Lead Software Engineer - Remote

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.

Software engineering is the application of engineering principles to the design, development, implementation, testing, and maintenance of software systems using a disciplined and systematic approach.

This role will lead primary development activities across Optum Technology, ensuring delivery of high-quality, scalable solutions supporting AI-driven voice, IVR, and conversational platforms. The role requires a solid focus on customer needs, product roadmap alignment, and continuous innovation, while embedding quality into every phase of the development lifecycle.

The Lead Software Engineer will serve as a technical leader and subject matter expert, driving strategy, execution, and innovation across AI/ML-enabled platforms, with emphasis on AWS-based conversational systems.

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:

Software Engineering Leadership

• Lead end-to-end execution across design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance of AI-based software systems
• Provide technical leadership across engineering teams to ensure delivery of high-quality, scalable, and reliable code
• Review the work of others, provide guidance, mentorship, and technical oversight
• Serve as a subject matter expert and trusted advisor on complex engineering challenges
• Develop innovative approaches and influence future technology capabilities and architecture direction

AI / Conversational Platform Delivery

• Lead end-to-end execution of AI/ML and conversational platform programs, from requirements through production and post-launch optimization
• Drive delivery of voice, IVR, and chatbot solutions using: 
  • Amazon Connect
  • Amazon Lex (V2)
• Partner with AI/ML teams to support: 
  • NLP pipelines
  • LLM integrations (Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, or similar)
  • Prompt engineering strategies
• Translate complex AI/ML concepts into actionable deliverables and clear leadership updates

Cloud & Backend Engineering

• Architect and coordinate backend services leveraging: 
  • AWS Lambda
  • API Gateway
  • DynamoDB
  • Event-driven architectures
• Drive design and implementation of scalable, fault-tolerant cloud-based systems
• Ensure solutions meet performance, reliability, and scalability standards

Program Execution & Cross-Functional Delivery

• Drive program plans across multiple engineering teams, managing: 
  • Dependencies
  • Risks
  • Milestones
  • Technical trade-offs
• Forecast and plan resource requirements across workstreams
• Lead or support functional teams, projects, or enterprise initiatives
• Ensure operational readiness for production systems, including monitoring, support, and optimization

Quality Engineering & Continuous Improvement

• Embed quality-first thinking across the software development lifecycle
• Define and enforce quality gates across: 
  • Functional performance
  • Reliability
  • AI/ML model accuracy
• Drive testing strategies for conversational AI, including: 
  • Intent accuracy
  • Dialog flow validation
  • Edge case handling
  • Regression testing
• Partner with QE teams to implement: 
  • Automated testing frameworks
  • Synthetic traffic generation
  • Replay-based validation (golden datasets)
• Use data-driven insights to continuously improve customer experience and system quality

Innovation, Standards & Operational Excellence

• Evaluate and implement new tools, techniques, and engineering strategies
• Drive automation of common tasks and development of reusable utilities
• Authorize deviations from standards when necessary and recommend improvements
• Contribute to standards, methods, tooling, and best practices
• Influence enterprise direction for AI, cloud, and engineering innovation

Core Leadership Expectations

• Anticipate customer needs and proactively develop solutions
• Serve as a key resource for complex and critical issues
• Perform advanced conceptual analysis and problem-solving
• Review and improve work delivered by others
• Provide clarity and guidance on highly complex topics
• Motivate, mentor, and inspire engineering teams
• Influence stakeholders and drive alignment across organizations

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, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 10+ years of software engineering experience, including lead-level responsibilities
• 5+ years of experience designing and implementing cloud-native applications (AWS preferred)
• 3+ years of experience with: Amazon Connect and/or Amazon Lex (V2), AWS Lamba, API Gateway
• 2+ years of experience delivering AI / ML or conversational platform solutions in production environments
• Experience implementing automation, testing frameworks, and quality engineering practices

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in healthcare technology or regulated environments
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and observability tools
• Experience supporting enterprise AI transformation initiatives (e.g., AI 10.0)
• Exposure to voice platforms, IVR systems, and speech recognition technologies
• Familiarity with data-driven evaluation of AI/ML systems
• Proven advanced problem solving and analytical thinking
• Proven solid communication and stakeholder influence
• Proven ability to operate in a matrixed, enterprise environment
• Demonstrated innovation mindset with focus on continuous improvement
• Passion for emerging technologies and AI-driven solutions

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.

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.