Lead Software Engineer - Remote

As a Lead Software Engineer within our OptumRX and Optum Financial Services Technology team, you will lead a talented team of engineers in designing, developing, and deploying highly reliable, distributed microservices and APIs. In this role, you will collaborate closely with product owners and technical leaders to shape our technical roadmap, drive the modernization of our pharmacy benefits and financial platforms, and leverage cutting‑edge event‑streaming technology with Kafka.

You will also have the opportunity to drive engineering excellence by integrating approved AI productivity tools and modern Agile development practices to streamline development workflows and optimize efficiency. This is a highly collaborative role where you will mentor junior developers, solve complex technical challenges, and champion operational reliability in a fast‑paced environment.

If you are located in New Jersey, you will have the flexibility to work remotely
* as you take on some tough challenges.

• Oversee the full software development lifecycle for solutions built on NodeJS, Java, Spring Boot, and Kafka, managing complex, scalable projects from inception to production
• Lead an engineering team in the design, development, coding, testing, deployment, and debugging of distributed applications and microservices
• Collaborate directly with product owners to understand business requirements, develop strategies, and create technical roadmaps aligned with business objectives
• Instill best practices for software development, code quality, documentation, and delivery of high‑quality work within tight timelines using Agile and Test‑Driven Development (TDD)
• Translate business requirements into effective technical solutions; recommend alternative approaches to meet aggressive deadlines with optimal results
• Champion operational excellence, including building, deploying, monitoring, and supporting production services with a focus on reliability, scalability, and leading incident response efforts
• Guide and mentor junior developers, fostering career growth and technical skill development within your team
• Use enterprise‑approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate tasks, improve engineering efficiency, and drive continuous improvement
• Evaluate emerging trends to inform solution design and strategic innovation

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience
• 6+ years of hands‑on experience in software engineering, with deep expertise in NodeJS, Type Script, Java, Spring Boot, and event‑driven architectures using Kafka
• Experience with cloud‑native development (AWS, Azure, or GCP), containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Kubernetes)
• Experience managing and resolving production incidents, including root cause analysis and postmortem documentation, combined with familiarity in using approved AI‑powered tools to enhance productivity
• Proven experience leading engineering teams, including mentoring, technical guidance, and team development
• Solid background in designing, developing, and deploying secured RESTful and GraphQL APIs, along with relational databases and data modeling
• Solid understanding of CI/CD pipelines, test automation, and modern Dev Ops practices
• Familiarity with design and architectural patterns including Domain‑Driven Design and Agile methodologies
• Demonstrated ability to prioritise work, manage multiple projects, and communicate effectively with product teams and other engineering leads

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
• Proven solid problem‑solving and analytical skills, with the ability to think critically and propose innovative technical solutions
• Proven excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Demonstrated passion for continuous learning and staying up‑to‑date with the latest advancements in cloud technologies, modern software practices, and AI productivity tools

You’ll be rewarded and recognised for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to…