Associate Data Scientist

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.

Primary Responsibilities

Data Analysis & Insights

• Analyze structured and unstructured datasets to identify trends, patterns, and business opportunities
• Perform exploratory data analysis (EDA), feature engineering, data validation, and data quality assessments
• Translate complex analytical findings into meaningful insights and actionable recommendations for business stakeholders

Machine Learning & AI

• Build, evaluate, optimize, and monitor machine learning and statistical models under the guidance of senior team members
• Assist in developing predictive and prescriptive analytics solutions to improve business outcomes
• Support the deployment and maintenance of AI/ML solutions in production environments

Generative AI & Emerging Technologies

• Prototype and experiment with Generative AI and Large Language Model (LLM) use cases
• Work on prompt engineering, basic Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and AI-powered automation initiatives
• Understand Responsible AI principles, including model reliability, bias, and hallucination mitigation

Data Visualization & Reporting

• Develop dashboards, reports, and visualizations using modern BI tools
• Present data-driven insights through intuitive analytical storytelling and business narratives
• Support operational teams with KPI tracking and performance reporting

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with business teams to identify opportunities for data-driven decision-making and process optimization
• Collaborate with Data Engineers to ensure clean, reliable, and scalable datasets
• Participate in cross-functional discussions and contribute to analytical problem-solving initiatives

Documentation & Continuous Learning

• Document methodologies, experiments, code, and technical approaches
• Present findings and recommendations to internal teams and stakeholders
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in AI, Machine Learning, Generative AI, and Data Science
• Comply with all applicable Company policies, procedures, and business directives, changes including those relating to work location, team assignments, work schedules, and flexible work arrangements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related quantitative field
• 1+ years of experience in Data Science, Analytics, Machine Learning, or related roles
• Experience performing EDA, data preprocessing, and feature engineering
• Good understanding of statistics, machine learning algorithms, and data modeling techniques
• Familiarity with data visualization and dashboarding tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar platforms
• Proficiency in SQL for data extraction, manipulation, and analysis
• Proven solid programming skills in Python
• Proven solid analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Proven excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with machine learning libraries such as Scikit-learn, Pandas, NumPy, and XGBoost

Knowledge of Databricks, Snowflake, or modern data platforms

Familiarity with cloud platforms such as Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform

Understanding of CI/CD, MLOps, and model deployment concepts

Proven exposure to Generative AI, LLMs, Prompt Engineering, and basic RAG frameworks

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.