Principal Data Scientist - Remote

Job ID: 102478377440Posted: 2026-10-26Location: San Diego, California, United StatesSalary: $112,700 - $193,200/yearJob Area: Business & Data AnalyticsCompany: UnitedHealth GroupOptum 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 in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.As a Principal Data Scientist, you will lead the design and execution of advanced analytics, predictive modeling, and machine learning solutions to solve complex challenges. You will collaborate closely with product leaders, business partners, and engineering teams to transform vast datasets into actionable intelligence. This role offers the opportunity to drive innovative data strategies and establish best practices that shape the future of healthcare data science.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:Lead the design, development, and deployment of end-to-end data science and machine learning models to solve strategic business problemsPartner with business stakeholders and technical leadership to translate business priorities into data science roadmaps and quantitative solutionsExtract, clean, and analyze complex multi-dimensional healthcare datasets to deliver actionable insights and predictive capabilitiesEstablish technical standards, best practices, and repeatable frameworks for statistical modeling, machine learning, and data analyticsEvaluate emerging technologies, algorithms, and methodologies to continuously enhance solution efficiency and performanceProvide technical mentorship and guidance to data science team members, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learningYou'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:8+ years of professional experience developing data science, machine learning, and advanced statistical models5+ years of experience programming in Python, R, or Scala for analytical solution development4+ years of experience writing complex SQL queries and extracting data from relational or enterprise databases3+ years of experience deploying machine learning models into production environments (MLOps)Demonstrated experience communicating technical concepts and analytical findings to non-technical stakeholders and business leadersPreferred Qualifications:Master's or Ph.D. degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative fieldExperience working with healthcare datasets (e.g., medical claims, electronic health records, clinical data)Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and enterprise big data frameworks (e.g., Spark, Databricks)Deep learning framework experience (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch)*All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter PolicyPay 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.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 help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are 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 and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.