Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, and data they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits, and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.
We are seeking a Sr Software Engineer to join our data engineering team. In this role, you will lead the design, development, and deployment of enterprise-scale data engineering solutions and AI-powered data pipelines. You will collaborate with cross-functional technical teams to build scalable GenAI/LLM frameworks, optimize ETL/ELT architecture across structured and semi-structured healthcare data sources, and drive data governance across the organization.
You'll enjoy the flexibility to telecommute* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Design, develop, deploy, and operationalize enterprise-scale data engineering solutions, data pipelines, and AI-powered workflows to address complex business challenges
- Lead data acquisition, ingestion, normalization, and transformation across complex structured and semi-structured healthcare source systems to hydrate data platforms and power advanced analytics
- Leverage enterprise-approved AI tools and evaluate emerging trends to streamline workflows, automate tasks, optimize data pipeline monitoring, and inform strategic innovation
- Build and optimize data frameworks for GenAI and LLM use cases, including vector ingestion, embedding generation, metadata enrichment, and performance tuning for scalable inference
- Partner with broader analytics and AI teams to make recommendations for data architecture changes, feature engineering frameworks, and scalable model input/output workflows
- Implement, modify, and maintain robust ETL/ELT methodologies while continuously eliminating unwarranted complexity, unneeded interdependencies, and technical debt
- Detect data quality issues, identify root causes, implement fixes, and manage data audits to ensure data reliability, transparency, security, and governance
- Drive Responsible AI practices, data governance, and compliance with privacy standards, access controls, and enterprise data standards
- Prepare high-level and detailed technical design documents and leverage DevOps tools for code versioning, continuous integration, and automated deployment
You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear directions on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.
Required Qualifications:
- 7+ years of combined experience working with industry-standard relational, dimensional, or non-relational data storage systems
- 7+ years of experience in designing ETL/ELT solutions using tools such as PL/SQL, or T-SQL
- 5+ years of experience managing and querying data assets using SQL, Python, Scala, or similar querying/coding languages
- 5+ years of experience in Microsoft Azure Cloud, Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Spark, Scala, or Python
- 1+ Experience building and operationalizing GenAI/LLM solutions, including RAG pipelines, prompt engineering, and enterprise data integration
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Computer Science, Math, Analytics, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
- Strong expertise in AI data engineering and governance, covering vector databases, embeddings, semantic search, data preparation, and Responsible AI practices (privacy, access control, monitoring)
- Experience utilizing DevOps tools for code versioning, automated deployment pipelines, and CI/CD workflows
- Proven ability to troubleshoot, optimize, and maintain enterprise data platforms and modern data frameworks
- 7+ years of combined experience in data engineering, ingestion, normalization, transformation, aggregation, structuring, and storage
- 5+ years of experience working with healthcare data or supporting healthcare analytics platforms
*All Telecommuters 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 $91,700 to $163,700 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
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.
#RPO #GREEN
Skills Required
- 7+ years of experience working with relational, dimensional, or non-relational data storage systems
- 7+ years of experience designing ETL/ELT solutions using PL/SQL or T-SQL
- 5+ years of experience managing and querying data assets using SQL, Python, Scala, or similar languages
- 5+ years of experience with Microsoft Azure Cloud, Azure Data Factory, Databricks, Spark, Scala, or Python
- At least 1 year of experience building and operationalizing GenAI/LLM solutions, including RAG pipelines, prompt engineering, and enterprise data integration
- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Computer Science, Math, Analytics, or a related field, or equivalent experience
- Expertise in AI data engineering and governance, including vector databases, embeddings, semantic search, data preparation, and Responsible AI practices
- Experience with DevOps tools, code versioning, automated deployment pipelines, and CI/CD workflows
- Experience troubleshooting, optimizing, and maintaining enterprise data platforms and modern data frameworks
- 7+ years of experience in data engineering, ingestion, normalization, transformation, aggregation, structuring, and storage
- 5+ years of experience working with healthcare data or supporting healthcare analytics platforms
Optum Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave (six weeks), paid caregiver leave (up to two weeks), Bright Horizons back-up care, and adoption assistance up to $10,000 are prominently included. Feedback suggests these family supports meaningfully aid work-life balance and are often highlighted as strengths.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with company match is available to all employees, including part-time staff, alongside other financial protections like disability and life insurance. Feedback suggests broad access and matching make retirement support a core pillar of the package.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — An Employee Stock Purchase Plan offers discounted company stock, with some roles also eligible for sign-on or performance bonuses. Feedback suggests the ESPP is a standout financial perk that helps employees build ownership over time.
Optum Insights
What We Do
Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. At Optum, we support your well-being with an understanding team, extensive benefits and rewarding opportunities. By joining us, you’ll have the resources to drive system transformation while we help you take care of your future. We recognize the power of connection to drive change, improve efficiency and make a difference in health care. Join a team where your skills and ideas can make an impact and where collaboration is key to creating technology that produces healthier outcomes.
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Optum Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Optum has three workplace models that balance the needs of the business and the responsibilities of each role. These models, core on‑site (5 days/week), hybrid (4 days/week) and telecommute or fully remote, vary by country, role and location.