Problem Management Engineer

Job-ID Reference
26-04509

Remote
50% Remote Pay rate range - $65/hr. to $68/hr.
Remote but need to be in Madison or Boston as this job has potential to convert to FTE

Description
The Problem Management Engineer is responsible for leading and maturing the Problem Management function to prevent incident recurrence, reduce operational risk, and improve service resiliency. This role owns the quality and effectiveness of root cause analysis, ensures permanent fixes are validated, and drives continuous improvement across IT services in alignment with ITIL best practices.

This position requires a strong technical background to credibly engage engineering teams, challenge root cause conclusions, and ensure solutions are durable, evidence‐based, and measurable.

Problem Management Leadership
Lead and oversee the end‐to‐end Problem Management lifecycle, including detection, logging, classification, investigation, resolution, validation, and closure
Ensure problems are closed only when defined closure criteria are met, including validated resolution, preventive controls, and monitoring improvements
Prevent premature or superficial closure of problems by enforcing quality and evidence standards

Root Cause Analysis & Technical Oversight
Lead and validate structured Root Cause Analysis (RCA) using methodologies such as 5‐Whys, Fishbone, and fault‐tree analysis
Challenge assumptions and ensure true root causes are identified for major incidents and recurring issues
Review and validate the technical feasibility and effectiveness of permanent fixes

Cross‐Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with Incident Management, Change Management, Resiliency/Reliability Engineering, and Service Owners
Coordinate permanent fixes through formal change processes
Work with vendors and external partners to track dependencies and ensure accountability

Governance, Metrics & Reporting
Establish and enforce Problem Management governance and quality standards
Track and report on key metrics, including overdue problems, SLA compliance, recurrence trends, and systemic risks
Provide clear, actionable updates and insights to senior leadership and executive forums

Knowledge & Continuous Improvement
Maintain and improve the Known Error Database (KEDB) and Problem‐related Knowledge Articles
Identify opportunities for proactive problem management, automation, and improved monitoring and alerting
Continuously refine Problem Management processes, tools, and standards to increase effectiveness and efficiency

Required Qualifications
Strong understanding of ITIL Problem Management processes and best practices
Proven experience leading or performing Root Cause Analysis in complex technical environments
Technical background (infrastructure, applications, cloud, or enterprise platforms) sufficient to engage and challenge engineering teams
Hands‐on experience with Service Now or comparable enterprise ITSM platforms
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including executive‐level communication
Ability to analyze trends, identify systemic risk, and drive proactive improvements

Preferred Qualifications
ITIL Foundation certification or higher
Experience in large‐scale enterprise environments
Experience supporting Major Incident or executive outage review forums
Familiarity with automation, observability, and proactive problem management techniques
Experience working with vendors and external service providers