Release Train Engineer

Job Description

This job is responsible for optimizing the flow of epics, features, and the value delivered by a smaller Agile Release Train, such as a Solution Train. Key responsibilities include coordinating and facilitating the Solution Train ceremonies, managing dependencies, providing visibility into the health of epic and feature delivery and the overall program increment, and promoting agile principles and mindsets through coaching.

Responsibilities

• Guides and coaches leaders, teams, and Scrum Masters in the Agile Release Train on Agile practices and develops their understanding of Agile principles
• Executes program increment session for release train and facilitates Agile release train ceremonies
• Provides status updates regarding Agile Release Train plans, delivery, timelines, and impediments to stakeholders and leadership while communicating within the Agile Release Train to support delivery against program commitments
• Manages risk including dependency management, impediment removal, and compliance with Enterprise Change Management and other policy requirements
• Makes measurements of Agile Release Train delivery, maturity, and performance and reviews the metrics with the Agile Release Train to identify improvement opportunities
• Collaborates with the product management team and ensures the program has a healthy product and program backlog
• Defines norms and agreements for the Agile Release Train and enforces the agreements
• Facilitates PI Planning end-to-end: Business Context → Vision/Roadmap → Architecture Vision/Practices → Planning Context → Team Breakouts → Draft/Final Plan Review → ROAM Risks → Confidence Vote → Planning Retro
• Drives presenter readiness, timeboxing, parking lot capture, and decision visibility; keeps the event collaborative and energized
• For distributed PI planning: designs agenda to support time zones, defines breakout SPOCs, enforces working agreements, and ensures all outcomes are digitally captured and visible
• Facilitates train-level routines as needed (Scrum of Scrums, PO Sync, PDT Sync, System Demo, Inspect Adapt/Retro)
• Tracks and radiates PI health: PI Objectives completion (Committed vs Completed), Business Value delivered, cycle time, velocity trend (if applicable), defect density, dependency management, and risk posture

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience as a Release Train Engineer
• Primary focus: predictable, sustainable delivery of Technology Products via strong PI readiness, dependency/risk management, and high-signal reporting
• Continuous, sustainable delivery of business value to users through stable cadence and predictable execution
• PI Planning produces clear PI Objectives, visible dependencies, and ROAM’d risks with ownership that persists through the PI
• PI execution maintains transparency using train-level metrics (objectives completion, business value delivered, cycle time, quality signals, risk/dependency posture)
• Publish and maintain the annual PI + iteration calendar; schedule PI cadence logistics well in advance (≥ 1 month)
• Ensure Program Kanban exists and is ready to support planning and visibility
• Ensure Deliverables/Epics exist in Jira/Jira Align; ensure upcoming epics meet Definition of Ready (DoR) and Business Value is assigned where required
• Ensure DoR and Definition of Done (DoD) exist for Epics; prevent unprioritized/not-ready epics from entering the PI
• Coordinate readiness across PM, POs, SMs, Architects, Tech Management, Release Mgmt; confirm Business Owner/executive participation
• Facilitate PI Planning end-to-end: Business Context → Vision/Roadmap → Architecture Vision/Practices → Planning Context → Team Breakouts → Draft/Final Plan Review → ROAM Risks → Confidence Vote → Planning Retro
• Drive presenter readiness, timeboxing, parking lot capture, and decision visibility; keep the event collaborative and energized
• For distributed PI planning: design agenda to support time zones, define breakout SPOCs, enforce working agreements, and ensure all outcomes are digitally captured and visible
• Facilitate train-level routines as needed (Scrum of Scrums, PO Sync, PDT Sync, System Demo, Inspect Adapt/Retro)
• Track and radiate PI health: PI Objectives completion (Committed vs Completed), Business Value delivered, cycle time, velocity trend (if applicable), defect density, dependency management, and risk posture

Desired Qualifications

• 1+ years of AI experience preferably utilizing CoPilot
• Expert facilitation of PI Planning and train-level routines; strong timeboxing, neutrality, and decisioning
• Strong tool fluency (Jira/Jira Align/program boards/dashboards) and data quality discipline for transparency you can trust
• Proven ability to run an evidence-based operating rhythm using metrics and dashboards to drive outcomes and improvement actions
• Deep competency in dependency and risk management (including ROAM) and proactive impediment removal at scale
• Strong coaching across SM/PO/PM/Architect partners to improve planning discipline and execution flow
• Comfort operating in governed environments (controls/compliance/change controls) without slowing flow unnecessarily
• Experience facilitating distributed PI Planning (time zones, breakout SPOCs, working agreements)
• Distributed/hybrid facilitation expert: designs PI Planning and train routines for time zones and hybrid participation (clear working agreements, breakout SPOCs, digital capture of decisions), keeping engagement high and outcomes crisp
• Governance-aware without Agile slowdown: integrates controls/compliance needs into the cadence (ready gates, evidence expectations, release readiness checkpoints) while preserving flow and transparency

Skills

• Agile Practices
• Collaboration
• Influence
• Solution Design
• Stakeholder Management
• Architecture
• Business Acumen
• DevOps Practices
• Solution Delivery Process
• Techical Strategy Development