[Hiring] DevOps Release Engineer @Illinois Tool Works

Role Description

In this role, you’ll work collaboratively with software engineering, QA, solutions delivery, engineering, sales, and product management to coordinate, automate, and govern the end-to-end release lifecycle. A primary focus of this role will be planning release cadences, managing branching and merge strategies, orchestrating deployments across environments, and ensuring quality gates are met before code reaches production. This position will also assist with design, coding, testing, debugging, and documentation of proprietary build, packaging, and deployment automation used to improve software delivery operations.

Primary Responsibilities

• Own and drive execution of the IntelliVIEW software release checklist end-to-end, holding accountable parties on schedule across pre-code-cutoff, beta, code-freeze, pre-release, release, and post-release phases for each major version.
• Drive release planning by finalizing scope with the Portfolio Manager and development managers, maintaining fix versions in JIRA, setting and communicating realistic target release dates, and coordinating code cutoff and the creation of the release branch.
• Own source control branching, merging, tagging, and versioning strategies; develop, test, and debug code and scripts used to build, package, and deploy both Desktop and Server-based applications, and post install files to ShareFile for distribution.
• Drive quality gates to closure, working with the QA Manager to confirm Zephyr Scale test plan execution before code freeze and release, enforcing JIRA hygiene so all version issues are resolved or rescheduled, and chairing the formal go/no-go meeting with sign-off from Management, Engineering, and Product.
• Own release communication across Software Development, Solutions Delivery, Marketing, Sales, Support, and Engineering, issuing code cutoff notifications, beta availability announcements, stakeholder release updates, and scheduling release review meetings.
• Design, implement, and monitor build, deployment, and configuration pipelines and standards; maintain release documentation, runbooks, and audit-ready records of all production changes; track post-release KPIs (adoption rate, customer-reported bugs, reported vs. resolved) with QA; and chair the lessons-learned retrospective with Sales, Support, Development, and Engineering.

Competencies

• Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message.
• Adaptability: The ability to adapt to unexpected changes or new demands while working on projects or routine coding solutions.
• Quality Orientation: Accomplishing tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks; being watchful over a period of time.
• Work Standards: Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed.
• Applied Learning: Applying obtained knowledge to work at hand.
• Continuous Learning: Actively identifying new areas for learning; regularly creating and taking advantage of learning opportunities; using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job and learning through their application.
• Innovation: Generating innovative solutions in work situations; trying different and novel ways to deal with work problems and opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher preferably in Computer Science or Engineering related fields or specialized training in coding.
• Experience with Microsoft .NET build, packaging, and installer tools such as MS Build, Wix, and Microsoft Visual Studio.
• Strong knowledge of software development methodologies, branching/merging strategies, semantic versioning, and formal release management and change control processes.
• Demonstrated ability with scripting languages/tools such as Powershell, Python, or Windows Batch.
• Experience managing and configuring Agile project management tools such as Atlassian JIRA.
• Experience managing and configuring build pipelines, CI/CD, and deployment orchestration using platforms such as Azure DevOps, including release gates, approvals, and environment promotion.
• Experience provisioning and administering cloud environments such as AWS, Azure, or Google.
• Ability to create detailed documentation, release notes, runbooks, and training materials, and to facilitate training on release and DevOps practices.
• 3+ years’ experience working in a Release Engineering, DevOps, or similar role, with demonstrated ownership of production deployments.
• Excellent problem solving and strong analytical skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work in teams and independently.
• Must become knowledgeable in Alpine Software Configuration Management tools/processes, within 90 days of hire.

Company Description

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.