Senior Director AI/ML Engineering - Remote

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 Growth Technology is transforming how Optum enables relationships with clients to best service their needs. As part of this transformation, we are building AI-native platforms, intelligent workflows, agentic experiences, and next-generation decision-support capabilities that accelerate growth, improve client engagement, and differentiate Optum in the market.

The Senior Director of AI/ML Engineering will serve as a strategic technology leader responsible for defining and executing the Optum Growth AI engineering vision and roadmap. This leader will build and scale a high-performing organization of AI/ML engineers, architects and technologists focused on delivering measurable business value through applied artificial intelligence.

This role combines executive leadership, deep technical expertise, and business partnership to transform sales, client management, marketing, product innovation, and operational workflows through AI-enabled capabilities.

The successful candidate will partner closely with Growth Office leadership, AI strategy teams, product organizations, engineering leaders, and business stakeholders to establish Optum Growth as an AI-native organization that drives growth, operational efficiency, and exceptional client engagement experiences.

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: 

AI Strategy & Business Transformation

• Define and execute the Optum Growth AI/ML engineering strategy aligned to enterprise growth objectives
• Establish a multi-year roadmap for AI-powered sales, account management, client engagement, proposal management, marketing, and growth operations capabilities
• Identify and prioritize high-value AI opportunities that improve revenue growth, productivity, customer experience, and decision quality
• Translate business opportunities into scalable AI-enabled products, platforms, and intelligent workflows
• Drive measurable business outcomes and value realization from AI investments
• Building intelligent AI CRM agents to enhance and accelerate our sales teams and process
  

AI Engineering Leadership

• Build and lead high-performing teams of AI engineers, Forward Deployed Engineers, data engineers, architects, and technical product leaders
• Establish engineering standards, operating models, and delivery practices for AI-native product and platform development
• Lead the design, development, deployment, and operationalization of enterprise-grade AI solutions, intelligent agents, reusable AI services, and domain-specific accelerators
• Build scalable data and AI platforms that support structured and unstructured workloads and move solutions from proof of concept to enterprise-scale production
• Recruit, develop, and mentor top engineering talent while creating a culture of innovation, accountability, experimentation, and continuous learning
• Strengthen organizational capabilities in GenAI, Agentic AI, and CRM engineering for large enterprise sales organizations
• Champion responsible, ethical, secure, and compliant AI practices by ensuring solutions align with enterprise AI governance, privacy, cybersecurity, healthcare regulatory requirements, model monitoring, explainability, risk management, trust, and transparency
  

Growth Technology Innovation

• Reimagine how Optum sellers, account teams, executives, and clients interact with growth technologies using AI-first experiences
• Lead development of intelligent capabilities across:
  • CRM Experience with Salesforce and Dynamics
  • Client engagement solutions
  • Proposal and RFP platforms
  • Revenue intelligence solutions
  • Marketing technologies
  • Growth analytics
  • Executive decision support
• Create AI-enabled capabilities that improve seller productivity, client retention, pipeline management, and growth forecasting
  

Executive Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives across Optum and enterprise technology organizations
• Present AI strategy, business cases, delivery progress, and value realization to executive stakeholders
• Influence cross-functional leaders to adopt AI-native ways of working
• Represent Optum Growth Technology in enterprise AI councils, strategic planning forums, and executive leadership discussions

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 in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, or related discipline
• 12+ years of progressive technology leadership experience
• 8+ years leading engineering organizations delivering enterprise-scale software, data, or AI solutions
• Experience leading AI/ML engineering teams in production environment with demonstrated experience delivering Generative AI and Agentic AI solutions at enterprise scale
• Proven track record of leading organizational transformation through technology innovation
• Proven executive communication and stakeholder management skills

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Engineering, or related discipline
• Healthcare, health services, PBM, payer, provider, or life sciences experience
• Experience building AI-native business applications and digital products
• Experience with CRM, customer engagement platforms, and growth technologies
• Experience leading large distributed engineering organizations
• Familiarity with healthcare privacy, security, and regulatory requirements
• Demonstrated thought leadership in Responsible AI and enterprise AI strategy

*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 $203,200 - $348,400 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.

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