Associate Data Engineer

UnitedHealth Group; Minnetonka (MN); On-site; Confidential; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Equity stock purchase

401k contribution

Job summary

UnitedHealth Group in Minnetonka, Minnesota is seeking a Data Engineer to architect, design, and implement scalable data platforms that improve health outcomes. In this role, you will mentor junior engineers, develop cloud-native data platforms using AWS, and optimize data workflows.

We are looking for a candidate with a Bachelor's degree and significant experience in data engineering, particularly with AWS, MSSQL, and Apache Airflow. The position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of Data Engineering experience, including 3+ years in a dedicated role.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience with AWS Cloud for data architecture.
• 4+ years of expertise in MSSQL with performance tuning skills.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement scalable data platforms.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align data solutions.
• Develop and manage cloud-native data platforms using AWS.

Skills

Data Engineering

AWS

Apache Airflow

MSSQL

Python

Data Warehousing

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Apache Airflow

AWS services (S3, Glue, Lambda, etc.)

Python Libraries (Pandas, PySpark)

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 diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come makes an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Primary Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement scalable data platforms, pipelines, and ETL/ELT workflows
• Lead end to end data engineering efforts, ensuring reliability, performance, and cost efficient data systems
• Mentor and guide junior and senior data engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and collaboration
• Collaborate with cross functional teams (analytics, product, engineering, business) to align data solutions with business goals
• Data Engineering & Pipeline Development
• Build, optimize, and maintain robust data pipelines using Python, SQL, and Apache Airflow
• Manage large-scale data ingestion, transformation, and orchestration frameworks
• Optimize database queries, stored procedures, and schema design in MSSQL and other SQL/NoSQL systems
• Cloud & Infrastructure
• Develop and manage cloud native data platforms using AWS services (S3, Glue, Lambda, RDS, Redshift, EC2, Step Functions, etc.)
• Ensure high availability, disaster recovery, and monitoring of critical data workflows
• Implement CI/CD, infrastructure as code, and DevOps practices for data engineering workloads
• Data Warehousing & Modeling
• Design and enhance enterprise data warehouses and data marts following industry best practices
• Drive dimensional modeling, data partitioning, performance tuning, and metadata management
• Ensure consistency and quality across analytical datasets and data sources
• Data Governance & Quality
• Establish data quality frameworks, lineage tracking, validation checks, and documentation
• Implement governance standards including security, compliance, and access controls
• Partner with business stakeholders to define and enforce master data and reference data strategies

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear directions 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 degree or equivalent experience
• 4+ years: Data Engineering experience, including 3+ years in a dedicated data engineering role
• 2+ years: Hands‑on experience with AWS Cloud for data architecture and pipeline development
• 3+ years: Experience using Apache Airflow for workflow orchestration and pipeline scheduling
• 4+ years: Expertise in MSSQL, including query optimization, indexing strategies, stored procedures, and performance tuning
• 4+ years: Experience with Data Warehousing concepts and ETL/ELT processes (Airflow, Informatica, SSIS)
• 3+ years: Experience working with big data processing frameworks and distributed data systems
• 2+ years: Experience building Machine Learning models, Generative AI solutions, and Multi‑Agent Systems (Google ADK preferred)
• 4+ years: Knowledge of data management principles, including governance, data quality, lineage, and security
• 4+ years: Proficiency in Python for data engineering (Pandas, PySpark, etc.)
• 3+ years: Experience translating business requirements into scalable technical data solutions

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). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The hourly pay for this role will range from $60,200 to $107,400 per hour based on full‑time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

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.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug‑free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.