Software 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.

As a Software Engineer within Optum Technology, you will design, develop, and deliver cutting-edge Generative AI solutions and scalable enterprise software products. In this role, you will apply systematic software engineering principles to build robust data pipelines, deploy advanced AI models, and operationalize cloud-native solutions over clinical and healthcare datasets. You will collaborate closely with lead engineers and cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into high-performing, reliable software solutions that drive continuous innovation and improve health outcomes.

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

Primary Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions and Generative AI applications (e.g., classification, forecasting, NLP, deep learning, LLM apps) to address complex business challenges with an emphasis on responsible use of AI
• Build robust data and feature pipelines over large clinical and claims datasets using efficient, well-tested Python (pandas/NumPy) and SQL
• Develop and operationalize LLM capabilities, including prompt design, fine-tuning, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines, vector indexing, and model evaluation with guardrails
• Establish and adhere to best practices for software engineering, code reviews, documentation, design standards, and systematic testing to ensure high-quality production deliverables
• Build, deploy, monitor, and operate cloud-native production services on Azure, incorporating CI/CD, experiment tracking, and cost/performance optimization
• Use enterprise-approved tools and methodologies to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous operational efficiency
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions, evaluate emerging technical trends, recommend alternative technical approaches, and support product roadmaps
• Collaborate closely with lead engineers and project teams to deliver quality solutions on aggressive timelines

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 OR 4+ years of equivalent software engineering experience
• 3+ years of hands-on software engineering experience using Python and Java
• 1+ years of experience building and deploying cloud-native solutions within cloud environments (e.g., Azure)
• 1+ years of demonstrated experience with core software engineering practices, including GitHub, code reviews, CI/CD, and unit testing
• 6+ months of experience developing Generative AI applications (e.g., LLMs, RAG pipelines, vector databases)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, or related technical field
• 2+ years of experience building, evaluating, and tuning machine learning, deep learning, or AI models
• Experience working with large-scale clinical, claims, or healthcare datasets
• Strong foundation in machine learning theory, statistics, optimization, and probability
• Proven ability to translate complex business needs into technical designs and recommend optimal software architectures

*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 range from $72,800 to $130,000 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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