Senior Data Engineer

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.

We are seeking a Senior Data Engineer to join our team in building, securing, and optimizing end-to-end data analytics, reporting, and AI-powered solutions. In this role, you will leverage technologies such as Apache Airflow, Databricks, Snowflake, Power BI, and modern AI capabilities to build scalable data platforms and automate enterprise workflows on Azure. You will also be responsible for securing cloud environments using Azure Networking configurations, managing elevated access through Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM), and remediating vulnerabilities across application and infrastructure layers while driving responsible innovation across cross-functional teams.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to telecommute* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Architect, build, and maintain data pipelines and analytics solutions using Apache Airflow, Databricks, Snowflake, and Power BI on Azure cloud infrastructure
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions and data integrations to address complex business challenges with an emphasis on responsible AI practices
• Leverage enterprise-approved AI tools and emerging technologies to streamline workflows, automate data engineering tasks, and drive continuous improvement
• Implement and manage secure Azure Networking components (VNets, Private Endpoints, NSGs) to protect data solutions and control network traffic
• Enforce least-privilege security models and access control governance utilizing Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and role-based access controls (RBAC)
• Identify, investigate, and remediate security vulnerabilities across infrastructure, networking, and application components in alignment with compliance guidelines
• Evaluate emerging technology and AI trends to inform solution design, platform architecture, and strategic data innovation
• Collaborate with delivery teams and shared infrastructure operations to streamline data platform deployments, monitoring, and operational support
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with emphasis on responsible use of AI

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear directions on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• 6+ years of data engineering experience with emphasis on cloud data warehousing, ETL orchestration, and analytics hosting
• 3+ years of hands-on experience designing and managing Azure cloud infrastructure (e.g., Azure Synapse, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake, Azure SQL, Key Vault, Virtual Networks)
• 3+ years of hands-on experience building data pipelines and workflows using Apache Airflow and Snowflake
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with Azure cloud infrastructure, including Azure Networking (VNets, NSGs, Private Endpoints) and Azure Privileged Identity Management (PIM) / Entra ID
• 1+ years of experience building and supporting data models for reporting and business intelligence platforms such as Power BI
• 1+ years of experience remediating infrastructure, network, and application security vulnerabilities in enterprise cloud environments

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or 6+ years of equivalent software or data engineering experience in lieu of a degree
• 1+ years of experience designing, building, or deploying AI/ML model integrations and AI-assisted data tools within cloud data solutions
• 3+ years of hands-on experience building data pipelines and workflows using Databricks
• Experience integrating generative AI, LLM pipelines, or machine learning feature stores into cloud data architectures
• Experience developing custom visual reports and dashboards using Power BI integrated with Snowflake or Databricks
• Azure Certifications (e.g., Azure Data Engineer Associate, Azure Network Engineer Associate, or Azure Security Engineer Associate)
• Industry certifications in Snowflake or Databricks (e.g., Snowflake SnowPro Core, Databricks Certified Data Engineer)
• Advanced expertise in infrastructure as code (IaC) tools such as Terraform or ARM templates for automated deployment of networking and identity resources
• All Telecommuters 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 $91,700 to $163,700 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

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.

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