processes, and reduce technical debt by standardizing patterns
  • Automate repetitive tasks (TOIL), monitor applications, simplify work practices, define metrics, and ensure the operational quality of applications
  • Manage security controls at the platform level to enable secure, efficient, and policy-compliant operations
  • Collaborate with multiple partner teams to communicate information security guidance and standards, and reduce information security risks
  • Provide coaching, mentoring, and leadership to the Cloud Platform team to improve their skills and knowledge

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 experience as a software development engineer or equivalent hands-on experience producing code for production systems
  • 5+ years of experience working with Public Cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, GCP, beyond basic IaaS functionality
  • 5+ years of experience programming in at least one high-level language (Python, Golang, JavaScript, etc.)
  • 5+ years of engineering experience in building infrastructure using code and repeatable designs (IaC)
  • 2+ years of experience with containers and orchestra on platforms, such as Kubernetes
  • 2+ years of experience in automating CI/CD using Jenkins [Pipeline as Code], GitHub actions, or similar tools, along with proficiency in source control systems such as Git
  • 2+ years of experience with Agile/lean development practices as a leader

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with containers and orchestra on platforms, such as Kubernetes
  • Expertise in data storage, caching, and optimization (SQL and NoSQL databases)
  • Knowledge of API design and lifecycle management (REST, etc.)
  • Proficient in algorithms, data structures, object-oriented programming, and system design
  • Proficiency in instrumentation, logging, and tracing tools (Prometheus, CloudWatch, Stack Driver, Azure Monitor, etc.)
  • Familiarity with inter-service messaging and stream discovery (SQS, Pub/Sub Kaa, etc.)
  • Proven excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
  • Proven evidence-based approach to decision-making and problem-solving
  • Proven design mindset with the ability to construct scalable, distributed services

*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.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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

Benefits

Our mission of helping people live healthier lives extends to our team members. Learn more about our range of benefits designed to help you live well.

Life

Resources and support to focus on what matters most to you, in every facet of your life.

Emotional

Education, tools and resources to help you reduce and manage stress, build resilience and more.

Physical

Health plans and other coverage to support wellness for you and your loved ones.

Financial

Benefits for today and to help you plan for the future, including your retirement.

Learn more
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