Release Engineer

Job Title: Release Engineer (Git & Branching Strategy)Location: Boston, MA (Onsite)Employment Type: ContractRole OverviewThe Release Engineer will own and continuously improve build, versioning, and release processes across environments. This role collaborates closely with Development, QA, Security, and Operations teams to ensure reliable and repeatable releases.A key focus is defining and enforcing Git branching strategies, pull request governance, and release management practices that enable rapid delivery without compromising quality.Key ResponsibilitiesDefine, document, and drive adoption of Git branching strategies (Trunk-Based, GitFlow, short-lived branches).Establish pull request (PR) and merge policies including:Required reviewersCODEOWNERSCommit standardsMerge/rebase practicesDesign and manage release and hotfix workflows (release/, hotfix/).Own versioning strategy including:Semantic versioningTagging conventionsRelease notes and traceabilityBuild and maintain CI/CD pipelines for:Build, test, security scans, packaging, deploymentIntegrate quality gates (testing, linting, SAST/SCA, coverage).Coordinate release readiness and approvals.Manage environment promotions (Dev → Test → Staging → Production).Troubleshoot pipeline and release issues; perform root cause analysis.Implement rollback strategies (blue/green, canary, feature flags).Ensure compliance with audit and change management processes.Provide guidance and coaching on Git workflows and release best practices.Git & Branching Strategy ExpectationsRecommend and implement an appropriate branching model based on release cadence.Configure branch protections (review requirements, status checks, restricted pushes).Define hotfix and release workflows to prevent code drift.Standardize merge strategies (merge, squash, rebase).Ensure full traceability from commit → build → deployment.Required QualificationsStrong hands-on experience with Git:Branching, merging, rebasing, conflict resolution, taggingExperience with CI/CD tools such as:GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Azure DevOpsExperience with build and packaging tools (Maven, Gradle, npm, Docker, etc.).Knowledge of artifact repositories (Artifactory, Nexus, GitHub Packages).Scripting skills (Bash, PowerShell, or Python).Solid understanding of SDLC and release management.Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.Excellent communication and cross-team coordination skills.Preferred QualificationsExperience with DevSecOps practices (SAST, DAST, SCA, SBOM, signing).Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation).Experience with containers and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).Familiarity with GitOps tools (Argo CD, Flux).Knowledge of progressive delivery strategies (blue/green, canary).Experience with observability tools (Grafana, Prometheus, Splunk, ELK).Familiarity with ITIL or ServiceNow change management processes.Experience & EducationExperience: 3–8+ years in Release Engineering, DevOps, or Build EngineeringEducation: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experienceTypical Tools & TechnologiesVersion Control: GitHub, GitLab, BitbucketCI/CD: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Azure DevOpsArtifacts: Artifactory, Nexus, GitHub PackagesWork Tracking: Jira, Azure BoardsInfrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, TerraformSecurity & Quality: SonarQube, Snyk, Dependabot, CodeQLObservability: Grafana, Prometheus, Splunk, ELK