Data Engineering Analyst - Spark, Scala, AWS, Python

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.    

We are looking for a highly motivated Data Engineering Analyst with 1-3 years of experience in Scala and Spark to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have strong programming skills, a solid understanding of data engineering concepts, and an interest in building AI-enabled data solutions.

In this role, you will work on scalable data pipelines, support analytics, and machine learning use cases, and contribute to the development of modern data and AI applications. Candidates with exposure to AI/ML, Generative AI, or AI Builder tools will be preferred.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable data pipelines and applications using Scala and Spark
• Work with cross-functional teams to deliver data-driven and AI-enabled solutions
• Develop clean, maintainable, and efficient code following engineering best practices
• Troubleshoot, debug, and optimize existing data processing workflows
• Prepare and transform structured and unstructured data for analytics and AI/ML use cases
• Support integration of AI/ML models, Generative AI services, and APIs into applications and workflows
• Assist in building solutions using AI builder tools, low-code/no-code AI platforms, or GenAI frameworks
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to continuous improvement of development processes
• Stay updated on emerging trends in data engineering, AI, and cloud technologies
• Comply with the terms and conditions of the employment contract, company policies and procedures, and any and all directives (such as, but not limited to, transfer and/or re-assignment to different work locations, change in teams and/or work shifts, policies in regards to flexibility of work benefits and/or work environment, alternative work arrangements, and other decisions that may arise due to the changing business environment). The Company may adopt, vary or rescind these policies and directives in its absolute discretion and without any limitation (implied or otherwise) on its ability to do so

Required Qualifications:

• Graduate degree or equivalent experience
• 1+ years of experience in software development, data engineering, or a related field
• Solid hands-on experience with Scala and Apache Spark
• Knowledge of SQL and working with large-scale datasets
• Familiarity with ETL/data processing frameworks and data pipeline development
• Proven good programming and problem-solving skills
• Proven solid communication and collaboration skills.
• Proven self-driven, detail-oriented, and eager to learn new technologies

Preferred Qualification:

• Experience integrating AI services such as OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, or Google Vertex AI
• Knowledge of Databricks, MLflow, or cloud platforms such as AWS
• Basic understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Generative AI
• Understanding of responsible AI practices, including data privacy, security, and governance
• Familiarity with LLMs, prompt engineering, and RAG concepts is an advantage
• Familiarity with LangChain, LlamaIndex, vector databases, embeddings, or semantic search
• Proven exposure to AI Builder, Microsoft Power Platform, Copilot Studio, or similar AI automation tools
• Proven exposure to Python, Java, or similar programming languages

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.