About The Company

Optum is a leading global organization dedicated to transforming healthcare through innovative technology solutions. Committed to enhancing health outcomes, Optum leverages data, analytics, and digital tools to connect millions of individuals with the care, pharmacy benefits, and resources they need to live healthier lives. The company fosters a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and continuous development, offering talented peers, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth. By working at Optum, employees have the chance to make a meaningful impact on communities worldwide and contribute to advancing health optimization on a global scale.

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Backend Tech Lead Software Engineer to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will be responsible for guiding the design, development, and evolution of our backend platforms. As a Tech Lead, you will provide technical leadership across a product-driven delivery team, owning the backend technical direction while remaining actively involved in hands-on implementation. You will collaborate closely with product managers, engineering leaders, and other technical leads to shape our technical strategy, oversee the execution of complex initiatives, and ensure the delivery of scalable, reliable, and high-quality software solutions.

This position offers the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the United States, allowing you to tackle challenging projects while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Your role will be pivotal in setting engineering standards, mentoring engineers, and driving the continuous improvement of our microservices ecosystem within an agile Scrum environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or equivalent practical experience
• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience with deep expertise in Java and Spring Boot
• 6+ years of experience with event-driven and API-based microservice architectures
• 5+ years of experience working with relational databases such as Postgres or MySQL
• 4+ years of experience leading technical design and influencing engineering decisions across teams or domains
• 4+ years of experience working within Agile development frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, or similar)
• 4+ years of experience collaborating across distributed and cross-functional teams
  
  

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for the backend delivery team, ensuring product stories are well-designed, estimable, and meet acceptance criteria
• Serve as a hands-on technical lead while remaining a primary individual contributor, guiding the team through implementation and best practices
• Design, develop, and maintain Java-based Spring Boot microservices, ensuring high-quality, well-tested code that meets both functional and non-functional requirements
• Review code and improve quality by providing constructive feedback, enforcing engineering best practices, and mentoring team members
• Translate business requirements into technical designs, communicating trade-offs and providing accurate effort estimates
• Participate actively in Agile ceremonies such as standups, planning, refinement, and retrospectives to enhance team performance
• Support and improve CI/CD pipelines, DevOps automation, and deployment processes to optimize the software development lifecycle
• Utilize observability tools like Splunk or Sumo Logic for debugging, monitoring, and troubleshooting microservice health and performance
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration and delivery of solutions
  
  

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Competitive salary package with annual ranges from $112,700 to $193,200, based on experience and qualifications
• Incentive and recognition programs
• Equity stock purchase options
• Retirement plans including 401(k) contributions
• Flexible remote working arrangements within the U.S.
• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement
• Supportive and inclusive work environment
  
  

Equal Opportunity

UnitedHealth Group and Optum are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We believe that a diverse workforce fosters innovation and reflects the communities we serve. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected status. We also maintain a drug-free workplace and require candidates to pass a drug test prior to employment.