Lead AI​/ML Engineer - Remote

Lead AI/ML Engineer

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, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities.

Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

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

We are looking for a Lead AI/ML Engineer to code and develop software that deploys ML models and algorithms into production. This role communicates and presents complex analytics results and concepts to leadership and internal stakeholders. The role employs AI and/or ML techniques that may include natural language processing (NLP), natural language understanding (NLU), semantic understanding, intent classification, computer vision, deep learning, and automatic speech recognition (ASR).

The engineer applies deep learning technologies to enable computers to visualize, learn, and respond to complex situations, and may adapt machine learning to areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and interactive user experiences. The role works with large-scale computing frameworks and data analysis systems. The role is expected to apply knowledge of experimental methodologies, statistics, optimization, probability theory, and machine learning using code for tool building and statistical analysis, using both general purpose software and statistical languages.

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.

• Develop and implement AI and machine learning strategies across several healthcare domains
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and prioritize AI and machine learning initiatives
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders, customers, and partners internally and externally
• Represent Consumer Engineering work and teams across Optum global leadership
• Maintain accountability for the integrity of code design, implementation, quality, data, and ongoing maintenance and operations
• Stay hands-on, self-driven, and continuously learn new approaches, languages, and frameworks with significant focus on infusing AI/ML/Generative AI where applicable
• Create technical specifications and write high-quality, scalable, supportable code; review code of other engineers and mentor them to ensure all quality KPIs are met or exceeded
• Demonstrate collaborative skills to work effectively with diverse teams
• Possess deep expertise in modern software engineering practices including AI/ML/Generative AI, Agile methodologies, and Dev Sec Ops  to deliver daily product deployments using full automation from code check-in to production across the full SDLC lifecycle
• Serve as a role model by leveraging these techniques to optimize solutioning and product delivery
• Provide leadership and be accountable for the performance of managers and/or senior-level professional staff
• Drive impact at the operational, local business unit, or market level

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related discipline
• 14+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Data Science, or Analytics, with at least 8 years in AI/ML engineering or related fields and the last 3 years focused on Generative AI technologies including OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Lang Chain, Agents, RAG, Vector Databases, Prompt Engineering, and fine-tuning
• Experience with AI/ML frameworks and tools such as MLFlow, Tensor Flow, PyTorch, Keras, and Scikit-learn
• Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP
• Experience with Dev Ops and CI/CD tools and practices including Git, Jenkins, Docker, and Kubernetes
• Demonstrated experience leading and managing AI/ML teams…