Director Software Engineering Full Stack

Optum; Minnetonka (MN); On-site; USD 135,000 - 231,000; Full time

Job summary

Optum is seeking a Director of Software Engineering – Full Stack to lead the architecture and delivery of an agentic AI platform. You will oversee frontend and backend, define data contracts, and drive real-time streaming UI patterns while ensuring security, performance, and scalability.

You will mentor engineers and managers, partner with Product and Design to craft intuitive experiences, and guide multi-team execution as the product evolves in AI space.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of full-stack software engineering experience.
• 5+ years in engineering leadership.
• Expertise in frontend: React/Next.js, TypeScript, real-time UI patterns.
• Backend: Node.js, Python, Go, or Java; API design (REST/GraphQL).
• Experience with AI/LLM-powered products and agentic workflows.
• Proven experience architecting scalable production-grade web apps at scale.
• Direct experience with agent frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph, AutoGen).

Responsibilities

• Define and own the full-stack architecture for the agentic AI platform's UI and services.
• Establish patterns for responsive, real-time interfaces with streaming outputs.
• Decide on frameworks, state management, API contracts, and infra in coordination with platform teams.
• Ensure scalable, low-latency architecture with enterprise security.
• Lead and grow a team of engineers across pods/squads.
• Set engineering standards for quality, testing, CI/CD, accessibility, performance.
• Mentor senior engineers and engineering managers.
• Drive ownership and rapid iteration in a fast-evolving AI product space.
• Collaborate with Product/Design to translate AI capabilities into intuitive UX.
• Work with AI/ML teams to expose model behavior transparently for users.
• Partner with UX research to refine interaction patterns for agentic systems.
• Own roadmap, sprints, and delivery for UI/full-stack workstream.
• Establish metrics for platform reliability and UI quality.
• Manage technical risk and debt; report to leadership.

Skills

Full-stack engineering

Engineering leadership

React/Next.js

TypeScript

WebSockets/SSE

API design REST/GraphQL

Microservices

LLM/AI integration

Agent frameworks

Cloud/DevOps

Education

MS/BS in Computer Science or related field

Tools

LangChain

LangGraph

AutoGen

Node.js

Python

Go

Java

Job description

Improve the lives of others while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Job Description - Director Software Engineering Full Stack (2381542)

Director Software Engineering Full Stack - 2381542

Optum Tech is a global leader in health care innovation. Our teams develop cutting-edge solutions that help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. From advanced data analytics and AI to cybersecurity, we use innovative approaches to solve some of health care’s most complex challenges. Your contributions here have the potential to change lives. Ready to build the next breakthrough? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Define and own the full-stack architecture (frontend, backend, APIs, data layer) for the agentic AI platform's UI and supporting services


• Establish design patterns for building responsive, real-time interfaces that visualize agent reasoning, multi-step task execution, tool calls, and streaming outputs


• Drive decisions on frameworks, state management, API contracts (REST/GraphQL/WebSockets/streaming), and infrastructure choices in partnership with platform/infra teams


• Ensure the architecture supports scalability, low-latency streaming (token-by-token or event-based UI updates), extensibility for new agent capabilities, and enterprise-grade security


• Build, lead, and grow a team of full-stack engineers, frontend specialists, and backend engineers (potentially across multiple pods/squads)


• Set engineering standards for code quality, testing, CI/CD, accessibility, and performance


• Mentor senior engineers and engineering managers; support career development and technical growth across the org


• Drive a culture of ownership, craftsmanship, and rapid iteration appropriate to a fast-evolving AI product space


• Partner with Product Management and Design to translate agentic AI capabilities (tool use, multi-agent orchestration, memory, planning) into intuitive, trustworthy user experiences


• Work closely with AI/ML and Platform Engineering teams to expose model/agent behavior (reasoning traces, confidence, citations, errors) in ways that build user trust and transparency


• Collaborate with UX research to iterate on interaction patterns unique to agentic systems (e.g., approvals, interruptions, plan editing, multi-turn context)


• Own roadmap planning, sprint execution, and delivery predictability for the UI/full-stack workstream


• Establish metrics for platform reliability, performance (latency, load times, streaming responsiveness), and UI quality


• Manage technical risk, tech debt, and platform scalability trade-offs as the product scales to more users, agents, and use cases


• Report progress, risks, and technical strategy to senior leadership/executives

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:

• 10+ years of full-stack software engineering experience


• 5+ years in engineering leadership


• Solid hands-on expertise across the modern full-stack: Frontend: React/Next.js (or similar), TypeScript, state management, real-time/streaming UI patterns (WebSockets, SSE), component design systems. Backend: Node.js, Python, Go, or Java; API design (REST/GraphQL); microservices architecture


• Experience building or integrating with LLM/AI-powered products - e.g., chat interfaces, copilots, agentic workflows, RAG systems, or tool-calling architectures


• Proven experience architecting and shipping complex, production-grade web applications at scale (consumer or enterprise SaaS)


• Direct experience with agent frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph, AutoGen, custom orchestration)

Preferred Qualifications:

• MS/BS in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience


• Experience at an AI-native company or on an AI platform/tooling team


• Experience with design systems and accessibility standards (WCAG) for enterprise software


• Experience with streaming data visualization (e.g., visualizing multi-step agent plans, tool call graphs, live logs)


• Familiarity with agent observability concepts - tracing, evals, guardrails, human-in-the-loop review flows


• Background in developer tools, low-code/no-code builders, or workflow orchestration UIs


• Exposure to security/compliance considerations for enterprise AI products (SOC 2, data governance, PII handling)


• Proven excellent communication skills; ability to operate across technical depth and executive-level strategy conversations

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 salary for this role will range from $134,600 - $230,800 annually 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.

UnitedHealth Group is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you need special assistance or accommodation for any part of the application process, please call 1-866-566-8715 to be connected to Recruitment Services. Recruitment Services hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

UnitedHealth Group is a registered service mark of UnitedHealth Group, Inc. The UnitedHealth Group name with the dimensional logo, as well as the dimensional logo alone, are both service marks for the UnitedHealth Group, Inc.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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