Principal Data Scientist - Remote

Optum; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 113,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Equity stock purchase

401k contribution

Remote work flexibility

Career development

Job summary

Optum Tech, a leader in health care innovation, seeks a Principal Data Scientist to drive advanced analytics and ML solutions. You will partner with product leaders and engineering to transform large healthcare datasets into actionable insights.

The role emphasizes best practices and scalable data strategies across the organization. You will work remote across the U.S., with Minneapolis or DC offices requiring four days in-office for local hires.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience developing data science, machine learning, and advanced statistical models.
• 5+ years programming in Python, R, or Scala for analytical solution development.
• 4+ years writing complex SQL queries and extracting data from relational or enterprise databases.
• 3+ years deploying machine learning models into production environments (MLOps).
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of end-to-end data science and machine learning models.
• Partner with stakeholders to translate business priorities into data science roadmaps.
• Analyze healthcare datasets to deliver actionable insights and predictive capabilities.
• Establish standards and frameworks for statistical modeling and data analytics.
• Evaluate new technologies and provide mentorship to the data science team.

Skills

8+ years experience

Python/R/Scala

SQL

MLOps

Communication skills

Education

Master's or PhD in a quantitative field

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Spark

Databricks

TensorFlow

PyTorch

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 in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

As a Principal Data Scientist, you will lead the design and execution of advanced analytics, predictive modeling, and machine learning solutions to solve complex challenges. You will collaborate closely with product leaders, business partners, and engineering teams to transform vast datasets into actionable intelligence. This role offers the opportunity to drive innovative data strategies and establish best practices that shape the future of healthcare data science.

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

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of end-to-end data science and machine learning models to solve strategic business problems
• Partner with business stakeholders and technical leadership to translate business priorities into data science roadmaps and quantitative solutions
• Extract, clean, and analyze complex multi-dimensional healthcare datasets to deliver actionable insights and predictive capabilities
• Establish technical standards, best practices, and repeatable frameworks for statistical modeling, machine learning, and data analytics
• Evaluate emerging technologies, algorithms, and methodologies to continuously enhance solution efficiency and performance
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to data science team members, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning

You will 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

• 8+ years of professional experience developing data science, machine learning, and advanced statistical models
• 5+ years of experience programming in Python, R, or Scala for analytical solution development
• 4+ years of experience writing complex SQL queries and extracting data from relational or enterprise databases
• 3+ years of experience deploying machine learning models into production environments (MLOps)
• Demonstrated experience communicating technical concepts and analytical findings to non-technical stakeholders and business leaders

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field
• Experience working with healthcare datasets (e.g., medical claims, electronic health records, clinical data)
• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and enterprise big data frameworks (e.g., Spark, Databricks)
• Deep learning framework experience (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• 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). 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 $112,700 - $193,200 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.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are 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 and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.