Director AI/ML Engineering

Optum India; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Optum India is seeking an exceptional AI/ML leader to design, build, and scale enterprise AI and Generative AI solutions from Hyderabad. You will drive AI engineering practices, lead a global team of AI/agentic engineers, and collaborate with Product and Platform teams to deliver strategic outcomes.

You will helm productionization, performance, and reliability while championing responsible AI, governance, and ROI-driven decisions. This role offers broad impact across health tech platforms.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in software engineering with focus on AI/ML and data-driven systems.
• 5+ years designing cloud-native solutions on Azure or AWS.
• 4+ years leading large AI/ML teams (20–50+ members) across geographies.
• 2+ years hands-on Python with ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, LLM ecosystems).
• Experience implementing AI-enabled SDLC practices (AIDLC) and tools like BMAD, SpecKit.
• Ability to translate AI investments into measurable ROI and business impact.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and deployment of enterprise-scale AI/ML and Generative AI solutions including LLMs and agentic systems.
• Define and scale AI-driven engineering practices, including AIDLC frameworks and reusable platforms.
• Drive productionization of AI, with performance, observability, and reliability focus.
• Apply AI-driven automation to improve engineering productivity and speed to market.
• Build and mentor a globally distributed AI/ML leadership and engineering team.
• Partner with Product, Business, and Platform teams to align AI roadmaps with strategy.

Skills

AI/ML engineering

Cloud-native architectures

Team leadership

Python & ML frameworks

AIDLC tools

ROI & business outcomes

Tools

BMAD

SpecKit

Job description

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.

Primary Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Delivery
  • Lead the design, development, and deployment of enterprise-scale AI/ML and Generative AI solutions, including LLM and agentic systems (e.g., OpenAI, Gemini, Claude, Copilot)
  • Define and scale AI-driven engineering practices, including AI-enabled SDLC (AIDLC) frameworks, tools, and reusable platforms
  • Drive the productionization of AI solutions, including performance optimization, monitoring, observability, and reliability
  • Apply AI-driven automation and agent-based workflows to improve engineering productivity, quality, and speed to market
• Team Leadership
  • Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing, globally distributed team of AI/ML leaders, AI/agentic engineers, and full-stack and quality engineers
  • Own talent development, including hiring, upskilling, performance management, and career growth
  • Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous learning
• Stakeholder & Business Engagement
  • Partner with Product, Business, and Platform teams to define AI-driven solutions aligned to strategic priorities
  • Drive alignment on roadmap, prioritization, and delivery outcomes across cross-functional teams
  • Resolve complex technical and organizational challenges spanning engineering, data, infrastructure, and business domains
  • Influence product and business strategy by bringing a strong AI/ML perspective to decision-making
• Thought Leadership & Evangelism
  • Stay current with emerging trends in AI, LLMs, and agentic systems, and translate them into enterprise opportunities
  • Champion responsible AI practices, including governance, risk management, and ethical use
  • Build and communicate compelling narratives demonstrating business value and impact of AI initiatives
  • Represent the organization in internal and external forums as a leader in AI innovation
• Comply with the terms and conditions of the employment contract, company policies and procedures, and any and all directives (such as, but not limited to, transfer and/or re-assignment to different work locations, change in teams and/or work shifts, policies in regards to flexibility of work benefits and/or work environment, alternative work arrangements, and other decisions that may arise due to the changing business environment). The Company may adopt, vary or rescind these policies and directives in its absolute discretion and without any limitation (implied or otherwise) on its ability to do so

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in software engineering, with significant focus on AI/ML and data-driven systems
• 5+ years of experience designing and deploying cloud-native solutions (Azure or AWS), including scalable AI/ML workloads
• 4+ years of experience leading large-scale AI/ML engineering organizations (20-50+ team members) with globally distributed teams
• 2+ years of Hands‑on experience with Python and modern ML/GenAI frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, LLM ecosystems, RAG, agent frameworks)
• Experience implementing AI-enabled software development lifecycle practices (AIDLC) and related tools/frameworks like BMAD, SpecKit
• Demonstrated ability to connect AI investments to measurable business outcomes (ROI, efficiency, growth, risk reduction)
• Flexibility to collaborate with global teams, including overlap with US-based stakeholders as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the healthcare domain
• Experience in development of consumer facing digital experiences

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.