Job Title
Core Scrum Master
Location
VA US (Primary)
Category
Engineering, General Laborer
Job Type
Full-Time
Compensation Minimum (USD)
$80,000
Compensation Maximum (USD)
$111,000
Education
Bachelor's Degree
Minimum Citizenship Status Required
U.S Citizen or Permanent Resident
Security Clearance Required
None
Job Description
About STC
STC is a science, sensors, and systems company founded in 1979. We continually expand our Earth and Space Sciences support capabilities to NASA, NOAA, DoD, and other Federal and State agencies. Our staff support many of the operational missions that monitor the heartbeat of our planet through a growing number of Earth Observing System of Systems platforms and direct field research. We also research and investigate leading-edge observing technologies and assist in their integration into operations.
STC offers competitive benefits to include health, dental, vision, FSA, life, disability, 401K (matching), tuition reimbursement, bonincentive programs, and various other plans.
Overview
The EOSDIS Evolution and Development (EED) program supports NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) in enabling global, open access to critical Earth observation data. As part of its growing EED support team, STC is seeking a Scrum Master to support the Consolidated Cumulus Core team.
The Consolidated Cumulus Core Scrum Master is a servant-leader responsible for promoting and supporting Scaled Agile (SAFe) principles within the technical core of the program. This role ensures the team works effectively by removing blockers, facilitating key Agile ceremonies - including Scrum of Scrums (SoS), PI Planning, and team meetings - and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The Scrum Master acts as a bridge between technical execution and the strategic flow managed by the Release Train Engineer (RTE). Note: Two (2) Scrum Master positions are available on the Core team.
Primary Responsibilities
- Facilitate core Scrum ceremonies - including Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Planning, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives - ensuring they are productive and appropriately time-boxed.
- Guide the team toward consistent, measurable improvement each sprint cycle.
- Support the Product Owner in managing team capacity and protecting the team from unplanned external interruptions.
- Identify and remediate bottlenecks to ensure work moves through development and operations without stalling.
- Identify, mitigate, and escalate high-level blockers to the Release Train Engineer (RTE) to maintain optimal flow.
- Help the team manage complex dependencies, particularly those involving infrastructure and core software updates.
- Coach team members on Lean-Agile principles and practices, with a focus on development and operations synchronization.
- Support the Product Owner in maintaining a healthy, prioritized backlog.
- Promote standardized processes, tools, and communication channels across the team.
- Track and report on Key Performance Metrics - such as velocity, cycle time, defect rates, and predictability - to support leadership decision-making.
- Provide a data-driven view of team health and progress against strategic goals to the Operations Manager and Release Train Engineer.
Job Requirements
- Deep understanding of Scrum, Kanban, and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) principles
- Demonstrated ability to lead without formal authority, with a focus on team empowerment and conflict resolution
- Technical literacy sufficient to understand and discuss complex concepts related to AWS infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and system architecture
- Proficiency with Agile management tools (e.g., Jira) for tracking velocity, cycle time, and team metrics
- Strong facilitation skills for leading PI Planning events, Scrum of Scrums, and other major synchronization meetings
Desired Skills and Experience
- Proven experience leading technical teams (Dev, Infra, Test, DevOps/CICD) within a complex systems environment
- Experience synthesizing requirements from architects and systems engineers into actionable task backlogs
- Demonstrated experience with operational security reporting and SLA compliance
- Expert understanding of SDLC and production deployment workflows
We are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers, committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under state or local law.
