Lead AI/ML Engineer - Remote

Optum; Eden Prairie (MN); Remote; USD 146,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Equity stock purchase

401k contribution

Job summary

Optum Tech is seeking a highly experienced Lead AI/ML Engineer to drive architecture, design, and evolution of enterprise AI platforms. You will partner with engineering leaders, data scientists, and business stakeholders to define roadmaps and ensure scalable, secure solutions.

You will mentor teams, shape cloud-native patterns, and lead the implementation of AI/ML frameworks, streaming data pipelines, and modern frontend/backend architectures across programs.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional software engineering with backend APIs and high-scale systems.
• 10+ years designing backend apps with Java and Spring Boot/WebFlux.
• 5+ years building event-driven streaming with Apache Kafka.
• Experience deploying scalable software in production cloud environments.
• Frontend experience with NestJS, Next.js, React or Angular.
• Relational database design and querying proficiency.
• Python experience in AI/ML or agentic AI frameworks.
• Ability to lead design sessions and drive architectural planning.
• Knowledge of enterprise integration patterns and security.
• Cloud platform expertise and executive stakeholder influence.

Responsibilities

• Define architecture and engineering strategy for AI/ML and automation.
• Lead end-to-end solution architecture across products and platforms.
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions addressing business challenges.
• Drive adoption of generative and agentic AI architectures and AI SDKs.
• Architect responsive web frontends with Next.js and real-time AI endpoints.
• Define data pipelines and streaming with Apache Kafka.
• Establish governance, standards, and database strategies.
• Adopt emerging technologies like MLOps, knowledge graphs, and cloud-native.
• Mentor engineering leads and champion high engineering standards.
• Evaluate investments and create reference architectures for delivery.
• Ensure security, compliance, scalability, reliability, and performance.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder influence

Strategic thinking

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS or equivalent experience

Tools

Python

Java

Spring Boot

Next.js

NestJS

React

Angular

Apache Kafka

PostgreSQL

LangGraph

Agno

AI SDKs

Job description

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. We are seeking a highly experienced and innovative Lead AI/ML Engineer to lead the design, development, and evolution of next-generation AI, Machine Learning, and Intelligent Automation platforms across the enterprise. This role will be responsible for defining architecture strategy, establishing technology standards, and driving the adoption of scalable, secure, and resilient solutions that enable business transformation. The Lead AI/ML Engineer will partner closely with engineering leaders, product teams, business stakeholders, data scientists, and enterprise architecture groups to define long-term technology roadmaps and ensure alignment with organizational objectives. This individual will provide technical leadership across multiple programs, guide solution architecture decisions, mentor engineering teams, and champion best practices for cloud-native, data-driven, and AI-powered applications. This role requires deep expertise in enterprise architecture, distributed systems, AI/ML platforms, cloud technologies, integration patterns, and software engineering practices, along with the ability to influence senior leadership and drive strategic 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

• Define and execute architecture and engineering strategy for AI/ML, intelligent automation, and digital transformation initiatives across the enterprise
• Lead end-to-end hands-on solution architecture and development across multiple products and enterprise platforms, utilizing Python, Java, and Spring Boot
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with a solid emphasis on the responsible use of AI
• Build and drive the adoption of advanced generative and agentic AI architectures using frameworks such as LangGraph, Agno, or modern AI SDKs (such as Vercel AI SDK)
• Architect responsive, high-performance web frontends in Next.js integrated with real-time AI endpoints and streaming APIs
• Define and implement robust, event-driven data pipelines and streaming services utilizing Apache Kafka
• Establish architectural standards, governance frameworks, and database schema strategies using PostgreSQL
• Drive adoption of emerging technologies including Generative AI, Agentic AI, MLOps, Knowledge Graphs, and Cloud-native architectures
• Use enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline development workflows, automate engineering tasks, and drive continuous team improvement
• Evaluate technology investments, evaluate emerging trends, and create reference architectures to accelerate solution delivery
• Ensure architectures meet security, compliance, scalability, reliability, and performance requirements
• Mentor engineering leads and development teams, establishing a culture of high engineering standards and code excellence

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 degree or Master's degree in Computer Science or 4+ years of equivalent software engineering experience in addition to the required experience (in lieu of a degree)
• 10+ years of progressive professional software engineering experience, including hands-on experience building backend APIs and high-scale systems
• 10+ years of professional experience designing, building, and developing backend applications using Java and Spring Boot or Spring WebFlux
• 5+ years of professional experience building event-driven streaming solutions using Apache Kafka
• Experience delivering and deploying scalable software applications in a production cloud environment
• Professional experience developing frontend web applications with NestJS,Next.js, React or Angular
• Professional experience designing, querying, and managing any relational databases
• Professional experience with Python and implementing AI/ML or agentic AI frameworks (such as LangGraph, Agno, or any modern AI SDKs)
• Experience leading technical design sessions, establishing coding guidelines, and driving architectural planning across teams
• Proven knowledge of enterprise integration patterns, data architecture and security
• Proven expertise in any cloud platforms
• Demonstrated ability to influence executive stakeholders and lead cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated exceptional communication, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills

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 $145,500 - $249,500 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Generative AI, LLMs, Agentic Frameworks, MLOps, and enterprise AI governance
• All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.

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.

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