Senior Manager, AI/ML Engineering - Remote Nationwide or Office Based in MN/DC

Optum; Eden Prairie (MN); Hybrid; USD 149,000 - 255,000; Full time

Job summary

UnitedHealthcare seeks a Senior Manager of AI/ML Engineering to lead full‑stack and AI/ML platform teams, shaping roadmaps and delivering end‑to‑end solutions for Medicare & Retirement. You will drive governance, data practices, and enterprise standards while mentoring engineers and collaborating with product, architecture, and data science partners.

The role supports remote work across the U.S. with in-office requirements for Minneapolis, MN, or Washington, D.C.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in CS/engineering or related field.
• 8+ years in software engineering including full stack development.
• 3+ years leading engineering teams.
• Solid hands-on experience with Java, Python, Node.js, and modern full stack frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of engineering roadmaps for assigned products and platform components.
• Break down multi-quarter initiatives into executable sprints; manage risks and dependencies.
• Contribute to architecture for AI-driven applications and microservices.
• Govern AI models, data, and responsible AI practices within CI/CD and SDLC workflows.
• Partner with product, architecture, and data science to translate strategy into execution.

Skills

Team leadership

People management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience

Tools

Java

Python

Node.js

React/Angular

REST

GraphQL

AWS

CI/CD

DevOps tooling

Microservices

Job description

At UnitedHealthcare, we're simplifying the health care experience, creating healthier communities and removing barriers to quality care. The work you do here impacts the lives of millions of people for the better. Come build the health care system of tomorrow, making it more responsive, affordable and optimized. Ready to make a difference? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together

The Senior Manager, AI/ML Engineering is a hands‑on engineering leader responsible for delivering AI-driven software capabilities across the Medicare & Retirement business. Reporting into the Director, AI/ML Engineering, this role leads one or more engineering pods spanning full stack development and AI/ML platform work, translating prioritized use cases into production‑grade solutions that improve cost, operational efficiency, and member outcomes.

This leader owns execution for a defined set of products or platform components - driving delivery quality, velocity, and reliability while developing engineers and enforcing enterprise standards for AI governance, data management, and responsible AI. The role balances people leadership, technical depth, and delivery accountability, and partners closely with product, architecture, and data science counterparts to ship end-to-end.

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.

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach, and grow a team of full stack and AI/ML engineers (typically 8-20, across shores), fostering an AI‑first, high‑accountability culture
• Drive hiring, onboarding, performance management, and career development for direct reports
• Establish clear ownership and delivery expectations within the pod and across dependencies

Delivery & Execution

• Own end-to-end delivery of engineering roadmaps for assigned products and platform components, balancing quality, speed, and reliability
• Break down multi‑quarter initiatives into executable sprints; manage risks, capacity, and cross‑team dependencies proactively
• Report progress, risks, and outcomes clearly to Director and senior stakeholders

Technical & Architecture Contribution

• Contribute to and help govern architecture for AI‑driven applications, full stack platforms, APIs, and microservices
• Provide hands‑on technical guidance through design reviews, code reviews, and resolution of complex engineering problems
• Align technical decisions with enterprise architecture, product strategy, and business outcomes

AI/ML Governance & Compliance

• Ensure proper governance of AI models, training data, and externally exposed capabilities within the team's scope
• Embed compliance‑as‑code and responsible AI practices into CI/CD and SDLC workflows
• Support Medicare regulatory needs including data governance, privacy, and HIPAA compliance

Engineering Productivity & Innovation

• Champion adoption of AI‑assisted development tools (LLMs, coding agents) to accelerate delivery
• Drive engineering excellence through automation, reusable patterns, and modern development practices

Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with product, architecture, and data science leaders to translate strategy into shippable execution
• Communicate trade‑offs, status, and technical direction effectively to both technical and business audiences

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 in Computer Science, Engineering, a related field, or equivalent experience
• 8+ years of experience in software engineering, including full stack development
• 3+ years of experience leading and managing engineering teams
• Solid hands‑on experience with Java, Python, Node.js, and modern full stack frameworks (React/Angular, REST, GraphQL
• Experience with CI/CD, DevOps tooling, and cloud platforms (AWS preferred)
• Experience with microservices architecture and distributed systems
• Experience with AI/ML model governance, data management, and responsible AI practices
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted development tools to improve delivery efficiency
• Demonstrated track record of delivering cross‑team engineering programs on schedule and to quality
• Ability to work a office‑based schedule in Minnetonka, MN

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AI/ML platforms, LLM‑based applications, or agentic systems
• Experience building enterprise‑scale platforms for analytics, optimization, or decision intelligence
• Experience in regulated industries (healthcare, financial services, etc.)
• Knowledge of responsible AI, model lifecycle management, and governance frameworks
• Familiarity with Medicare regulatory frameworks, HIPAA, and healthcare data governance
• 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 $148,900 - $255,300 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 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.