Data Engineer

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 diversity and inclusion, 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. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. 

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Data Engineer to design, build, and optimize scalable data and AI platforms on Azure. This role will focus on enabling enterprise data pipelines, real-time processing, and AI/ML model integration using Databricks and modern cloud technologies.

You will enjoy the flexibility to telecommute* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Design and develop scalable data pipelines using Databricks, Apache Spark, and Python on Azure
• Build cloud-native solutions leveraging Azure Data Lake, Azure Data Factory, and Delta Lake
• Collaborate with Data Science and AI teams to operationalize ML models and embed them into production workflows
• Develop and maintain feature stores, model input pipelines, and real-time/streaming frameworks
• Ensure data quality, governance, and security across the full data lifecycle
• Build reusable frameworks, accelerators, and automation scripts to improve engineering efficiency
• Optimize performance, scalability, and reliability of data workflows and batch/streaming pipelines
• Participate in Agile development processes, including sprint planning, code reviews, and CI/CD pipelines
• Provide production support and on-call coverage, ensuring system stability and rapid issue resolution
• Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with emphasis on responsible use of AI

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear directions 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 in Computer Science, Engineering, or IT related field
• 6+ years of experience in Data Engineering with Python/PySpark
• 6+ years of experience in building ETL/ELT pipelines using Databricks
• 6+ years of experience working in Agile environments
• 5+ years of strong experience in SQL / PL-SQL
• 4+ years of experience with Azure Databricks and Delta Lake architecture
• 4+ years of hands-on experience with CI/CD (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps)
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with Azure cloud services (ADF, ADLS, Databricks)
• 2+ years of experience with Databricks Delta Live Tables (DLT)
• 2+ years of experience with unit testing, validation, and pipeline testing frameworks

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with medallion architecture and SCD2 implementations
• AI builder: Design, develop, and deploy AI-powered solutions to address complex business challenges with emphasis on responsible use of AI 
• Experience building enterprise-scale data platforms
• Strong skills in performance tuning and debugging large-scale pipelines
• Experience with real-time/streaming frameworks (Structured Streaming)
• Ability to work in distributed, cross-functional global teams
• Exposure to GenAI tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot) for engineering productivity
• Strong understanding of secure coding practices and vulnerability remediation