Senior AI ML Engineer - Remote

Optum Insight is improving the flow of health data and information to create a more connected system. We remove friction and drive alignment between care providers and payers, and ultimately consumers. Our deep expertise in the industry and innovative technology empower us to help organizations reduce costs while improving risk management, quality and revenue growth. Ready to help us deliver results that improve lives? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

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, 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.

As a lead AI/ML Engineer at Optum AI, you'll be designing and developing AI systems to improve patient care.

About The AI Platform Team

We often deliver the entire solution, from healthcare data ingest, generative agents and AI models deployment, data extraction, agent/model results and analytics, to the applications used for reviewing clinical data and AI results. Our current projects involve both leveraging and building cutting edge Generative AI and Agentic AI technologies from scratch.

We have the data and resources to make an impact on a scale. When our solutions are deployed, they benefit millions of people.

We are a globally distributed and diverse team with the shared passion to improve patient outcomes, improve healthcare operations, and streamline payments.

We pay attention to the details to make sure we deliver quality, the first time.

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

• Lead and contribute to the design and hands-on implementation of AI/ML platform that enables Optum to derive information from patient data in a scalable, reliable, and cost-effective manner
• Partner with product managers, data scientists, prompt designers, engineers, and business stakeholders to translate business requirements into scalable AI systems
• Leverage AI assisted tools for design, implementation, code reviews, and testing
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, maintainable, and efficient code and specifications. Lead by example to deliver product quality the first time
• Drive architectural decisions and contribute to our long-term technical strategy for AI/ML systems
• Own end‑to‑end delivery of platform and agent capabilities, from problem definition through design, implementation, modular packaging, deployment, and production monitoring
• Partner with cross-functional teams to define scope, success criteria, and delivery milestones, then execute with solid engineering rigor through CI/CD, environment readiness, and quality gates to deliver on schedule without compromising reliability or maintainability
• Stay ahead of the curve on emerging AI/ML technologies, tools, and research, and evaluate their applicability to business problems. Embrace and promote a culture of innovation through rapid iteration, experimentation and data driven decision-making
• Be a trusted technical advisor to management, internal stakeholders, and customers
• Mentor and lead other engineers to reach their potential

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 or related field, or 4+ years of equivalent experience
• 4+ years of experience in Python programming
• 4+ years of hands-on experience in modern cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure or Google. GCP is a plus)
• 4+ years of experience working with various AI/ML infrastructure, tools and platforms across the full stack of AI/ML technology
• 2+ years of experience in a team lead role
• 1+ years of experience leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Proven track record of engaging with customers to design and deliver at least two complete AI products, from ideation to product release

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven solid knowledge of CI/CD principles with hands‑on experience designing and operating multiple production‑grade pipelines
• Proficient with GitHub and GitHub Actions, artifact and dependency management, containerization using Docker, and infrastructure‑as‑code using Terraform to enable reliable, repeatable, and secure deployments
• Experience with the challenges of delivering and monitoring LLM based cloud systems into production
• Experience in Healthcare
• Proven solid communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
• Demonstrated bias for action
• Demonstrated passion for innovation and staying current with emerging AI/ML trends
• 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 $120,118 to $214,496 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 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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