Lead Software Engineer - Remote

Requisition Number: 2389747
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 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 in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.
Join our Global Infrastructure & Cloud Services team within Enterprise Technology Infrastructure Platforms & Services as a Lead Software Engineer. In this role, you will lead the adoption and integration of modern AI-assisted software development practices across core engineering portfolios. You will work embedded alongside live development teams to modernize engineering workflows, build reusable prompt libraries and reference architectures, and establish safe, scalable engineering guardrails. This is a hands-on technical leadership position where you will write code alongside teams, coach engineers and leaders, and drive continuous technical innovation across enterprise platform services.
You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.
Primary Responsibilities:

• Use enterprise-approved AI tools to deliver scalable platform solutions, streamline engineering workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous improvement
• Evaluate emerging trends in AI development to inform solution design, platform architecture, and strategic innovation
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions and engineering patterns to address complex enterprise challenges with an emphasis on responsible AI usage
• Drive the end-to-end rollout of AI software development lifecycle practices across assigned portfolios, from intake and readiness assessment to sustained self-sufficiency
• Execute embedded coaching engagements with application delivery teams, working directly within live backlogs to accelerate adoption and skill building
• Assess team lifecycle maturity, tooling utilization, and technical constraints to build and execute tailored adoption plans
• Diagnose and eliminate technical, process, and architectural adoption blockers, escalating systemic challenges to platform and security leadership
• Coach engineers, quality engineers, and engineering managers through pairing, live code and design sessions, review walkthroughs, and technical clinics
• Build reusable context/prompt libraries, architectural patterns, and reference implementations tuned to enterprise technology stacks (e.g., Java/Spring, .NET, Python, Angular/React, Databricks, Snowflake, Azure/AWS)
• Translate enterprise AI security and usage policies into day-to-day engineering practice, ensuring compliance with data privacy (PHI/PII), IP protection, secure coding, and audit standards

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, or a related field, OR 8+ years of equivalent practical software engineering experience
• 8+ years of hands-on software engineering experience
• 6 + years of production-level coding proficiency in at least one major language in our tech stack (Java, Go, Python, .NET/C#, or JavaScript/TypeScript)
• 6+ years of working knowledge of the full software development lifecycle, including CI/CD pipelines, automated testing strategies, and release management
• 3+ years of experience utilizing delivery metrics (e.g., DORA metrics, cycle time, lead time for change) to baseline engineering performance and measure adoption outcomes
• 3+ years of experience in a senior, lead, or principal software engineering role
• 2+ years of hands-on experience utilizing AI coding assistants and AI-assisted development workflows(AI DLC) in production delivery work (e.g., test generation, refactoring, code reviews, and documentation)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building, scaling, and maintaining prompt libraries, context templates, and reusable engineering reference patterns
• Experience establishing champion networks or train-the-trainer models to scale enablement across large engineering organizations
• Experience partnering with Security, Legal, Privacy, and Compliance teams to safely enable developer tooling in regulated software environments
• Proven ability to influence technical teams, architects, and senior leadership without direct authority
• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and enable engineering teams through workflow transformations

*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.