Blackstone Talent Group is actively recruiting for a Scrum Master contractor role based remotely in Dallas, Texas. The position is a six-month contract with no Corp-to-Corp arrangements accepted. Understanding what this role pays, and how it compares to the broader market, matters for anyone evaluating the opportunity.
About Blackstone Talent Group
Blackstone Talent Group operates as a division of Blackstone Technology Group, a global IT services and solutions firm. The company has been running its talent augmentation practice since 1998. Offices span San Francisco, Denver, Houston, Colorado Springs, and Washington, DC.
The firm serves both commercial industry verticals and the US Federal Government. Placing contract technology professionals is a core part of the business. Scrum Masters, project managers, and Agile delivery specialists are frequently placed through their network.
The Scrum Master Role at a Glance
This is an entry-to-mid level Scrum Master position requiring one to three years of Agile delivery experience. The contractor will work under the direction of a Senior Scrum Master Lead. Daily responsibilities include facilitating Agile ceremonies, managing team boards in Jira, and tracking sprint metrics.
Key tools listed in the job description include Jira, Confluence, and ServiceNow. A Scrum Master certification is listed as a plus, not a hard requirement. That detail signals the role targets professionals who are still building their credentials.
What Blackstone Talent Group Pays for This Scrum Master Contract
The job posting does not publicly disclose an hourly rate or annual equivalent. This is common practice among staffing firms. Rates are typically shared during initial recruiter conversations after a candidate expresses interest.
Based on market data and the structure of this role, the likely pay range falls between $45 and $70 per hour for a W2 contract arrangement. For a six-month engagement, that translates to roughly $46,800 to $72,800 in total gross earnings assuming a standard 40-hour workweek.
The no C2C restriction is worth noting. Contractors must engage directly as W2 employees through the staffing agency. That means Blackstone Talent Group handles payroll taxes and potentially some benefits, which typically compresses the bill rate compared to C2C arrangements.
How Contractor Pay Differs From Full-Time Salary
Contract roles like this one function very differently from permanent positions. There is no base salary, no annual bonus cycle, and typically no long-term equity. Pay arrives as an hourly wage for hours worked.
The tradeoff is a higher hourly rate compared to what a full-time employee earns on a per-hour basis. A full-time Scrum Master earning $85,000 annually earns roughly $40.87 per hour before taxes. A contractor at $55 per hour earns more per hour but carries more financial risk between engagements.
Contractors also pay the employer portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes in some arrangements. Understanding your tax obligation before accepting any contract rate is essential.
Industry Salary Benchmarks for Scrum Masters in Dallas
Dallas is a competitive technology market with strong demand for Agile professionals. According to data from Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Scrum Masters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area earn the following:
- Entry-level (0-2 years): $70,000 to $90,000 annually for full-time roles
- Mid-level (3-5 years): $90,000 to $115,000 annually for full-time roles
- Senior-level (5+ years): $115,000 to $145,000 annually for full-time roles
- Contract hourly equivalent (entry-mid): $45 to $75 per hour W2
- Contract hourly equivalent (senior): $75 to $110 per hour W2
This Blackstone Talent Group role targets the entry-to-mid range. The compensation likely falls in line with standard market rates for that experience bracket in the Dallas market.
Compensation Structure for This Contract Role
Contract positions through staffing firms like Blackstone Talent Group follow a straightforward compensation model. The recruiter negotiates a bill rate with the client company, then pays the contractor a portion of that rate as their hourly wage.
The spread between bill rate and pay rate funds the staffing firm's margin, benefits administration, and operational costs. W2 contractors at Blackstone Talent Group may receive access to basic benefits depending on assignment length and hours worked.
For a six-month contract, benefits eligibility often kicks in after 30 to 60 days of continuous work. Candidates should ask the recruiter directly about health insurance access, 401(k) availability, and paid time off policies before signing any agreement.
Benefits and Perks for Contract Workers
Staffing agencies vary widely in what they offer W2 contractors. Common benefits packages for contractors at mid-size staffing firms include the following:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance options
- Access to a 401(k) plan, sometimes without employer matching
- Paid holidays for federally recognized dates
- Direct deposit payroll processed weekly or biweekly
- Access to online professional development resources
What contractors typically do not receive includes paid vacation accrual, performance bonuses, profit sharing, or stock options. Those components belong to permanent employment structures. Short-term contracts rarely include them.
Equity and Bonuses: What to Expect
Equity compensation is not part of this role. Contract positions through staffing agencies do not include stock options, restricted stock units, or equity grants of any kind. Those forms of compensation are reserved for direct employees of the client company or the staffing firm itself.
Bonuses are also unlikely for a six-month contract at this level. Some staffing firms offer referral bonuses for contractors who bring in new candidates. However, performance bonuses tied to project outcomes are not standard practice in contract staffing arrangements.
How This Role Compares to Competitors Hiring Scrum Masters
Companies like Cognizant, Infosys, and Accenture Federal Services regularly hire Scrum Masters at comparable experience levels. Their contract rates in the Dallas market generally align within a similar band of $50 to $75 per hour for W2 arrangements.
Direct employer roles at companies like AT&T, Bank of America, and JPMorgan Chase in Dallas offer full-time Scrum Master salaries ranging from $85,000 to $110,000 with full benefits packages. Those roles provide more stability but less flexibility than contract work.
The Blackstone Talent Group contract role suits professionals who prefer short-term engagements, want to test a new industry vertical, or are building their Agile portfolio before pursuing senior positions.
Skills That Influence Pay at This Level
Within the one-to-three year experience range, certain skills push compensation toward the higher end of the bracket. Recruiters and hiring managers pay more attention to these qualifications:
- Active Scrum Master certifications such as CSM or PSM I
- Hands-on experience with Jira administration, not just usage
- Proven ability to run ceremonies without heavy senior oversight
- Experience supporting multiple teams simultaneously
- Familiarity with SAFe or other scaled Agile frameworks
Candidates who bring ServiceNow experience specifically may also negotiate toward the upper range. That tool appears in the job description, and proficiency in it is not universal among Scrum Masters at this level.
Should You Apply for This Role
This position works well for professionals with one to three years of Agile experience who want remote work in a structured team environment. The six-month timeline is long enough to build meaningful project experience and short enough to maintain flexibility.
Pay transparency is not part of this posting, so negotiating confidently during the recruiter call will matter. Research the Dallas market rate, know your certification status, and be ready to justify your ask with specific delivery examples from past roles.
Interested candidates can apply directly through the listing at RemoteOK to start the conversation with the Blackstone Talent Group recruiting team.
