Lead AI/ML 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.

The Optum Technology Digital team is on a mission to disrupt the healthcare industry, transforming UHG into an industry-leading Consumer brand. We deliver hyper-personalized digital solutions that empower direct-to-consumer, digital-first experiences, educating, guiding, and empowering consumers to access the right care at the right time. Our mission is to revolutionize healthcare for patients and providers by delivering cutting-edge, personalized and conversational digital solutions. We're Consumer Obsessed, ensuring they receive exceptional support throughout their healthcare journeys. As we drive this transformation, we're revolutionizing customer interactions with the healthcare system, leveraging AI, cloud computing, and other disruptive technologies to tackle complex challenges. Serving UnitedHealth Group's digital technology needs, the Consumer Engineering team impacts millions of lives through UnitedHealthcare & Optum.

The Optum Technology Chief Digital Office (CDO) Leadership team is transforming Optum to be an industry-leading Consumer brand. We are on a journey towards delivering a best-in-the-industry consumer experience to our patients and providers by delivering personalized digital solutions that support our consumers throughout their healthcare journeys. This team is transforming to meet the moment - to begin radically altering the way our customers engage with the healthcare system using modern tech to solve some of the most complex problems experienced along the way.

Serving all of UnitedHealth Group's digital technology needs, the CDO team is responsible for driving outcomes across nearly 30 million human lives with UnitedHealthcare insurance, a number which puts UHC at the top of the pack as the largest managed care provider in the United States.

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: 

Solution Design & Architecture

• Design scalable, secure, and compliant agentic solutions aligned to healthcare industry requirements
• Architect end-to-end systems integrating LLMs, machine learning models, APIs, and enterprise platforms
• Evaluate trade-offs between approaches (e.g., build vs. orchestrate, model selection, latency vs. accuracy) and communicate recommendations clearly to stakeholders
• Ensure solutions are designed for real-world deployment, maintainability, and integration with existing client ecosystems

Hands-on Engineering & Delivery

• Build and deploy production-grade AI applications, including LLM-based workflows, copilots, and intelligent automation solutions
• Integrate AI agents and automation into client environments, optimizing for performance, scalability, and reliability
• Rapidly prototype solutions to validate concepts, iterate with client feedback, and accelerate time-to-value
• Troubleshoot complex technical challenges across distributed systems and cloud platforms
• Build and maintain evaluation datasets, scoring rubrics, agent-performance tests, and failure-mode analysis tools

Translation & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Bridge business, clinical, and technical perspectives-translating between stakeholders to ensure alignment and clarity
• Collaborate with product, platform, and engineering teams to bring reusable capabilities into client deployments
• Communicate complex technical concepts in a way that is accessible and actionable for non-technical stakeholders

Success Measures

• Delivers end-to-end client solutions from discovery through production deployment
• Demonstrates the ability to translate ambiguous client needs into scalable, high-impact solutions
• Builds trusted advisor relationships with client stakeholders
• Drives measurable business outcomes for healthcare clients
• Contributes to repeatable consulting and engineering patterns that scale across engagements
• Demonstrates the ability to design and develop prototypes with a clear path to production, ensuring solutions are scalable, supportable, and can be transitioned effectively to production engineering teams

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, or related field
• 7 years of hands-on software engineering experience in deploying distributed systems and cloud-native solutions
• 7 years of engineering experience with solid technical proficiency in Python or equivalent programming language
• Experience building and deploying AI/ML solutions, including familiarity with LLMs, prompt engineering, and model deployment patterns
• Experience structuring ambiguous problems and driving them to clear, actionable solutions
• Experience working with infrastructure as code in cloud environments, especially Azure
• Proficiency in modern development frameworks, APIs, and data integration approaches
• Proven advanced knowledge and experience with AI-DLC
• Proven ability to lead client engagements, including discovery, solution design, and delivery
• Proven solid stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence both technical and executive audiences

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Master's degree in a technical discipline (AI/ML, Data Science, Software Engineering)
• Experience with front-end development frameworks such as React and NextJS
• Familiarity with healthcare data, regulatory requirements, and interoperability considerations
• Ability to be comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with evolving requirements
• Experience implementing or working with enterprise Marketing Technology solutions such as Adobe Experience platform
• Proven excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to adapt messaging to different audiences

*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 $145,500 - $249,500 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 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. 

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Salary : $145,500 - $249,500