Latest Hiring:
UnitedHealth Group is hiring an Associate Software Engineer for its technology organization in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The position is associated with Optum Serve and focuses on modernizing enterprise technology systems used to support U.S. federal healthcare programs.
The role involves software design, coding, testing, debugging, requirements development, AI-assisted software development, cloud technologies, databases, application deployment, and modern DevOps practices. UnitedHealth Group lists the position under Technology, with requisition number 2389186.
UnitedHealth Group Associate Software Engineer Jobs 2026 – Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Company | UnitedHealth Group / Optum |
| Job Title | Associate Software Engineer |
| Requisition Number | 2389186 |
| Location | La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA |
| Employment Type | Full-Time |
| Job Category | Technology / Software Engineering |
| Work Arrangement | Remote/Telecommute according to the official posting |
| Experience Level | Associate / Entry Level |
| Minimum Experience | 6 months in required areas |
| Education | High School Diploma required; Bachelor’s preferred |
| Salary | $60,200 – $107,400 per year |
| Travel | No |
| Application Mode | Online |
The official UnitedHealth Group posting states that the position allows employees to telecommute from anywhere within the U.S. The LinkedIn/Dice presentation may display the La Crosse location differently, so candidates should follow the current employer posting for the applicable work arrangement.
About the Associate Software Engineer Job
This Associate Software Engineer position is part of Optum Serve, which supports federal agencies and healthcare initiatives. UnitedHealth Group says its technology organization has initiated a multi-year modernization program to update and enhance enterprise technology systems using modern design standards.
The selected candidate will work on software applications and components while collaborating closely with Business Analysts to understand and develop project requirements.
This role is particularly relevant for early-career software engineers who have experience with an object-oriented programming language and have already used AI tools during the software development lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities
The Associate Software Engineer will be responsible for:
- Designing software applications and components.
- Writing and maintaining application code.
- Testing software applications.
- Debugging software and resolving technical issues.
- Ensuring applications meet technical specifications.
- Implementing solutions according to business requirements.
- Working on assigned development work items.
- Collaborating with Business Analysts.
- Helping develop and refine application requirements.
- Supporting enterprise technology modernization.
- Following modern software development practices.
- Contributing to software quality and efficiency.
- Supporting application deployment and maintenance activities.
AI Skills Required
One of the distinctive requirements for this position is experience using AI tools in the software development lifecycle.
UnitedHealth Group requires at least 6 months of experience leveraging AI tools to improve software development quality and efficiency.
This may include using AI-assisted development tools for activities such as:
- Code generation
- Code improvement
- Debugging assistance
- Test generation
- Documentation
- Development productivity
- Software quality improvement
Candidates should be able to demonstrate practical use of AI tools rather than simply having general knowledge of artificial intelligence.
Programming Skills
Candidates must have at least 6 months of experience with an object-oriented programming language.
Preferred technologies include:
- .NET Core
- C# or similar object-oriented languages
- JavaScript
- Angular
- React
Experience with modern application development frameworks can be useful for building enterprise software applications.
Database Skills
Database experience is listed among the preferred qualifications.
Relevant technologies include:
- Microsoft SQL
- PostgreSQL
- Relational database management systems
- SQL-based application development
Candidates with experience designing queries, working with relational data, and integrating applications with databases can demonstrate relevant technical experience for this role.
Cloud and Azure Skills
Experience with cloud-native development is also preferred.
Candidates may have experience with:
- Microsoft Azure
- Cloud-native applications
- Cloud infrastructure
- Automated provisioning
- Configuration management
- Application deployment
- Cloud services
UnitedHealth Group specifically lists experience building cloud-native applications in Azure or a similar cloud service provider as a preferred qualification.
Kubernetes and Containerization
The position also includes modern application deployment technologies.
Preferred experience includes:
- Application containerization
- Deployment across environments
- Container orchestration
- Kubernetes
- Troubleshooting applications running in Kubernetes
Candidates do not necessarily need advanced Kubernetes expertise, as the posting describes Kubernetes troubleshooting as a basic understanding.
CI/CD and Test Automation
Experience with modern software delivery practices is preferred.
Relevant skills include:
- Continuous Integration
- Continuous Delivery
- Automated testing
- Software deployment
- Build automation
- Application testing
- Development pipelines
These skills can help engineers contribute to reliable and repeatable software delivery processes.
