As a Principal Data Scientist within the Optum Technology team supporting UHC Technology, you will lead the design, development, and deployment of advanced machine learning and generative AI solutions. In this role, you will define end-to-end ML architecture, select appropriate tools and frameworks, drive proof-of-concept experiments, and guide engineering teams in productionizing scalable AI services. You will balance architectural leadership with hands-on execution across complex initiatives, establishing best practices for model governance, reproducibility, and security to drive healthcare innovation.
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: - Design, develop, and deploy scalable, production-grade AI solutions to address complex business challenges while embedding responsible AI principles, fairness, transparency, and accountability throughout the model development lifecycle
- Lead solution architecture and hands-on development across complex AI/ML initiatives using traditional ML, deep learning, and modern LLM-based approaches
- Lead proof-of-concept experiments in generative AI (transformers, GANs, diffusion models) and evaluate emerging tools, research, and frameworks to drive strategic innovation
- Collaborate with research, data engineering, software engineering, and product teams to translate cutting-edge AI advancements into scalable, production-ready capabilities
- Define and establish enterprise best practices for model governance, versioning, reproducibility, security, and cloud-native MLOps pipelines
- Provide technical guidance, architectural design reviews, and mentorship to junior engineers and data scientists without formal people management duties
- Document architecture designs, technical proposals, and recommendations, presenting findings directly to cross-functional stakeholders and leadership
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: - 10+ years of experience designing, building, and deploying production machine learning solutions
- 3+ years of experience building Generative AI applications using LLMs and orchestration frameworks such as LangChain and/or LangGraph
- Deep expertise in either NLP or Computer Vision with multiple years of hands-on solution ownership in that domain
- Proven solid foundation in core ML and statistical methods (supervised/unsupervised learning, regression, classification, clustering, time series, Bayesian modeling) alongside substantive deep learning experience
- Demonstrated experience with cloud ML services and infrastructure design on at least one major cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or GCP), including containerization (Docker/Kubernetes) and MLOps (CI/CD, model registry, monitoring)
- Proven track record of successfully moving models from research/POC phase into production at scale
- Hands-on programming proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow)
- Demonstrated solid background in probability, linear algebra, and statistical inferenc
- Demonstrated problem-solving ability with clear verbal and written communication skills
Preferred Qualifications: - Experience working with healthcare data, clinical systems, or U.S.-based healthcare environments
- Practical experience fine-tuning generative models (e.g., GPT, BERT, Stable Diffusion, or custom architectures)
- Experience with MLOps tools such as MLflow, Kubeflow, TFX, or Airflow
- Familiarity with big data technologies including Apache Spark, Hadoop, or Dask
- Knowledge of data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI) and dashboard design
*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 to $193,200 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.
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.
