Scrum Master II

The Jackson Laboratory; Portland (ME); On-site; USD 74,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

The Jackson Laboratory seeks a Scrum Master II in Maine to partner with Product Owners, refine backlogs, and drive agile maturity. You will coach multiple teams, manage dependencies, and promote data-driven delivery in a Scaled Agile environment.

Applicants should demonstrate strong facilitation, collaboration, and communication skills, with 3+ years’ experience and relevant certifications preferred.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of Scrum framework and Agile methodologies.
• Experience with scaled Agile frameworks (SAFe) in complex environments.
• Proficiency with backlog management tools and agile metrics.
• Ability to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences.
• Proven cross-team collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Responsibilities

• Guide teams in mature Scrum practices and scaled environments.
• Facilitate deeper adoption of Agile principles and continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective use of Scrum artifacts (Definition of Done, Sprint Goals).
• Provide guidance in scaled Agile frameworks for large programs.
• Coach Product Owners on backlog refinement and prioritization.
• Balance priorities and dependencies across multiple teams.
• Support team health checks and retrospectives with tangible outcomes.
• Share metrics with stakeholders while protecting teams from data misuse.
• Mentor junior Scrum Masters and help elevate agile maturity.

Skills

Scrum Mastery

Agile frameworks

Facilitation

Cross-team coordination

Mentoring

Data-driven decisions

Stakeholder communication

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS or related field

Master’s degree preferred

PMI-PMP / CSM certification a plus

Tools

Azure DevOps

Jira

Rally

Job description

Scrum Master II

As the Scrum Master II you work closely with Product Owners to refine and prioritize backlogs, drive continuous improvement through delivery metrics, and coach teams to higher levels of agile maturity. This role also contributes to cross-team coordination, dependency management, and mentoring junior Scrum Masters. Ideal candidates bring strong facilitation skills, a collaborative mindset (servant leader), communication, and experience working in Agile environment or a Scaled Agile Framework.

Key Responsibilities (What you contribute)

• Guide teams in mature Scrum practices and scaled environments.
• Facilitate deeper adoption of Agile principles, moving beyond basic Ceremonies to foster continuous improvement and agile thinking.
• Ensure teams are using Scrum artifacts (e.g., Definition of Done, Sprint Goals) effectively and consistently.
• Provide guidance in scaled Agile frameworks when working with larger programs or cross-functional teams.
• Support multiple Scrum teams or a highly complex team.
• Manage the unique needs of two or more Scrum teams simultaneously, ensuring each receives adequate coaching and facilitation.
• For complex teams (e.g., those with integrated tech stacks or multiple external dependencies), work closely with Product Owner to balance priorities, manage complexity, and ensure delivery.
• Coach Product Owners an scrum team on effective backlog refinement and prioritization.
• Partner with Product Owners to ensure backlogs are well-groomed, actionable, and aligned with strategic goals.
• Coach the team on breaking down epics and user stories, maintaining INVEST criteria (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable).
• Promote techniques like MoSCoW to prioritize high-value work.
• Foster team self-organization and proactive impediment resolution.
• Empower teams to take ownership of their work, plan effectively, and make data-driven decisions.
• Encourage the team to identify and solve blockers early, stepping in when escalations or broader support is required.
• Facilitate team health checks and retrospectives that lead to tangible, iterative improvements.
• Analyze and use delivery metrics to improve team performance.
• Track capacity, cycle time, and sprint predictability to identify trends and improvement areas.
• Use data to help teams plan better, adjust WIP (Work in Progress) limits, and improve delivery confidence.
• Share metrics transparently with Product Owner/Product Manager while protecting the team from misuse of data.
• Mentor junior Scrum Masters and help elevate team agile maturity.
• Share best practices, facilitate Agile workshops, or lead Communities of Practice (CoP).
• Drive efforts to increase organizational agility, including cross-training, job shadowing, or agile maturity assessments.
• Collaborate on dependency management and cross-team coordination.
• Identify and manage cross-team dependencies early, facilitating alignment through Scrum of Scrums or PI Planning (in SAFe).
• Work with Release Train Engineers (RTEs), Product Managers, or other roles to synchronize timelines, goals, and handoffs.
• Help teams adapt to shifting priorities by maintaining communication bridges across departments.
• Contribute to Agile Community of Practice Share learnings, tools, and techniques across the Scrum Master CoP.
• Participate in ongoing learning and certification opportunities to enhance skills.
• Support Organizational Agile Maturity Collaborate with leaders to improve Agile practices and support agile transformation goals.
• Model Agile leadership behaviors that inspire change and drive results.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (What you're good at)

