Senior Director AI – ML Engineering

Optum

  • Full Time

To apply for this job please visit careers.unitedhealthgroup.com.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Lead the integration of enterprise-approved AI tools into team workflows, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
  • Embed AI objectives into team check-ins, development plans, and hiring practices, leveraging our AI-persona framework.
  • Identify and remove operational and organizational barriers to accelerate AI adoption across the enterprise.
  • Provide strategic leadership, overseeing performance and outcomes through multiple layers of management and senior professional staff.
  • Ensure compliance with employment contracts, company policies, and directives, including flexibility in work locations, team assignments, work shifts, and alternative work arrangements as required by evolving business needs.

Required Qualifications:

Education & Experience

  • Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Healthcare Informatics, or related field; Masters or MBA preferred.
  • 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in enterprise technology, analytics, or automation, with at least 5 years in the healthcare sector.
  • Proven track record managing large-scale AI/ML product lifecycles, MLOps, RPA operations, and cloud migration initiatives.
  • Experience leading digital transformation in payer, provider, or healthcare services organizations.

Healthcare Domain Expertise

  • Deep understanding of healthcare data ecosystems, including EHRs, claims, clinical data, and interoperability standards (HL7, FHIR).
  • Knowledge of healthcare regulations and compliance frameworks (HIPAA, HITECH).
  • Experience with population health, care management, revenue cycle, or value-based care analytics.

Technical & Strategic Expertise

  • Strong grasp of AI/ML technologies, intelligent automation (RPA/IPA), and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • Ability to translate healthcare business needs into scalable, high-impact technology solutions.

Leadership & Influence

  • Exceptional executive presence with the ability to influence and communicate effectively with C-level stakeholders.
  • Experience building and leading high-performing, diverse teams across geographies.
  • Proven change management skills, with a track record of driving cultural and operational transformation.

Financial & Operational Acumen

  • Experience managing P&L, achieving financial objectives, and optimizing investments.
  • Skilled in portfolio management, performance tracking, and ROI analysis using data-driven decision-making.

Innovation & Industry Awareness

  • Passion for innovation with a keen understanding of emerging healthcare technologies and industry trends.
  • Experience fostering a culture of continuous improvement, experimentation, and agile delivery.

AI-First Leadership Skills

  • Hands-on experience with MLOps, model deployment, and monitoring.
  • Expertise in large language models (LLMs), generative AI, and deep learning.
  • Proficient in Python and ML libraries (scikit-learn, Keras), with familiarity in AI/ML governance, ethics, and responsible AI practices.
  • Familiarity with experiment tracking tools (e.g., Weights & Biases, MLflow).

Other Key Competencies

  • Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and strategic planning abilities.
  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
  • Ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with competing priorities.
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