Lead AI​/ML Engineer - Remote

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.

As a Lead AI/ML Engineer within Optum Rx, you will lead the design, development, and scaling of advanced machine learning systems and artificial intelligence solutions that directly impact pharmacy benefits, patient care, and clinical workflows. You will serve as the technical lead for complex AI/ML initiatives, designing conversational virtual assistants and driving modern engineering practices across cross‑functional teams. This role collaborates with enterprise architecture, capability teams, and vendors to architect robust, secure, and scalable solutions for our core conversational chatbot platform utilized by both internal and external stakeholders.

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.

• Lead the design, development, and production deployment of AI/ML solutions, translating models and algorithms into scalable, secure, and reliable software used in enterprise systems
• Serve as a technical lead for complex AI/ML initiatives, owning end-to-end implementation from design through deployment and operational support
• Use enterprise‑approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous improvement across teams
• Apply advanced knowledge of machine learning, deep learning, statistics, and experimental methodologies to build high‑quality, data‑driven solutions
• Partner closely with product, business, and engineering stakeholders to identify high value use cases and deliver AI solutions that solve real Optum Rx business problems
• Lead AI solution architecture and design in collaboration with the Enterprise Architecture team, core capability teams, and major platform vendors (including Microsoft, Palantir, and MongoDB) to identify optimal designs for our core conversational chatbot platform
• Maintain comprehensive solution architecture and network architecture diagrams for our core conversational chatbot platform utilized by multiple internal and external stakeholders
• Drive modern engineering practices across teams, including automation‑first development, code reuse, observability, and CI/CD adoption for AI systems
• Champion AI/MLOps best practices, ensuring models and pipelines are production‑ready, monitored, and continuously improved
• Influence architectural decisions by applying broad domain and technology expertise to balance performance, scalability, security, and maintainability
• Enforce and promote enterprise security, privacy, and quality standards within AI/ML solutions, proactively identifying and mitigating risk
• Mentor and guide engineers across teams, acting as a subject‑matter expert and escalation point for AI/ML engineering challenges
• Communicate complex AI/ML concepts and results clearly to technical and non‑technical audiences, including senior leadership
• Evaluate emerging trends to inform solution design, optimize architecture, and drive strategic enterprise innovation

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.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; 4+ years of software engineering experience may substitute for a degree
• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience using Python, Java, Scala, or similar programming languages
• 3+ years of…