Lead Software Engineer - Remote

Requisition Number: 2395895
Optum Insight is improving the flow of health data and information to create a more connected system. We remove friction and drive alignment between care providers and payers, and ultimately consumers. Our deep expertise in the industry and innovative technology empower us to help organizations reduce costs while improving risk management, quality and revenue growth. Ready to help us deliver results that improve lives? Join us in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.
We are seeking a Lead Software Engineer to design, build, and scale the software and data platforms that improve healthcare delivery and operations.
This is an individual contributor (IC) leadership role: you will remain hands-on in code while setting technical direction, owning architecture decisions, and raising engineering standards across multiple delivery teams. You will also help the organization adopt AI responsibly - both as a product capability and as a way of working.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives on solving complex problems, enjoys working at the intersection of AI/ML and distributed systems, and wants to make a meaningful impact in a highly regulated, mission-driven environment.
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:
Technical leadership

• Act as the technical lead across multiple delivery teams, including internal and external/vendor engineers; set technical direction through expertise, influence, and mentorship rather than formal authority
• Own end-to-end architecture for assigned products and platforms: requirements analysis, system design, development, testing, deployment, and production support
• Establish and enforce engineering standards - coding standards, design/code review practices, testing strategy, documentation, and definition of done

Build

• Partner with data engineering to build feature/retrieval stores, embeddings pipelines, and ETL/ELT jobs on Spark/Databricks; design analytics models and rules engines
• Define and develop APIs for integrations across the enterprise; improve data access patterns for low latency inference
• Create prototypes and proofs-of-concept to de-risk delivery and validate architectural choices
• Champion HIPAA and regulated industry controls; integrate access controls, PHI/PII safeguards, data minimization, encryption, and auditability

AI-enabled delivery

• Design and deliver AI-powered features where they add measurable value, with emphasis on responsible and compliant use of AI
• Collaborate with legal, compliance, and clinical safety to operationalize Responsible AI principles
• Drive adoption of AI-native software engineering practices across the SDLC, and define standards for responsible use of AI-assisted development tools

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:

• 8+ years of hands-on software development experience
• 5+ years of development experience with Python and/or Java/Scala, JSON, REST/Web Services
• 4+ years of experience in relational databases and SQL, including performance tuning
• 4+ years with distributed data technologies (Spark, Databricks, Hadoop, Snowflake or equivalent)
• 3+ years designing and deploying applications on a major cloud platform (Azure preferred)
• 3+ years with CI/CD, automated testing, and modern source control workflows (GitHub, Jenkins/Azure DevOps)
• 2+ years with Proficiency building services or full stack apps (e.g., FastAPI/Flask, Node.js, React/Angular, TypeScript, HTML/CSS).
• Demonstrated experience leading the technical direction of a team or significant platform, including mentoring engineers and owning architectural decisions
• Experience applying AI/GenAI capabilities in production software, or a clear track record of rapidly adopting and leading new technology.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Healthcare experience; familiarity with clinical datasets
• SOA and enterprise integration concepts
• Experience working in regulated industries, with knowledge of ethical AI/ML practices and compliance requirements
• Publications/patents or notable open-source contributions.
• Excellent analysis, problem solving, and communication skills

*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.