Networking and Security Skills
The job description also mentions foundational knowledge in networking and security.
Preferred knowledge includes:
- Networking fundamentals
- Internet protocols
- Encryption
- Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
- OWASP
- Application security
Understanding these areas can help developers build and troubleshoot secure enterprise applications.
Educational Qualification
The minimum educational requirement listed by UnitedHealth Group is:
High School Diploma
A bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas is preferred:
- Computer Science
- Information Technology
- Computer Engineering
- Related technical field
This means a four-year degree is preferred rather than the minimum stated education requirement in the official posting.
Experience Required
The official posting specifies:
- 6 months of experience using AI tools in the software development lifecycle
- 6 months of experience with at least one object-oriented programming language
In addition, candidates must be U.S. citizens and must be able to obtain and maintain a suitability determination or eligibility for a Confidential, Secret, or Top Secret security clearance.
These security-related requirements are particularly important because the position supports Optum Serve and federal agencies.
Work Location and Work Mode
Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
The official UnitedHealth Group job posting states that employees in this position can telecommute from anywhere within the United States, subject to the company’s telecommuter policy.
Therefore, while the job is associated with La Crosse, the employer’s current posting describes the position as a U.S.-based telecommute/remote opportunity.
Salary
UnitedHealth Group lists the salary for this full-time position as:
$60,200 – $107,400 per year
The company states that compensation is based on several factors, including:
- Local labor market
- Education
- Work experience
- Certifications
- Other applicable factors
The salary range shown in the uploaded Dice listing matches the compensation range provided by UnitedHealth Group’s official job posting.
Benefits
UnitedHealth Group states that eligible employees may receive a comprehensive benefits package and additional incentive programs.
The company highlights benefits and support across areas including:
- Health and medical coverage
- Emotional well-being resources
- Physical wellness support
- Financial benefits
- Retirement planning
- 401(k) contributions
- Equity stock purchase opportunities
- Incentive and recognition programs
- Career development opportunities
Specific benefits and eligibility requirements can vary by employment status and applicable plan rules.
Who Can Apply?
This position may be relevant to:
- Associate Software Engineers
- Junior Software Developers
- Entry-level Software Engineers
- Software Developers with object-oriented programming experience
- .NET developers
- C# developers
- JavaScript developers
- React developers
- Angular developers
- Developers with Azure experience
- Junior cloud developers
- Developers with AI-assisted coding experience
- Candidates with software testing and CI/CD experience
However, applicants must satisfy the employer’s citizenship and security-clearance requirements.
Important Skills for This Job
Candidates preparing for this position should focus on:
- Object-Oriented Programming
- AI-assisted software development
- .NET Core
- C#
- JavaScript
- Angular
- React
- SQL
- PostgreSQL
- Azure
- Cloud-native development
- Kubernetes
- Containerization
- CI/CD
- Test automation
- Cloud infrastructure
- Networking
- Encryption
- PKI
- OWASP
- Software debugging
- Technical communication
How to Apply for UnitedHealth Group Associate Software Engineer Jobs 2026
Interested candidates can apply through the official UnitedHealth Group careers portal.
Company: UnitedHealth Group / Optum
Job Title: Associate Software Engineer
Requisition Number: 2389186
Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Employment Type: Full-Time
Salary: $60,200 – $107,400 per year
Work Arrangement: U.S. Telecommute
Minimum Education: High School Diploma
Application: Online
APPLY ONLINE LINK : CLICK HERE
Application Deadline
UnitedHealth Group states that the posting will remain available for a minimum of two business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. The company may remove the posting earlier depending on application volume.
Candidates interested in the position should therefore check the official listing and apply while it remains available.
Conclusion
The UnitedHealth Group Associate Software Engineer position is an early-career software engineering opportunity supporting Optum Serve’s enterprise technology modernization program.
The role requires at least 6 months of experience with an object-oriented programming language and 6 months of experience using AI tools in the software development lifecycle. Preferred skills include .NET Core, SQL/PostgreSQL, Angular, React, Azure, Kubernetes, containerization, CI/CD, test automation, networking, encryption, PKI, and OWASP.
The position offers a listed salary of $60,200 to $107,400 per year and, according to the official employer posting, allows eligible employees to telecommute from anywhere within the U.S. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain and maintain the required security eligibility.