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Software Engineer Optum Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Software Engineer Optum information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$72.3K

$168K

$234K

How much do software engineer optum jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for software engineer optum in Seattle, WA is $167,980.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $136,600.00 and $197,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a software engineer Optum?

A Software Engineer at Optum is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and maintaining software solutions that support healthcare technology and services. They work with a team to build scalable applications, enhance system performance, and integrate with various platforms. The role often involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, utilizing programming languages like Java, Python, or .NET, and leveraging cloud technologies. Engineers at Optum focus on improving healthcare outcomes through technology-driven solutions.

What types of projects do software engineer Optum typically work on?

Software Engineers at Optum commonly work on projects that drive innovation in healthcare, such as designing scalable web applications, integrating data analytics tools, and enhancing clinical systems. These projects often involve working closely with multidisciplinary teams—including product owners, QA engineers, and business analysts—to deliver secure, compliant, and user-friendly software solutions. Depending on the team, you might focus on improving electronic health records, developing telehealth platforms, or leveraging machine learning for health data insights. The fast-paced, collaborative environment provides opportunities to make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes while expanding your technical expertise.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the software engineer Optum position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Software Engineer at Optum, you need strong programming skills (such as Java, Python, or .NET), a solid understanding of software development methodologies, and a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with cloud platforms (like AWS or Azure), CI/CD tools, and secure coding practices is highly valued, along with relevant certifications such as AWS Certified Developer or Scrum certifications. Excellent problem-solving abilities, collaborative teamwork, and effective communication skills are key differentiators for excelling in this role. These skills are essential for delivering robust healthcare technology solutions, navigating complex technical environments, and ensuring successful project outcomes.

Is Optum good for software engineers?

Optum offers software engineering roles that involve working on healthcare technology solutions, often requiring skills in programming, data analysis, and cloud platforms. The company provides a collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth, but experiences can vary based on team and location.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Engineer Optum jobs in Seattle, WA?

The most popular types of Software Engineer Optum jobs in Seattle, WA are:

What job categories do people searching Software Engineer Optum jobs in Seattle, WA look for?

The top searched job categories for Software Engineer Optum jobs in Seattle, WA are:

Infographic showing various Software Engineer Optum job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $167,980 per year, or $80.8 per hour.

Lead AI/ML Applied Scientist

UnitedHealth Group

Bellevue, WA • On-site

$154K - $193K/yr

Full-time

Retirement

Posted 3 days ago

New


UnitedHealth Group rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 146 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

192nd of 896 rated healthcare providers


Job description

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.
Optum AI is UnitedHealth Group's enterprise AI team. We are AI/ML scientists and engineers with deep expertise in AI/ML engineering for health care. We develop AI/ML solutions for the highest impact opportunities across UnitedHealth Group businesses including UnitedHealthcare, Optum Financial, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. In addition to transforming the health care journey through responsible AI/ML innovation, our charter also includes developing and supporting an enterprise AI/ML development platform.
Optum AI team members:
  • Have impact at scale: We have the data and resources to make an impact at scale. When our solutions are deployed, they have the potential to make health care system work better for everyone
  • Do ground-breaking work: Many of our current projects involve cutting edge ML, NLP and LLM techniques. Generative AI methods for working with structured and unstructured health care data are continuously being developed and improved. We are working in one of the most important frontiers of AI/ML research and development
  • Partner with world-class experts on innovative solutions: Our team members are developing novel AI/ML solutions to business challenges. In some cases, this includes the opportunity to file patents and publish papers about the methods we develop. We also collaborate with AI/ML researchers at some of the world's top universities

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:
  • Build Machine Learning models, perform proof-of-concept, experiment, optimize, and deploy your models into production; work closely with software engineers to assist in productionizing the ML models
  • Perform hands-on analysis and modeling of healthcare data sets to develop insights that increase business value
  • Run A/B experiments, gather data, and perform statistical analysis
  • Establish scalable, efficient, automated processes for large-scale data analysis, machine-learning model development, model validation and serving
  • Research and implement innovative machine learning approaches
  • Mentor and help recruit AI/ML scientists and machine learning engineers to the team
  • Present findings and insights to senior leadership and at internal venues
  • Be the thought leader in cutting-edge AI research and proactively pursue IP submissions

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:
  • PhD in AI, computer science, data science, applied math or related technical fields
  • 10+ years of industry/academic experience in machine learning or a related field
  • 5+ years of building models for business application experience
  • 5+ years of Python programming skills and experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
  • Advanced understanding of Deep Learning with applications in Speech Processing, NLP and multimodal modeling

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experienced mathematical background, especially in optimization theory, stochastic algorithms, and/or numerical methods
  • Experience with state-of-the-art algorithms and topologies including, but not limited to: VAR, GNNs, GANs, Transformers, deep and wide, SSMs, LLMs among others
  • Proven in-depth knowledge in Generative AI technology and Large Language Models (LLM)

#OptumTechPJ
*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 $154,900 - $193,600 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.

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