The RTE or Release Train Engineer is at the service of the SAFe train teams and embodies the values of Agility in his organization. He is the Agile Release Train facilitator. This role is often summarized as the “leader” of all Scrum Masters in an Agile organization at scale.
The main tasks of the Release Train Engineer in a SAFe organization are :
- Facilitate collaboration, i.e. prepare, organize and facilitate SAFe train ceremonies. For example: SoS, PI Planning or PO Sync, etc.
- Promote coordination between teams and with other SAFe trains (external and internal train dependencies).
- Facilitate and lead the Scrum of Scrums (SoS).
- Help the team deliver value. In fact, the RTE monitors the progress of developments and helps to eliminate obstacles raised by Scrum teams during the SoS.
- Report sticking points to stakeholders(Business Owners and management) and help resolve them with the Scrum teams.
- Drive continuous improvement within the organization.
- Promote best practices in continuous integration and DevOps.
- Coaching management, teams and Scrum Masters in Lean-Agile best practices.
- Facilitate the preparation and execution of PI Planning (PI stands for Program Increment).
- Encourage the continuous exploration process (via Backlog Refinement at the Agile Release Train level, for example). This will enable us to build a common, shared vision for the train.
The 6 key skills a TEN needs to master
Each TEN must build and master these 9 key competencies to master this role to perfection:
- Servant Leader: Lead the train by example and action.
- Courage:
Like the Scrum Master, a great RTE must have the courage to say what needs to be said with respect and tact.
- Agile Mindset:
Not only do we need to understand the fundamentals of Agile and SAFe, but we also need to adopt an Agile mindset.
- Honest and transparent.
- Critical thinking quickly analyze a situation and organize teams around a solution.
- Facilitator: Obviously, you need to have good communication skills to lead large SAFe ceremonies, such as PI Planning or SoS. A TEN usually has an arsenal of tools and techniques to keep participants interested and engaged.
How to become an RTE?
To become a Release Train Engineer, you need to master the SAFe framework, Agility and Lean. In addition, I believe that significant experience in managing Agile projects is necessary.
Generally, an RTE has several Scrum and SAFe certifications, such as :
- PSM1 (Professional Scrum Master from Scrum.org).
- PSPO1 (Profesional Product Owner from Scrum.org).
- SAFe Release Train Engineer – RTE 5 (from Scaledagile.com).
The salary of an RTE in France
How much does an RTE SAFe employee earn? According to a brief internet search, the average salary for a Release Train Engineer in France is €65,000.
Obviously, this salary varies according to region and experience.
Our reading tips
The most comprehensive book on the SAFe method by Richard Knaster: SAFe 5.0 Distilled – Achieving Business Agility with the Scaled Agile Framework.
