Lead Data Scientist

About

The Enterprise AI organization at Humana is a leading innovator, pushing the boundaries of AI advancements within our Insurance and CenterWell business segments. By working alongside world-class experts, we are pioneering innovative AI technologies to enhance care quality and enrich the experiences of millions of consumers. We are looking for exceptional talent to create robust, reusable AI modules and pipelines, ensuring that best practices in accountable AI are followed for effective risk management and measurement. We are on the hunt for a Lead Data Scientist to spearhead the safety, alignment, and ethical development of Agentic AI systems. In this pivotal role, you will lead initiatives that ensure our intelligent agents operate reliably, safely, and in alignment with human values, particularly in dynamic, multi-agent, and high-stakes environments. This rewarding position bridges technical safety research, systems engineering, governance, and product implementation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement safety architectures for Agentic AI systems, including guardrails, reward modeling, and self-monitoring capabilities.
• Lead collaborations on alignment techniques such as inverse reinforcement learning, preference learning, interpretability tools, and human-in-the-loop evaluation.
• Develop strategies for continuous monitoring of agent behavior in both simulated and real-world settings.
• Work alongside product, legal, Responsible AI, governance, and deployment teams to ensure responsible scaling and deployment.
• Contribute to and publish groundbreaking research on alignment of LLM-based agents, multi-agent dynamics, or value learning.
• Proactively identify and mitigate potential failure modes, including goal misgeneralization, deceptive actions, and unintended instrumental behaviors.
• Establish safety milestones for autonomous capabilities as a part of readiness reviews for deployment.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in SQL, Python, and data analysis/data mining tools.
• Experience with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, JAX, ReAct, LangChain, LangGraph, or AutoGen.
• Expertise in high performance, large-scale machine learning systems.
• Experience in deploying or auditing LLM-based agents or multi-agent AI systems.
• Experience with large-scale ETL processes.

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree and 4+ years in research/ML engineering or an applied research scientist role, ideally focused on developing production-ready AI solutions.
• 2+ years of experience in leading AI/ML systems development.
• Deep expertise in AI alignment, multi-agent systems, or reinforcement learning.
• Proven ability to lead initiatives from research to production or establish technical governance frameworks.
• A strong record of publications or contributions in the fields of AI safety, interoperability, or algorithm ethics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Machine Learning, or a related field.
• Contributions to open-source AI safety tools or benchmarks.
• Understanding of value-sensitive design, constitutional AI, or multi-agent alignment.
• Experience in regulated domains such as healthcare, finance, or defense.

Additional Information

The position is fully remote.

Why choose Humana?

At Humana, we value your well-being. That's why we offer resources designed to enhance your happiness, health, and productivity. Here are some of the benefits you'll enjoy:

• Work-Life Balance
• Generous PTO package
• Health benefits effective day 1
• Annual Incentive Plan
• 401K with excellent company match
• Well-being program
• Paid Volunteer Time Off If you are passionate about helping people, we have the right opportunity for you at Humana.

Work from Home Guidelines

Associates working from home or in hybrid arrangements should ensure their home internet service meets the following standards:

• A minimum download speed of 25 Mbps and upload speed of 10 Mbps is recommended; a wired cable or DSL connection is preferred.
• Satellite, cellular, and microwave connections require prior approval from leadership.
• Associates residing and working from California, Illinois, Montana, or South Dakota will receive a bi-weekly payment for their internet expenses.
• Humana will provide telephone equipment tailored to meet the job requirements.
• Maintain a dedicated workspace free from interruptions to ensure member PHI/HIPAA information is protected. Travel: While this is a remote position, occasional travel to Humana's offices for training or meetings may be necessary. Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Compensation Range: The estimated starting base pay for this full-time position (40 hours per week) is $142,300 - $195,700 per year. Actual pay will vary based on geographical location and individual qualifications. This role is eligible for a bonus incentive plan based on company and individual performance. Benefits Description: Humana offers competitive benefits to support total well-being. Our benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, paid time off, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and more. Application Deadline: 04-29-2026

About Humana

Humana Inc. is a leading healthcare company providing services that help millions achieve their best health, aiding those with Medicare, Medicaid, families, individuals, military personnel, and communities. Learn more about Humana and CenterWell at their respective websites.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Humana is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.