AI/ML Engineer

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, data and resources 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.

About the role

As an AI/ML Engineer within Optum Technology, you will design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with a focus on responsible AI practices. In this role, you will implement and iterate on AI and machine learning solutions—including Generative AI—by building prototypes, integrating models into microservices, and optimizing performance based on evaluation results. You will enjoy the flexibility to telecommute from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with an emphasis on responsible use of AI
• Implement and iterate on AI and machine learning solutions (including Generative AI) by building prototypes, integrating models into services, and improving quality based on evaluation results
• Use enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline engineering workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous improvement
• Support proof-of-concept projects and model experiments, establishing performance baselines using clear metrics and standard tooling
• Contribute to training and inference pipelines using Databricks, PySpark, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) under guidance from senior engineers
• Learn and apply Generative AI building blocks such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and prompt orchestration tools (e.g., LangChain)
• Contribute to building and testing REST APIs (e.g., FastAPI) and learn delivery fundamentals such as containerization (Docker) and application frameworks (e.g., Flask/Streamlit)
• Support performance and cost optimizations (e.g., caching, batching, quantization, or distillation) to enhance system efficiency
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to understand business needs, ask clarifying questions, participate in code reviews, and maintain team standards for quality, safety, and trust

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, Data Science, or a related field (or 4+ years of equivalent software engineering experience in lieu of degree)
• 2+ years of software engineering experience delivering well-tested applications and services (including co-ops, internships, academic, or personal projects)
• 1+ years of AI/ML engineering experience, including prototyping, evaluation, and supporting deployment/monitoring in collaboration with senior engineers
• 1+ years of hands-on experience with Python and SQL through coursework, internships, or professional projects
• 1+ years of experience with at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to Generative AI building blocks (RAG, prompt orchestration tools like LangChain, and vector databases)
• Experience building and testing APIs (e.g., REST with FastAPI) and working with containers (Docker) or application frameworks (Flask/Streamlit)
• Familiarity with MLOps concepts (experimentation tracking, model packaging, deployment patterns, and monitoring basics)
• Exposure to Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform or CloudFormation
• Awareness of data governance and access control concepts; familiarity with Databricks features like Delta Lake and Unity Catalog
• Exposure to big data technologies such as Spark (PySpark/SparkSQL) and streaming/messaging tools (e.g., Kafka/Hadoop)
• Basic understanding of data science fundamentals (statistics, probability, metrics, and data modeling) and performance optimization techniques (caching, batching, quantization, or distillation)

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package
• Incentive and recognition programs
• Equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements)

Pay

The salary for this role will range from $98,500 to $176,000 annually based on full-time employment. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, and certifications.

All telecommuters will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.