Lead Software Engineer

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 in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Backend Tech Lead Software Engineer to join our team and help drive the design, development, and evolution of our backend platforms. As a Tech Lead, you will provide technical leadership across a product-driven delivery team, owning backend technical direction while remaining hands-on with implementation. You will partner closely with product managers, engineering leaders, and other tech leads to shape technical strategy, guide execution of complex initiatives, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and reliable software solutions. You will set engineering standards, mentor engineers across levels, and play a key role in advancing our Java and Spring Boot microservices ecosystem within an agile scrum environment.

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Provide technical leadership for a backend delivery team, ensuring product stories are well-designed, estimable, and meet acceptance criteria
• Serve as a hands-on technical lead while remaining a primary individual contributor (player/coach)
• Design, develop, and maintain Java-based Spring Boot microservices, delivering well-tested, high-quality code that meets functional and non-functional requirements and contributes to sound microservice architecture and design decisions
• Review and improve code quality by providing high-quality pull request reviews, reinforcing engineering best practices, and coaching engineers through rigorous and thoughtful code review
• Clarify requirements with product and stakeholders, communicate technical trade-offs, and translate business needs into low-level technical designs and implementation estimates
• Fully participate in Agile ceremonies (standups, refinement/grooming, planning, retrospectives) and help improve team execution, predictability, and continuous improvement
• Support CI/CD pipelines, DevOps automation, and deployment processes; continually improve SDLC, CI/CD, and engineering best practices
• Perform debugging, monitoring, and troubleshooting using observability tools (e.g., Splunk or Sumo Logic) to maintain microservice health and reliability

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: 

• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience with deep Java and Spring Boot expertise
• 6+ years of experience with event-driven and API-based microservice architectures
• 5+ years of experience working with relational databases such as Postgres or MySQL
• 4+ years of experience leading technical design and influencing engineering decisions across a team or domain
• 4+ years of experience working within Agile development frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, or similar)
• 4+ years of experience collaborating across distributed and cross-functional teams

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science or related field
• 3+ years of CI/CD and DevOps experience
• 2+ years of AWS cloud experience
• 2+ years of experience as a Technical Lead or System Architect

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 - $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 help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are 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 and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.