Forward Deployed Engineer - FDE - Remote

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 Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) operates at the intersection of consulting, engineering, and client delivery-partnering directly with healthcare payers and providers to design, build, and scale AI-powered solutions that address complex business and operational challenges.

This role is deeply embedded with clients, leading engagements from discovery through deployment. The FDE translates ambiguous business needs into production-grade systems, combining strong technical expertise with a consultative mindset. Success in this role requires the ability to influence stakeholders, shape solution strategy, and deliver high-impact outcomes in dynamic client environments.

If you are located in San Diego, CA, you will have the flexibility to work remotely* as you take on some tough challenges

Primary Responsibilities:

• Client Engagement & Consulting Leadership

• Partner directly with healthcare clients to understand strategic priorities, operational challenges, and digital transformation goals

• Lead discovery sessions, workshops, and solution design engagements with both technical and business stakeholders

• Act as a trusted advisor, guiding clients on how to apply AI/ML capabilities to real-world healthcare use cases (e.g., claims, revenue cycle, clinical workflows, member experience)

• Translate client needs into clear problem statements, solution architectures, and delivery roadmaps

• Solution Design & Architecture

• Design scalable, secure, and compliant AI-powered solutions aligned to healthcare industry requirements

• Architect end-to-end systems integrating LLMs, machine learning models, APIs, and enterprise platforms

• Evaluate trade-offs between approaches (e.g., build vs. orchestrate, model selection, latency vs. accuracy) and communicate recommendations clearly to stakeholders

• Ensure solutions are designed for real-world deployment, maintainability, and integration with existing client ecosystems

• Hands-on Engineering & Delivery

• Build and deploy production-grade AI applications, including LLM-based workflows, copilots, and intelligent automation solutions

• Integrate AI agents and automation into client environments, optimizing for performance, scalability, and reliability

• Rapidly prototype solutions to validate concepts, iterate with client feedback, and accelerate time-to-value

• Troubleshoot complex technical challenges across distributed systems and cloud platforms

• Translation & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Bridge business, clinical, and technical perspectives-translating between stakeholders to ensure alignment and clarity

• Collaborate with product, platform, and engineering teams to bring reusable capabilities into client deployments

• Communicate complex technical concepts in a way that is accessible and actionable for non-technical stakeholders

• Delivery Excellence & Client Outcomes

• Own delivery outcomes from initial discovery through production deployment and scale

• Drive measurable impact for clients (e.g., operational efficiency, cost savings, improved experience)

• Build strong, trusted relationships with client stakeholders to enable long-term partnerships

• Contribute to reusable assets, playbooks, and best practices to accelerate future client engagements

• Success Measures

• Delivers end-to-end client solutions from discovery through production deployment

• Demonstrates the ability to translate ambiguous client needs into scalable, high-impact solutions

• Builds trusted advisor relationships with client stakeholders

• Drives measurable business outcomes for healthcare clients

• Contributes to repeatable consulting and engineering patterns that scale across engagements

• Demonstrates the ability to design and develop prototypes with a clear path to production, ensuring solutions are scalable, supportable, and can be transitioned effectively to production engineering teams.

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, Data Science, or related field
• 8+ years of hands-on software engineering experience in deploying distributed systems and cloud-native solutions
• 7+ years of experience operating in a consulting or advisory capacity, including structuring ambiguous problems, developing solution recommendations, and delivering against client or business objectives
• Experience working in client-facing engagements, including partnering directly with stakeholders to understand needs, communicate solutions, and support delivery in real-world environments
• Experience building and deploying AI/ML solutions, including familiarity with LLMs, prompt engineering, and model deployment patterns
• Experience structuring ambiguous problems and driving them to clear, actionable solutions
• Experience working in cloud environments (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP)
• Proficiency in modern development frameworks, APIs, and data integration approaches
• Advanced user capability on CodeX, Claude, etc. and other AI productivity tools
• Proven ability to lead client engagements, including discovery, solution design, and delivery
• Proven solid stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence both technical and executive audiences
• Proven excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to adapt messaging to different audiences

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a technical discipline (AI/ML, Data Science, Software Engineering)

• Healthcare Domain Expertise; understanding of healthcare payer and/or provider operations (e.g., claims, utilization management, care delivery, revenue cycle)

• Familiarity with healthcare data, regulatory requirements, and interoperability considerations

• Proven to be comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with evolving client needs

• Proven solid collaboration mindset with the ability to work across distributed and cross-functional teams

• Proven entrepreneurial, solution-oriented approach with a bias toward action and outcomes

• 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 $176,700 - $302,900 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

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.

UnitedHealth Group is 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 is a drug - free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.