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Optum Data Scientist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

UnitedHealth Group

Data Scientist - Remote

Minnetonka, MN · On-site +1

$112K - $193K/yr

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people ... The role partners closely with Data Scientists, Product Teams, and Platform Teams to deploy AI ...

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Optum Data Scientist information

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$37.5K

$122.7K

$196.5K

How much do optum data scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for optum data scientist in the United States is $122,738.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $98,500.00 and $136,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How much does Optum pay data scientists?

Data scientists at Optum typically earn between $90,000 and $130,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and education. Compensation may also include bonuses and benefits, and proficiency in tools like Python, R, and SQL can influence salary levels.

What is the difference between Optum Data Scientist vs Optum Data Analyst?

AspectOptum Data ScientistOptum Data Analyst
Required CredentialsTypically requires a Master’s or PhD in Data Science, Statistics, or related fieldOften requires a Bachelor’s degree in related fields; some roles prefer certifications
Work EnvironmentEngages in advanced modeling, machine learning, and predictive analyticsFocuses on data collection, cleaning, and reporting
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across healthcare, insurance, and health services for complex data analysisUtilized for operational reporting and basic data insights within healthcare

Optum Data Scientists typically handle complex analytics and predictive modeling, requiring advanced degrees, while Data Analysts focus on data reporting and basic analysis. Both roles are essential in healthcare analytics but differ in scope and expertise.

What is the salary of senior data scientist in Optum?

The salary of a senior data scientist at Optum typically ranges from $110,000 to $150,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and skills. Compensation may also include bonuses and benefits, and advanced knowledge of tools like Python, R, and SQL can influence salary levels.

Is it hard to get a job at Optum?

Securing a Data Scientist position at Optum can be competitive, often requiring relevant experience in data analysis, machine learning, and healthcare data, along with strong technical skills in tools like Python or R. Candidates typically undergo multiple interview rounds assessing technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities, and a relevant master's degree or higher is often preferred.

Is 40 too late for data science?

Age is not a barrier to becoming a data scientist, including for those interested in roles like an Optum Data Scientist. Success depends on skills, experience, and continuous learning, such as mastering programming languages like Python or R and understanding data analysis tools. Many professionals transition into data science later in their careers and find opportunities based on their expertise and adaptability.
More about Optum Data Scientist jobs
What cities are hiring for Optum Data Scientist jobs? Cities with the most Optum Data Scientist job openings:
What states have the most Optum Data Scientist jobs? States with the most job openings for Optum Data Scientist jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Optum Data Scientist jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Optum Data Scientist jobs are:
Optum Data Scientist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Optum Data Scientist job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $122,738 per year, or $59 per hour.

Principal Data Scientist

UnitedHealth Group

Eden Prairie, MN • On-site

Full-time

Retirement

Re-posted 17 days ago

UnitedHealth Group rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 146 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

185th of 885 rated healthcare providers

Job description

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.
This Principal Data Scientist role will be a part of the Decision Sciences team in Client Center of Excellence organization. The role will be responsible for strategic interpretation of data and business requirements to provide executive leadership and the growth with customer centric data driven insights and AI/ML solutions. Working in collaboration with Director, Decision Sciences and other data scientists team members, this role works to identify new business requirements across the organization, translate business requirements into data models, perform data engineering to combine diverse data sets, and develop custom algorithms for predictive AI models to support the Growth business and Optum business units.
You will enjoy the flexibility to telecommute* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.
Primary Responsibilities:
  • Lead development of advanced AI/ML systems using techniques such as deep learning, representation learning, time-series modeling, survival analysis, and probabilistic modeling to solve complex healthcare problems
  • Develop Generative AI and LLM-powered solutions including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines, domain-adapted LLMs, and AI copilots for enterprise workflows
  • Lead collaboration with key business stakeholders to develop business solutions based on data driven insights to solve complex business problems
  • Lead projects that combine diverse customer data sets to identify trends and opportunities, develop custom machine learning models, and provide recommendations to optimize the business and address data-related problems
  • Serve as a senior technical authority in AI/ML by mentoring data scientists and reviewing complex modeling approaches and architecture
  • Coordinate with different functional teams to improve customer data architecture, ensure accuracy of model output and implement new data gathering processes
  • Create customized summaries, business presentations and documentation for internal business clients based on the results of research
  • Collaborate with engineering, platform, and product teams to operationalize scalable AI/ML and GenAI systems within enterprise platforms

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:
  • 8+ years of experience in machine learning, artificial intelligence, or applied data science to develop data products in a business environment
  • 8+ years of experience in Python-based machine learning development using frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Pandas or equivalent
  • 5+ years of experience designing and deploying production machine learning systems leveraging regression, natural language processing algorithms, classification and clustering, time-series forecasting and predictive/prescriptive modeling
  • 5+ years of experience providing data driven solutions, predictive models, reports, or recommendations within a business environment using SQL or data visualization tools. This can include previous work in data science teams, business intelligence, financial reporting or analytics environments

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience working with distributed ML systems and large-scale data platforms such as Snowflake, Spark, Databricks, or other ML systems
  • Experience working as a project or team lead on the development of data products in a business environment
  • Experience working as a key SME to executive or C-Suite stakeholders
  • Experience deploying AI solutions on cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
  • Experience working with healthcare datasets and standards such as claims, EHR, ICD, CPT, SNOMED, FHIR, or HL7
  • External contributions such as publications, patents, or open-source projects in machine learning or generative AI

*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 $112,700 - $193,200 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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