Senior Software Engineer I - Python, Cloud, Agentic AI, Fast API

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 to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. Primary Responsibilities: Lead the design and development of scalable, AI-enabled applications using modern AI/ML technologies. Own the end-to-end lifecycle of AI/ML solutions, ensuring seamless integration, scalability, and performance. Architect and maintain robust backend services using Python and Java frameworks (e.g., FastAPI, Spring), with a focus on performance and security. Build intuitive front-end interfaces using React.js to deliver seamless user experiences. Apply best practices to develop secure, cloud-native solutions aligned with real-world use cases (Azure/Google Cloud). Evaluate existing systems and propose architectural enhancements with detailed technical design documentation. Collaborate with Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and SMEs to translate business needs into technical solutions. Facilitate technical design walkthroughs and gather actionable feedback from stakeholders. Plan and execute comprehensive testing strategies, including automation and performance testing. Provide production support, including real-time debugging and root cause analysis. Ensure system stability through proactive monitoring and long-term fixes. Manage task priorities effectively within Agile frameworks. Stay current with emerging AI/ML technologies and industry trends. Drive innovation by exploring new tools and techniques to improve scalability and performance Comply with company policies, including flexibility in work location and team assignments Comply with the terms and conditions of the employment contract, company policies and procedures, and any and all directives (such as, but not limited to, transfer and/or re-assignment to different work locations, change in teams and/or work shifts, policies in regard to flexibility of work benefits and/or work environment, alternative work arrangements, and other decisions that may arise due to the changing business environment). The Company may adopt, vary or rescind these policies and directives in its absolute discretion and without any limitation (implied or otherwise) on its ability to do so Join the Enterprise Technology Infrastructure Platform Services ( ETIPS ) team, driving innovation and reliability across core systems. Required Qualifications: Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience 6+ years of software development experience, with 2+ years in AI/ML engineering 6+ years of full-stack development experience with Python 3+ years of cloud deployment experience (preferably GCP) 3+ years in DevOps and CI/CD (Jenkins, Git, Terraform, etc.) Solid experience in backend development using Python including FastAPI Experience with RESTful APIs and event-driven architectures (Kafka, Redis) Experience across software development lifecycle Proven expertise in performance optimization for real-time systems Proficiency in RDBMS and/or NoSQL databases Solid understanding of microservices and service-oriented architecture Familiarity with AI/ML techniques such as NLP, computer vision, and LLMs Proficiency in Python (preferred) and working knowledge of R or similar Proven ability to leverage and guide teams in adopting coding assistants such as GitHub Copilot to enhance productivity and code quality Solid communication and presentation skills Preferred Qualification: Experience with building AI agents using Google ADK 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. #NIC #NJP