Principal Data Engineer - 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.

We are seeking an experienced Principal Data Engineer to lead the design, development, and modernization of enterprise-scale data platforms. This role requires deep expertise in Azure-based data ecosystems, cloud-native architecture, data engineering best practices, and emerging AI technologies. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on technical leader capable of driving complex data initiatives while mentoring teams and influencing architectural decisions across the organization.

You'll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. For all hires in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office a minimum of four days per week.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Architect and implement scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions on Microsoft Azure
• Design and develop enterprise data pipelines using Azure Data Factory (ADF), Azure SQL, Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS), Azure Functions, and related Azure services
• Lead the design and optimization of data warehouse and analytics solutions using Snowflake
• Establish data engineering standards, governance, and best practices for enterprise-wide adoption
• Develop Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform to automate cloud deployments and environment management
• Drive modernization initiatives, including migration of legacy platforms to cloud-native architectures
• Design, build, and integrate AI agents and intelligent automation solutions to accelerate data development, testing, documentation, and operational support
• Collaborate with business stakeholders, architects, product owners, and engineering teams to translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions
• Provide technical leadership, code reviews, mentorship, and guidance to distributed engineering teams
• Ensure platform reliability, security, compliance, and cost optimization

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:

• 10+ years of experience in data engineering and data architecture, with a proven track record of delivering enterprise-scale data solutions
• 10+ years of experience in data modeling, performance tuning, data governance, and data security
• 7+ years of experience designing large-scale enterprise data lakes, data warehouses, and analytics solutions
• 7+ years of experience implementing CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices for data platforms
• 5+ years of hands-on experience with modern cloud data platforms and engineering tools, including:
  • Azure Data Factory (ADF)
  • Azure SQL
  • Snowflake Data Platform
  • Terraform and Infrastructure as Code
  • Python, SQL, and data engineering frameworks

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field
• Experience developing and deploying AI-powered agents to improve engineering productivity
• Experience with Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), vector databases, and AI orchestration frameworks
• Experience leading geographically distributed teams
• Knowledge of Databricks, Spark, Azure OpenAI, and machine learning workflows

*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 $112,700 - $193,200 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

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.