Scrum Master

Scrum Master – Data Science / AI Team *** W2 only ***URGENT ROLE

Location:
Chicago, IL (Hybrid, 2–3 days onsite per week)

Employment Type:
W2 Contract

Contract Length:
6 months - open to extension

Target Start:
December (ASAP, pending background check)

Pay Rate:
$55-60/hour W2

About the Role

We are supporting a highly critical Scrum Master opening for a major client. This person will coach and support Data Science & AI teams, lead Agile delivery, and guide iterative development of data pipelines, model experimentation, and deployment. Candidates must be
local to Chicago
and able to work hybrid onsite.

Key Requirements

• Scrum Master or Agile Coach
  with hands-on experience supporting
  Data Science and/or ML/AI teams
• Strong
  Jira
  experience (including remote implementation / Jira-based workflows)
• Deep understanding of
  iterative development
  of:
• Data pipelines
• Model training
• Experimentation
• Deployment processes
• Must be able to join within
  2 weeks
  or ASAP after background clears

Key Responsibilities

Agile Delivery Leadership

• Lead and facilitate all Scrum ceremonies: standups, sprint planning, backlog refinement, reviews, retrospectives
• Remove blockers and ensure smooth sprint execution
• Coach teams and stakeholders on Agile best practices
• Maintain transparency through Jira and other Agile tools
• Support sprint forecasting, velocity tracking, and story point estimation

Data Science & Engineering Collaboration

• Understand the full data science lifecycle from problem framing to model deployment
• Collaborate with Data Scientists, Data Engineers, and MLOps Engineers
• Facilitate cross-functional communication
• Support teams with technical debt management, experiment tracking, and model versioning
• Ensure documentation, reproducibility, and traceability of data/model assets

Stakeholder & Delivery Management

• Bridge communication between product owners, business stakeholders, and technical teams
• Drive clarity in requirements and sprint goals
• Manage cross-team dependencies
• Support delivery of high-quality analytics, ML models, and data products
• Assist Product Owner with backlog prioritization

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Certified Scrum Master (CSM, PSM I/II, or similar)
• 3–5+ years as a Scrum Master supporting cross-functional Agile teams
• Strong background managing analytics, ML, or data-centric projects
• Familiarity with:
• Data wrangling, model development, feature engineering
• Python / SQL basics
• Jupyter, MLflow, Databricks, Snowflake, Azure ML (preferred)
• CI/CD and MLOps practices
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to translate technical concepts into business-friendly language
• Strong stakeholder management

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We value diverse perspectives and actively seek to create an inclusive environment that celebrates the unique qualities of all employees.