Lead AI/ML Engineer Remote Nationwide or Office-Based in MN/DC

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.

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 the design, development, and delivery of enterprise AI/ML solutions that address complex business and technology needs
• Develop and operationalize AI/ML capabilities, including machine learning models, generative AI applications, analytics solutions, and intelligent automation
• Provide technical leadership for solution design, architecture decisions, engineering practices, and delivery approaches across AI/ML initiatives
• Apply appropriate AI, machine learning, data, and software engineering techniques to build scalable, reliable, and maintainable solutions
• Support modern AI/ML delivery practices, including experimentation, deployment, monitoring, governance, and continuous improvement
• Help ensure AI/ML solutions are production-ready, observable, secure, compliant, and aligned with enterprise standards
• Work with stakeholders to define success measures, evaluate outcomes, and ensure AI/ML solutions deliver measurable business value
• Evaluate and improve AI/ML solutions for performance, quality, scalability, maintainability, and cost-effectiveness
• Collaborate on data, feature, and retrieval pipelines that support AI/ML development, evaluation, deployment, and monitoring
• Partner with product, business, data, platform, security, compliance, operations, and engineering teams to deliver AI/ML capabilities in enterprise environments
• Promote reusable patterns, shared components, engineering standards, documentation, and responsible AI practices across teams
• Apply responsible AI, risk management, privacy, security, and compliance considerations throughout the AI/ML lifecycle
• Identify technical risks, communicate trade-offs, and guide practical mitigation approaches for AI/ML solutions
• Select appropriate techniques and tools based on business needs, technical feasibility, quality expectations, and operational considerations
• Balance innovation with practical delivery by choosing reliable, explainable, maintainable, and cost-effective approaches
• Mentor engineers, review technical work, share knowledge, and help raise engineering quality across AI/ML initiatives
• Communicate technical concepts, recommendations, risks, and outcomes clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
• AI/ML Engineers design, build, and support software solutions that apply artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, and automation to solve business problems. Work may include model development, generative AI, data-driven applications, evaluation, deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement. This role emphasizes sound engineering practices, collaboration, responsible AI, and translating business needs into scalable and reliable technology solutions
• Reviews architecture, design, code, model outputs, evaluation results, and production readiness artifacts created by others
• Develops innovative and reusable approaches that accelerate enterprise adoption of AI/ML, GenAI, agentic AI, and intelligent automation
• Is sought out as a subject matter expert for AI/ML architecture, responsible AI, LLMOps, model evaluation, AI security, and production-grade AI delivery
• Serves as a technical leader and mentor, enabling engineers across teams through standards, design reviews, coaching, hands-on guidance, and knowledge sharing

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: 

• 10+ years of professional experience in software engineering
• 4+ years of hands-on experience designing, building, deploying, or supporting AI/ML, analytics, or automation solutions
• 4+ years of hands-on experience in Python
• 2+ years of experience providing technical leadership, mentoring engineers, leading solution design, or guiding cross-functional delivery
• 2+ years of experience working with generative AI, large language models, AI agents, intelligent automation, or related emerging AI capabilities
• 2+ years of experience with cloud platforms, production deployment practices, data platforms, or enterprise engineering environments
• 2+ years of experience with production delivery practices such as monitoring, automated deployment, CI/CD, operational support, or continuous improvement
• 2+ years of experience applying responsible AI, data privacy, security, governance, or compliance practices in enterprise environments
• 2+ years of experience evaluating AI/ML solutions using quality, performance, reliability, and business outcome measures

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Experience delivering AI/ML solutions in large-scale enterprise or regulated environments
• Experience translating emerging AI/ML techniques into practical, production-ready solutions
• Experience defining evaluation approaches for AI/ML quality, performance, safety, or business value
• Experience driving adoption of reusable AI/ML platforms, patterns, standards, or engineering practices across teams
• Experience partnering with product, business, and technology stakeholders to shape AI/ML roadmaps and prioritize use cases
• Experience in healthcare, financial services, government, or other regulated enterprise domains
• Contributions to open-source AI frameworks, patents, publications, or applied AI thought leadership

*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 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.