Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara, CA

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 in making healthcare work better for everyone through people-led, responsible AI while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

As a Lead Software Engineer supporting the Optum Bank Group at Optum Technology, you will lead a distributed engineering team dedicated to developing, modernizing, and enhancing critical banking and financial technology systems that support our nationwide client base. In this 100% remote role (Central Time Zone preferred), you will drive architectural vision and hands-on implementation for high-volume, highly secure Java and Spring Boot microservices while evaluating and building intelligent AI solutions to optimize financial workflows, improve automation, and deliver superior client experiences. You will champion engineering best practices, lead code and architectural reviews, mentor talented engineers, and ensure the highest standards of financial system security, compliance, and platform resiliency.

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:

• Provide technical leadership and architectural direction across the software development lifecycle for enterprise Java and Spring Boot banking microservices
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with emphasis on responsible use of AI across banking platforms
• Evaluate emerging trends to inform solution design and strategic innovation in financial and banking technology
• Use enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous improvement across engineering teams
• Architect, build, and optimize scalable, highly secure, and resilient RESTful APIs and distributed financial service architectures
• Establish and uphold engineering standards, automated testing, design patterns, and robust CI/CD pipelines to ensure financial-grade reliability
• Lead architecture and code reviews, proactively identifying performance bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities, and opportunities to eliminate technical debt
• Partner with product managers, security teams, and business stakeholders across the Optum Bank Group to translate business needs into technical roadmaps and delivery plans
• Mentor, coach, and guide software engineers in a distributed, remote work environment to drive engineering excellence and continuous learning

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:

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience designing, building, and deploying enterprise-scale distributed systems
• 4+ years of hands-on experience developing backend microservices and APIs using Java and the Spring or Spring Boot framework
• 3+ years of experience designing and implementing secure, high-volume RESTful APIs or distributed service architectures
• 2+ years of experience working with relational or NoSQL database platforms (e.g., PostgreSQL, Oracle, MySQL, or MongoDB)
• 2+ years of experience with public cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform)
• 2+ years of experience in a technical lead capacity, conducting code reviews and mentoring engineering team members
• 2+ years of experience with automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and modern DevOps practices (e.g., Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Docker, or Kubernetes)
• 1+ years of experience designing, building, or integrating applications that leverage AI capabilities, machine learning models, or GenAI APIs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field, or 4+ years of software engineering experience in lieu of a degree
• Experience working with financial services, core banking systems, payment gateways, or healthcare financial accounts (e.g., HSA, FSA, HRA)
• Experience with banking data security standards, encryption, and financial compliance frameworks (e.g., PCI-DSS, SOC 2, NACHA)
• Experience integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) with enterprise microservices using frameworks such as Spring AI, LangChain, or vector search databases
• Experience with event-driven architectures and message streaming platforms (e.g., Apache Kafka, RabbitMQ, or AWS SQS/SNS)
• Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)

• 
  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 $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.