Manager AI/ML Engineering at Optum in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IN

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 looking for an experienced Engineering Manager - AI/ML to lead the delivery of AI-powered solutions across enterprise and customer-facing platforms. This role is primarily focused on execution, Agile delivery, engineering excellence, and AI adoption, while also mentoring a high-performing engineering team.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Delivery & Execution
  • Own end-to-end delivery of Conversational AI Platforms(Voice/Chat)
  • Drive Agile execution through planning, prioritization, dependency, and risk management
  • Ensure predictable delivery, quality outcomes, and operational excellence
• Technical Leadership
  • Lead the design and implementation of AI-powered chatbot and voice bot solutions
  • Drive adoption of cloud-native architectures, CI/CD, Terraform, and Shift-Left practices
  • Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, and compliant with enterprise standards
• AI Adoption & Innovation
  • Accelerate the adoption of AI across products and business processes
  • Drive solutions leveraging Conversational AI, Generative AI, and intelligent automation
  • Promote Responsible AI and AI Development Lifecycle (AIDLC) practices
• Stakeholder Management
  • Partner with Product, Architecture, Security, and Business teams to deliver outcomes
  • Manage priorities, dependencies, risks, and executive communications
  • Align technology execution with business objectives and customer needs
• People Leadership
  • Mentor and develop engineers and technical leads
  • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
  • Support hiring, performance management, and talent development
• 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, Engineering, or a related field

• Experience

  • 9 years of software engineering experience with 2 years in technical or people leadership roles
  • Proven track record of delivering complex enterprise applications and programs

• Conversational AI

  • Hands-on experience with Amazon Lex, Google Dialogflow, and Google ADK
  • Experience building Chatbots, Voice Bots, and Virtual Assistants
  • Experience integrating AI solutions with CCaaS Platforms

• Engineering & DevOps

  • Proficiency in Python, Node.js, or TypeScript
  • Experience with CI/CD pipelines, Terraform, and cloud-native architectures
  • Solid understanding of DevOps, DevSecOps, and Shift-Left engineering practices

• AI & Platforms

  • Experience implementing AI solutions in enterprise environments
  • Understanding of AIDLC and Responsible AI principles
  • Familiarity with LLMs, RAG, and Agentic AI frameworks

• Leadership & Delivery

  • Solid Agile delivery experience using Scrum, Kanban etc.,
  • Proven excellent stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills
  • Ability to balance delivery commitments, innovation, and technical excellence

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certifications in AI/ML, Cloud, Agile, Scrum, or DevOps
• Experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud AI services
• Experience with Genesys, NICE, Amazon Connect, Five9, or similar CCaaS platforms

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.

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