Entry Level Remote Economics Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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 Actuarial Analyst to join our Optum Behavioral Health Team. This role is designed for actuaries with foundational experience who are ready to take on more complex analytical work, increased ownership, and broader influence across projects.
The Senior Actuarial Analyst will independently manage analyses, develop non-standard models and reporting, and provide insights that support forecasting, trend analysis, and business decision-making. This role builds on entry-level actuarial experience and accelerates development toward advanced technical and strategic contributions.
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:

• Advanced Data & Analytical Work
  • Perform complex and non-standard data extraction, validation, and analysis using SQL, SAS, Excel, or similar tools
  • Develop, enhance, and maintain actuarial models and analytical frameworks
  • Independently investigate trends, variances, and emerging issues and perform additional analyses as needed
  • Identify and resolve data and modeling issues proactively, often before review
• Reporting & Insights
  • Produce both standard and non-standard reporting with accuracy and clear interpretation of results
  • Translate complex analyses into meaningful business insights for stakeholders
  • Support forecasting, reserving, and trend analytics with increasing ownership of assumptions and outputs
  • Draw conclusions from results and highlight key drivers and implications for the business
• Communication & Influence
  • Communicate findings, interpretations, and recommendations to managers, directors, and cross-functional stakeholders
  • Actively participate in and occasionally lead team discussions
  • Explain analytical results clearly, focusing on the "so what" for business impact
  • Serve as a resource and mentor to junior analysts (e.g., SG26)
• Project & Task Management
  • Manage multiple projects simultaneously with minimal supervision
  • Independently prioritize work, deadlines, and competing demands
  • Take ownership of deliverables, including timelines, quality, and stakeholder communication
  • Volunteer for and contribute to initiatives outside immediate scope to support team objectives

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 Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, or related field
• 2+ years of actuarial or relevant analytical experience
• Progress toward actuarial credentials (typically 2-3+ exams passed; 3-4+ preferred)
• Commitment to continued exam progression within the Actuarial Education Program
• Advanced Excel skills (model building, complex formulas, efficient reporting)
• Intermediate SQL and/or VBA (ability to write new code and build processes)
• Demonstrated solid performance in prior actuarial role(s)
• Demonstrated ability to build and automate data extraction and reporting workflows

Preferred Qualification:

• Experience with Power BI, PowerPivot, SAS, or similar tools

*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 $72,800 to $95,000 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage aws 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.