Director, AI & Automation Engineering

Alignment Health is breaking the mold in conventional health care, committed to serving seniors and those who need it most: the chronically ill and frail. It takes an entire team of passionate and caring people, united in our mission to put the senior first. We have built a team of talented and experienced people who are passionate about transforming the lives of the seniors we serve. In this fast-growing company, you will find ample room for growth and innovation alongside the Alignment Health community. Working at Alignment Health provides an opportunity to do work that really matters, not only changing lives but saving them. Together. The Director, AI & Automation Engineering (remote) is a senior technology leader responsible for defining and executing the enterprise AI and automation strategy that powers our Medicare Advantage business. You will lead a multi-disciplinary team of AI/ML engineers, automation engineers, and related roles to design, deliver, and scale AI-powered systems and intelligent automation that improve care quality, member experience, and operational performance. Partnering closely with DTS leadership, Clinical Operations, Finance, Claims, and Product, you will identify the highest-value AI and automation opportunities, translate them into a cohesive roadmap, and ensure reliable, compliant delivery in a highly regulated environment. This role is pivotal in shaping how we apply cutting-edge AI and automation to reduce administrative burden, drive payment accuracy, and unlock zero wasted potential in how work gets done across the organization. Job Duties / Responsibilities   Set AI & automation strategy aligned to Medicare Advantage priorities.   Define and   maintain   a multi-year AI and automation roadmap that supports strategic goals in Stars, risk adjustment, payment accuracy, prior authorization, clinical quality, and member experience. Partner with C-suite and senior leaders to   identify   and prioritize high-ROI use cases where AI and intelligent automation create durable competitive   advantage .   Lead and develop a high-performing AI & Automation Engineering team.   Build, lead, and   retain   a diverse team of AI/ML engineers, automation engineers, and related roles, setting clear goals, expectations, and development plans. Foster a culture of talent density, accountability, and continuous learning — using data-driven performance management and succession planning to grow future technical leaders.   Drive enterprise-scale intelligent automation.   Lead the design and implementation of enterprise-grade automation solutions — including RPA, workflow orchestration, and process intelligence — across functions such as Claims, UM, Provider Operations, and Member Services. Establish standards and governance for automation development, documentation, and change management to ensure scalability and maintainability.   Establish platforms, tooling, and engineering best practices.   Own the   selection   and adoption of AI/ML platforms, cloud services (AWS/Azure/GCP), and automation tools (e.g., UiPath, Power Automate), ensuring they integrate with DTS data platforms and security controls. Define and enforce engineering best practices — CI/CD,   MLOps , testing, observability, and documentation — that raise the bar for reliability and time-to-value across all AI and automation initiatives.   Partner cross-functionally to deliver measurable business impact.   Collaborate with Product, Data Engineering, Clinical Operations, Finance, Compliance, and Security to translate business requirements into technical solutions and track realized value (e.g., cycle time reduction, accuracy improvement, cost-to-serve). Regularly communicate AI and automation strategy, progress, and ROI to senior executives and governance bodies.   Embed responsible AI and regulatory compliance.   Work with Legal, Compliance, and Privacy to ensure all AI and automation solutions meet CMS, HIPAA, and internal governance standards. Implement frameworks for bias detection, model explainability, auditability, and change control, recognizing that AI outputs directly influence member care decisions and financial outcomes.   Manage budget, vendors, and external partnerships.   Own the operating budget for AI & Automation Engineering, including cloud spend, third-party platforms, and external partners. Evaluate and manage vendor relationships to ensure investments reflect labor market realities and maximize ROI.   Supervisory Responsibilities   Supervisory Requirements: Fulfill supervisory responsibilities in accordance with organization policies and applicable laws.   Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.   Job Requirements   Experience   Required:   8–12 years of progressive experience in software engineering, data science, or AI/ML roles, with at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership or director-level position   Proven   track record   of delivering production-grade AI/ML systems and large-scale automation solutions in a regulated or enterprise environment   Demonstrated experience leading and scaling multi-disciplinary engineering teams, including hiring, performance management, and career development   Deep   expertise   in machine learning, NLP, generative AI (LLMs, RAG pipelines),   agentic frameworks,   and intelligent process automation (RPA and orchestration)   Experience managing budgets, vendor relationships, and technology platform decisions at a department or function level   Preferred:   Experience in healthcare — specifically Medicare Advantage, managed care, or payer environments — with fluency in use cases such as risk adjustment, prior authorization, claims processing, Stars ratings, and revenue cycle management   Demonstrated knowledge of healthcar