DoD Release Train Engineer - Remote (WFH)

Cognitive is seeking a Release Train Engineer to support new and existing contracts and programs, serving the Department of Defense Portfolio and clients. 

This position will coordinate multiple Agile teams, ensuring alignment with Agile and SAFe practices, remove impediments, manage risks, and drive continuous improvement. You will support teams in maximizing value delivery by fostering collaboration and ensuring the Agile Release Train (ART) stays on track with its goals. You will act as a key liaison between teams and stakeholders, helping navigate organizational challenges and maintain progress.

 Responsibilities Include:

• Manage and optimize the flow of value through the ART using various tools, such as the Program and Solution Kanbans and other information radiators
• Establish and communicate the calendars for Product Line (PL) Iterations and Program Increments (PIs)
• Facilitate PI Planning readiness by fostering a Continuous Exploration process which drives the synthesis of a Vision, a Roadmap, and Backlogs, and through Pre- and Post-PI Planning events
• Facilitate the PI planning event
• Summarize Team PI Objectives into Program PI Objectives and publish them for visibility and transparency
• Assist tracking the execution of features and capabilities
• Assist with economic decision-making by facilitating feature and capability estimation by teams and the roll-up to Epics; where necessary Coach leaders, teams, and Scrum Masters in Lean-Agile practices and mindsets
• Help manage risks and dependencies
• Escalate and track impediments
• Provide input on staffing and resourcing to address critical bottlenecks
• Encourage collaboration between teams and System and Solution Architects/Engineers
• Work with Product Line Management, Product Owners/PMs, and other stakeholders to help ensure strategy and execution alignment
• Improve the flow of value through value streams by improving and assessing the practices associated with DevSecOps and Release-on-Demand in the Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) Pipeline
• Help drive the Lean User Experience (UX) innovation cycle; Work with and support the UX Lead
• Facilitate System Demos and Solution Demos
• Drive relentless improvement via Inspect and Adapt working sessions; assess the agility level of the ART and Solution Train and help them improve

 Required Skills:

• Agile, Kanban, Scrum, and SAFe
• Project and Program Management
• Demonstrated RTE experience in organizing, planning, and executing large-scale projects, including legacy, COTS/GOTS, and modernization
• Experience leading and coordinating multiple teams in a fast-paced, complex technology environment
• Ability to easily build new relationships and proactively establish a variety of contacts across the client’s and our own internal organization
• Ability to work in/with multi-disciplinary teams
• Broad range of program/project management and leadership skills required
• Proven ability to balance multiple, concurrent/parallel activities
• Strong knowledge and experience in software development in an Agile delivery environment

 Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelors and six (6) years or more of related experience, - OR –
• Masters and four (4) years or more experience
• RTE experience within value streams at the product/product line/program/portfolio levels

Desired Skills:

• A highly-motivated self-starter with a positive attitude and outstanding interpersonal skills
• A work ethic and technical knowledge that inspires others to aspire to, with the ability to self-manage workload and deliverables under tight deadlines across multiple product lines in a large portfolio
• Government contract delivery experience in an Agile delivery environment

 Required/Desired Certifications:

• Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification or equivalent – REQUIRED
• Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) certification or equivalent - DESIRED 
• SAFe Program Consultant (SPC4) certification or equivalent - DESIRED
• SAFe Certified Release Train Engineer certification or equivalent - DESIRED
• Project Management Institute – Agile Certified Professional or equivalent – DESIRED