Vice President, AI Engineering

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Optum Tech is a global leader in health care innovation. Our teams develop cutting-edge solutions that help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. From advanced data analytics and AI to cybersecurity, we use innovative approaches to solve some of health care’s most complex challenges. Your contributions here have the potential to change lives. Ready to build the next breakthrough? Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. The Vice President, AI Engineering, sets drives AI Architecture and Engineering delivery, Solution Strategy and Product Management. This role serves as a strategic technical leader tasked with building, accelerating and scaling the delivery of our internal, employee-facing AI portfolio. This role encompasses the setting the strategic technology direction, deployment of enterprise AI solutions that enhance employee productivity, as well as supporting AI delivery across key corporate functions in an effort transform work across back-office business operations. We are seeking an accomplished leader to build and guide a team committed not only to building, delivering, adopting, and scaling AI-powered solutions, but also to collaborating organization-wide in support of our business AI strategies. This position oversees a multidisciplinary group of solution engineers, and delivery professionals who design, architect, implement, and drive adoption of impactful AI solutions across the UHG ecosystem. This role bridges product strategy, stakeholder engagement, and technical execution. Partnering with IT and business leaders to transform businesses into empowered and enabled AI-first teams. Translating complex AI capabilities into scalable solutions by shaping and executing the AI delivery roadmap in alignment with enterprise strategy. This role requires deep technical expertise, business and relationship acumen, and a passion for operational excellence. The role also involves close collaboration with senior internal stakeholders to ensure alignment between solution delivery and enterprise priorities. You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. For all hires within 30 minutes of an office in Minnesota or Washington, D.C., you'll be required to work a minimum of four days per week in-office.

Requirements

Proven experience in leading AI-focused solution engineering
Outstanding communication skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Experience with AI products, including deployment, integration, and client engagement
Demonstrated background in AI/ML technologies, cloud platforms, and enterprise integration
Experience supporting early-stage engagements and translating business needs into technical solutions
Demonstrated ability to lead delivery teams and manage complex implementations
Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels

Nice To Haves

Experience in healthcare or similarly regulated industries
Familiarity with commercialization models and platform transitions
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field
Experience with reusable architecture frameworks and solution accelerators

Responsibilities

Develop and implement the technology strategy for Enterprise AI
Set the strategy, define key roles, develop and implement the operating model and operational routines to run an efficient, innovative, and agile AI strategy and delivery machine
Partner across other AI teams in the organization to ensure strategic and technical alignment, reusability, and interoperability of AI solutions
Reimagine and drive technical solutioning for AI solutions that drive value across key business functions.
Influence business and IT partners to transform the technology to an AI-ready stack to accelerate transformation across business functions – including taking full advantage of vendor AI solutions embedded in packaged software
Drive creative and bold innovation to help define and shape enterprise solutioning and ensure technical feasibility, scalability, and reusability
Engage across technology and business partners to align solution design with transformation goals and long-term value
Define and oversee delivery engineering teams responsible for implementing AI solutions across the enterprise and corporate business functions
Ensure systems are in place to guarantee engineering excellence and accountability across all phases of solution implementation
Drive delivery excellence through standardized frameworks, reusable components, and scalable integration models
Align delivery with platform capabilities and roadmap. Collaborate with senior leaders across product, engineering, and business units to align solution strategy with enterprise goals
Ensure solutions adhere to ethical AI standards, including fairness, transparency, and regulatory compliance
Align delivery practices with enterprise values and governance frameworks
Stay current on emerging AI technologies, tools, and deployment patterns to inform solution design
Maintain awareness of advanced ML techniques, NLP, robotics, and other emerging trends
Contribute to the development of reusable solution assets, reference architectures, and technical enablement materials
Support experimentation and prototyping efforts to validate new solution approaches
Contribute to the evolution of delivery models—from bespoke services to scalable, platform-enabled solutions
Set the standard for innovation throughout the entire team by actively involving members in hackathons, fostering creativity and forward-thinking, and demonstrating leadership through your actions
Collaborate with academic and research institutions to inform solution design and talent development
Build and lead a multidisciplinary team of solution engineers, product leaders, and technical delivery professionals
Foster a culture of excellence, client-centricity, and continuous improvement. Drive restless curiosity and a relentless pursuit of delivering an exceptional experience to all UHG employees
Define performance metrics and development pathways to grow team capabilities
Lead your peers through solid collaboration and create a culture of shared success