Sr Director, Responsible AI Assurance & Validation - Remote

UnitedHealth Group is a health care and well-being company that's dedicated to improving the health outcomes of millions around the world. We are comprised of two distinct and complementary businesses, UnitedHealthcare and Optum, working to build a better health system for all. Here, your contributions matter as they will help transform health care for years to come. Make an impact with a team that shares your passion for helping others. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

This role is part of UnitedHealth Group's Responsible AI Program. The Senior Director, Responsible AI Assurance & Validation will provide technical and strategic leadership for a team of data scientists focused on advancing responsible, ethical, and compliant AI solutions across healthcare applications.

This position combines deep expertise in data science with healthcare innovation, AI ethics, and regulatory compliance. The Senior Director, Responsible AI Assurance & Validation will set the technical direction for responsible AI testing and validation methodologies, oversee model risk evaluation practices, and ensure scalable, repeatable governance processes across AI use cases-including Generative AI and traditional machine learning systems.

In this role, you will partner closely with Legal, Compliance, Information Security, Business, and AI Engineering teams to proactively identify and mitigate risk. You will lead the development of robust testing frameworks and champion best practices that shape the future of ethical AI in healthcare.

This leader will manage and mentor a team of data scientists, fostering technical excellence, continuous learning, and a solid culture of accountability and innovation.

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:

• Define and execute the technical vision and roadmap for responsible AI testing and validation across AI/ML systems
• Establish scalable evaluation frameworks for traditional ML and Generative AI systems, including LLM-based applications
• Evaluate and prioritize AI risks based on business impact, regulatory exposure, patient/member safety, and reputational considerations
• Distinguish between critical risks requiring remediation and manageable risks addressable through mitigation strategies and monitoring controls
• Lead structured risk review discussions and provide clear recommendations
• Support the design and implementation of automated testing pipelines and validation methodologies
• Ensure comprehensive documentation of testing protocols, validation findings, and risk assessments
• Serve as a subject matter expert on responsible AI principles and regulatory considerations
• Communicate complex technical findings in practical, business-relevant terms to executive and non-technical audiences
• Demonstrate executive presence and sound judgment when advising on high-visibility or sensitive AI deployments
• Represent the Responsible AI team in cross-functional working groups and leadership forums.
• Stay abreast of the latest developments in AI/ML research and incorporate relevant findings into work
• Provide mentorship and guidance to colleagues, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement

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 experience in computer science, applied mathematics, applied statistics, or related quantitative fields
• Demonstrated expertise in AI ethics, fairness evaluation, and model risk management
• Proven sound analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills
• Experience within healthcare systems, including, for example, claims processing, call centers, clinical workflows, and healthcare operations
• Experience managing high-performing, experienced data scientists, setting team vision and prioritizing work across multiple concurrent initiatives

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated familiarity with regulatory frameworks impacting AI in healthcare (e.g., HIPAA, CMS guidelines, emerging AI regulations)
• Experience with conversational AI systems, prompt engineering, adversarial testing, and red teaming
• Demonstrated understanding of information security principles as applied to AI systems
• Experience translating complex business needs into scalable technical solutions
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive enterprise-wide adoption of best practices

*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 $159,300 to $273,200 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.