Contract Software Engineer Optum Jobs in Rutherford, NJ

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.   

As a Senior Software Engineer within Optum Technology, you will play a critical onshore lead role in maintaining and evolving the Provider Data Platform and Provider Search applications. This core platform supports regulatory compliance and enterprise healthcare transformation through near-real-time provider data ingestion for consumers. In this role, you will go beyond standard full stack development by designing, scaling, and deploying AI-driven, agentic solutions for data ingestion, validation, and regulatory interpretation within a highly regulated environment. You will serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) across system design, data quality, regulatory compliance, and production support, driving technical innovation and architectural excellence.

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

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintain and evolve the Provider Data Platform and Provider Search applications to support near-real-time provider data ingestion and regulatory compliance
• Take a lead role in designing, building, and scaling AI-driven, agentic solutions for data ingestion, validation, and regulatory interpretation within a highly regulated healthcare environment
• Design, develop, and deploy enterprise AI-powered solutions and automated workflows to address complex business challenges with an emphasis on responsible AI practices
• Leverage enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline software engineering workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous performance and quality improvements
• Serve as an onshore Subject Matter Expert (SME) across system design, data quality, regulatory interpretation, and production support to guide critical technical decisions
• Collaborate with business partners, product owners, and system architects to understand desired product capabilities and decompose requirements into specific functional implementations
• Evaluate emerging technology trends and AI concepts to inform solution design, architectural evolution, and strategic platform innovation
• Perform code reviews, enforce software engineering best practices, and evaluate code quality using SonarQube and automated testing strategies
• Conduct comprehensive testing of product distributions prior to release, troubleshoot production issues post-deployment, and implement robust solutions
• Participate actively in Agile/Scrum development ceremonies to deliver high-quality software releases on cadence

What are the reasons to consider working for UnitedHealth Group?   Put it all together - competitive base pay, a full and comprehensive benefit program, performance rewards, and a management team who demonstrates their commitment to your success. Some of our offerings include:

• Paid Time Off which you start to accrue with your first pay period plus 8 Paid Holidays
• Medical Plan options along with participation in a Health Spending Account or a Health Saving account
• Dental, Vision, Life& AD&D Insurance along with Short-term disability and Long-Term Disability coverage
• 401(k) Savings Plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Education Reimbursement
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Bonus Program
• Voluntary Benefits (pet insurance, legal insurance, LTC Insurance, etc.)

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:

• Bachelor's degree
• 10 years of professional software engineering experience in designing, building, and delivering commercial enterprise software applications
• 3 years of experience developing GraphQL APIs
• 3 years of full stack software engineering experience utilizing Java and Spring Boot microservices
• 3 years of experience delivering software using Agile/Scrum development methodologies
• 2 years of experience building, integrating, and deploying cloud-native software solutions on AWS Cloud
• 2 years of experience with relational database development utilizing MySQL
• 1 years of hands-on experience building, prototyping, and integrating AI tools, agentic workflows, or AI-driven automation into software solutions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with healthcare data standards and interoperability protocols (e.g., HL7 FHIR)
• Experience with search platforms and data indexing solutions (e.g., OpenSearch, Elasticsearch)
• Experience with code quality, repository, and CI/CD tools (e.g., SonarQube, GitHub)
• Experience developing rapid proof-of-concepts (POCs) for agentic AI architectures and intelligent data processing workflows
• Experience with high-throughput data ingestion pipelines in a regulated healthcare or financial environment

*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.

#RPO #GREEN