Principal AI/ML Applied Scientist - Remote
About The Position
As a Principal AI/ML Engineer within Optum Health & Financial Tech, you will play a key leadership role in advancing our next-generation digital health platforms and quality measurement solutions. Positioned at the intersection of artificial intelligence, healthcare data standards (FHIR/CQL), and quality engine architectures, your work will drive intelligent data ingestion, automated measure validation, and advanced analytics solutions. You will partner across product, engineering, and business analytics teams to design, scale, and deploy responsible AI models and automation pipelines that deliver high-precision clinical data insights and optimize healthcare delivery across the enterprise. 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.
Requirements
- 8+ years of experience in software engineering, data engineering, or technology platform development within complex enterprise environments
- 5+ years of experience working with healthcare data domains (such as claims, enrollment, provider, pharmacy, or clinical data)
- 3+ years of experience developing, scaling, or integrating machine learning models, AI solutions, or automated analytics execution engines
- 3+ years of technical leadership experience guiding engineering workflows, technical architecture, or delivery teams
- 3+ years of proficiency with SQL/PL-SQL and Python for data validation, automation, and backend system development
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Technology, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience
- Hands-on experience with HL7 FHIR standards, HEDIS Core FHIR profiles, and Clinical Quality Language (CQL) engine implementations
- Experience applying responsible AI principles, model monitoring, and data governance standards within healthcare analytics solutions
- Deep subject matter expertise in NCQA HEDIS technical specifications, certification data management, and score-key comparison workflows
- Proven track record of bridging technical architecture with business leadership, sales support, and regulatory compliance requirements
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with an emphasis on the responsible use of AI
- Evaluate emerging trends and technology solutions to inform architectural design, strategic innovation, and scalable platform development
- Leverage enterprise-approved AI tools and modern software engineering practices to streamline workflows, automate complex data validation tasks, and drive operational efficiency
- Lead the technical design and architectural evolution of digital health platforms, including Clinical Quality Language (CQL) execution engines and FHIR data ingestion pipelines
- Guide data mapping, schema validation, and data model strategy across claims, clinical, pharmacy, provider, and enrollment data streams
- Oversee end-to-end output reconciliation and data quality processes to ensure compliance with quality measure specifications and regulatory audit standards
- Provide technical leadership, work direction, prioritization, and technical coaching to cross-functional engineering and technical analysis team members
- Translate technical specifications, data model changes, and AI/ML model outcomes into clear technical documentation, executive summaries, and product strategy briefings
Benefits
- comprehensive benefits package
- incentive and recognition programs
- equity stock purchase
- 401k contribution
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
Education Level
Associate degree