• Strong understanding of the Scrum framework and Agile methodologies.
• Working knowledge of Agile scaling models and their application in complex environments.
• Proficiency in backlog management tools (e.g., Azure DevOps, Jira, Rally) and agile metrics/reporting dashboards.
• Familiarity with software delivery lifecycle (SDLC), ADO, and product management practices Strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills to identify blockers and facilitate conflict resolution across teams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with Product Owners, stakeholders, and other Scrum Masters to manage dependencies.
• Effectively support multiple Scrum teams or manage a single, complex team in a fast-paced environment.
• Understand product roadmaps and portfolio-level priorities, aligning team efforts to organizational objectives.
• PMI Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or similar Agile certification is a plus.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field required.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience required; 5 or more years of progressive experience preferred.

Pay Range: $74,772 - $125,184 #CA-EH8

About JAX

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and nearly 3,000 employees in locations across the United States (Maine, Connecticut, California), Japan and China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health. Founded in 1929, JAX applies over nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and provides critical data, tools and services to the global biomedical community.

For more information, please visit www.jax.org.

EEO Statement

The Jackson Laboratory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and other classifications protected by applicable state and local non-discrimination laws.

Bar Harbor

The Jackson Laboratory's 43-acre scenic Bar Harbor campus is nestled between the Gulf of Maine and the mountains of Acadia National Park. Some of the best hiking and biking in the world (over 50 square miles of mountains, lakes, views, and dramatic coastline) is accessible from our campus. We are one mile from downtown Bar Harbor, which offers a vibrant downtown district with a plethora of restaurants, shops, museums, and galleries.

Ellsworth

The Charles E. Hewett Center in Ellsworth, Maine, is a state-of-the-art facility that serves researchers world wide. The facility represents the culmination of nine decades of unmatched experience and leadership in breeding and caring for laboratory mice. Ellsworth, Maine, is one of Maine’s fastest growing cities. With a growth rate of nearly 20%, Ellsworth is a bustling year-round community and acts as a hub for surrounding towns. It is located nearby Acadia National Park and hosts numerous special events, concerts and festivals each year. Residents have access to fabulous shopping, recreation, museums, galleries, and dining at a variety of independent restaurants.

Farmington

JAX Genomic Medicine is transforming medicine by improving patient care, lowering costs, and increasing life span and health span. JAX Genomic Medicine’s research focuses on the complex genetic causes of disease and on the development of genomic solutions tailored to each person's unique genetic makeup. JAX Genomic Medicine sits on a 17-acre site on the campus of the University of Connecticut Health Center. The 183,500-square-foot facility opened in the fall of 2014. Now, it houses over 300 biomedical researchers, technicians, and support staff in state-of-the-art computing facilities and laboratories. In Connecticut, JAX resides in the scenic town of Farmington, in the state’s capitol region. The Hartford region, which offers some of the best public schools in the country, is made up of both bigger cities and smaller, charming historic New England towns. JAX Genomic Medicine is also geographically located within 2 hours of Boston and New York and is close to multiple transportation systems, including bus lines, highways, railroads and international airports.

Sacramento

The JAX Mice, Clinical and Research Services facility is located in Sacramento, the state capital of California. Sacramento is less than a two-hour drive from San Francisco, Napa Valley, and scenic Lake Tahoe, and a short flight to both Los Angeles and Orange County. Sacramento is the birthplace of the nation’s Farm to Fork movement, and offers excellent restaurants, gastro-pubs, wineries, theaters, and museums. Outdoor activities are plentiful: Boating, white water rafting, and riding the scenic bicycle trails are popular. Housing and other costs of living are more affordable in Sacramento and its surrounding suburbs than in most other neighboring areas in the North Bay, making Sacramento one of the hottest housing markets in the country year after year.

Augusta

JAX’s Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative (MCGI) is located in Augusta, Maine, in the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care (HACCC), at Maine General Hospital. It began operations in 2016 with three overarching goals: to provide cancer genomic testing for Maine cancer patients; to develop and deliver physician education about clinical genomic cancer diagnostics; and to build a network in Maine of oncology practices conducting studies in genomic medicine.