Lead AI/ML Engineer - Hybrid in MN or DC or remote elsewhere

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 Lead AI/ML Engineer is a strategic and technical leader responsible for designing, developing, and deploying advanced AI and machine learning solutions. This role combines deep technical expertise with cross-functional collaboration, driving innovation and operational excellence across AI initiatives.

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:

• Model Development & Deployment: Architect and implement scalable AI/ML computing infrastructures and application stacks using frameworks like Google ADK, and orchestration tools such as AWS AgentCore for Multi-agent flows
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with data scientists, product managers, and business stakeholders to translate business needs into AI solutions
• AI Strategy & Governance: Define and document architecture roadmaps, reference architectures, and standard operating procedures. Ensure alignment with corporate standards for reliability, fairness, transparency, and security
• Technical Leadership: Mentor junior engineers, lead technical reviews, and guide the team through model evaluation, optimization, and deployment cycles
• Innovation & Research: Conduct research to advance the state-of-the-art in generative AI, NLP, computer vision, and other emerging areas. Stay updated with the latest trends and technologies
• Operational Excellence: Lead disaster recovery and business continuity planning for AI infrastructure. Monitor and tune deployed models for performance and accuracy

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:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or related field
• 9+ years in the software engineering profession with demonstrated success designing and building high-quality, commercial software applications
• Technical Proficiency: 6+ years of hands-on experience in Java, Python, or both
• 5+ years in AI/ML engineering, with a proven track record in deploying models at scale and leading technical teams
• AI/ML Techniques: 3+ years of Deep learning, NLP, NLU, semantic understanding, intent classification, ASR, predictive modeling, and time-series analysis
• 2+ years of experience in MongoDB and MLOps

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficient in R, SQL, Linux shell scripting, Hadoop, and Google Cloud (Vertex AI)
• Communication: Proven ability to present complex analytics results to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Data Science Foundations: Proven statistics, optimization, probability theory, simulation, and data modeling

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). The salary for this role will range from $110,200 to $188,800 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.