Principal Data Scientist - Remote - Remote Eligible

Caring. Connecting. Growing Together.

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 talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale.

This role is part of UnitedHealth Group's Responsible AI Program, sitting within the program's data science center of excellence. This position combines data science with healthcare innovation, AI ethics, and regulatory compliance, providing a unique opportunity to help shape the future of AI applications in healthcare. In this role, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine AI methodologies, develop and validate robust testing protocols to identify potential model failures. A successful candidate will interact with diverse teams using a wide variety of AI methods and validate test plans and results. They will design and oversee testing and monitoring plans for novel use cases across a wide spectrum of types of AI and healthcare applications. The role will participate in UHG's external industry groups involve with AI policy. The role requires ability to write clear documentation on use-case specific testing requirements. You will also engage with stakeholders to advocate for and drive the adoption of responsible AI practices, providing a unique opportunity to shape the future of ethical AI applications in healthcare.

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

Primary Responsibilities:

• Clearly communicate with diverse teams including legal, compliance, and AI development over a wide variety of AI methods including Generative AI and traditional ML
• Document findings, create reports, and present results to stakeholders
• Design, and develop job aids and guidance documentation for best practices of responsible AI
• Develop Python scripts to automate testing processes and analyze results
• Help identify vulnerabilities related to PII/PHI exposure in AI interactions
• Maintain test data sets and contribute to improving testing methodologies
• Stay abreast of the latest developments in AI/ML research and incorporate relevant findings into work
• Provide mentorship and guidance to colleagues, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement
• Assist in designing and executing Red Team testing scenarios for conversational AI systems

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 plus 5+ years of experience in computer science, applied mathematics, applied statistics, or related quantitative fields
• Proven deep understanding of AI ethics and fairness considerations
• Proven solid analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in the full machine learning lifecycle including development, deployment, and monitoring
• Extensive experience with advanced natural language processing models and clinical natural language processing, clinical de-identification, and clinical annotation

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated familiarity with healthcare systems including claims payment and call centers
• Ability to translate business needs into technical solutions
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including product managers and business stakeholders
• Proven knowledge of large language models, conversational AI, prompt engineering, and adversarial testing
• Awareness of regulatory frameworks relevant to AI in healthcare
• Basic understanding of information security principles

*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 $132,200 to $226,600 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.