Optum

Senior Data Scientist- Dublin, Letterkenny

Optum is a global organisation 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.

In healthcare, evolution doesn't just happen. It takes innovation, imagination, and a passion for solving problems in new and better ways. And innovation is taking place at a lightning-fast pace every day at Optum. As the fastest growing part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, we're expanding our team in Ireland and creating excellent opportunities for those who want greater purpose and more impact in their work. We'll provide the investment, support, and resources to advance your career. You'll provide the talent, ambition, and drive.

About the role:

We are seeking a Senior Data Scientist to join our team supporting Optum's Risk Adjustment and Quality business. In this role, you will collaborate with other data scientists to design and develop a cutting-edge Risk Engine. You will also lead the creation of advanced AI solutions that enhance risk adjustment capabilities, driving innovation and improving outcomes across our healthcare ecosystem.

This position reports directly to the Director of Data Science and will work closely with Product Management and Engineering teams to deliver scalable, high-performance solutions. You will play a key role in shaping the technical strategy, ensuring seamless integration into production systems, and contributing to the overall roadmap for risk adjustment innovation.

Primary Responsibilities of the Senior Data Scientist:

• Drive innovation by applying advanced data science techniques and prototyping AI/ML solutions and new products that significantly enhance risk adjustment and quality outcomes.
• Design, build, and maintain production-ready machine learning and deep learning models optimized for scalability and performance.
• Translate complex analytical concepts into clear, actionable insights for technical and non-technical stakeholders, influencing strategic decisions.
• Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams to deliver commercial-grade solutions and contribute to the overall technical roadmap.
• Stay current with emerging technologies in AI, big data analytics, and healthcare, applying best practices to drive business impact.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to team members while managing multiple priorities and cross-functional projects effectively.

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 of the Senior Data Scientist:

• Advanced degree in Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• Strong programming skills in Python, PySpark, SQL, and other relevant languages for data processing and analytics
• Proven expertise in traditional machine learning techniques and statistical modeling for real-world applications
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines and MLOps practices to deploy and maintain production-grade models

Preferred Qualifications of the Senior Data Scientist:

• Hands-on experience implementing/adapting published academic research into tangible solutions
• Experience working with healthcare datasets, including claims and clinical records
• Proficiency in AI/ML and deep learning frameworks such us PyTorch

Soft Skills of the Senior Data Scientist:

• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to clearly articulate a vision and simplify complex concepts for diverse audiences

Please note you must currently be eligible to work and remain indefinitely without any restrictions in the country to which you are making an application. Proof will be required to support your application.

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 marginalised 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.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: Optum is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, race, and membership of the Traveller community, or any other characteristic protected by law. Optum is a drug-free workplace. © 2023 Optum Services (Ireland) Limited. All rights reserved.

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