Observatory Scientist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Description:

Position Summary

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is an exciting and prestigious research facility that plays a vital role in the study of the universe. The Observatory operates a variety of radio telescopes that span the globe, including the famous Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico, the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). These telescopes are among the most advanced in the world, allowing astronomers to explore the universe in unprecedented detail. In addition, the NRAO is undertaking several large projects, including the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) and Radar projects.

The NRAO is seeking an experienced Agile Product Owner for the products supported by the Monitor & Control (M&C) software group. M&C software products integrate hardware and software for mechanical telescope controls and decompose high-level parameters into the commands sent to NRAO’s telescopes. The Agile Product Owner defines product vision, manages the product backlog, and prioritizes work based on stakeholder needs and user feedback for the M&C products across the Observatory. The Agile Product Owner works closely with cross-functional technical teams to prioritize their work and facilitate the timely delivery of high-quality software solutions. This role will be critical in ensuring that software development efforts are continually aligned with the evolving needs of the scientific user community and Observatory operations.

The Agile Product Owner will act as a bridge between stakeholders - including scientists, engineers, and operations staff - and the software development teams. The M&C software team develops and supports products across the entire Observatory for both existing and new facilities. The Agile Product Owner will translate the product vision into an actionable product backlog, collaborate with stakeholders to define user stories and acceptance criteria, and review and accept work done by developers to ensure it meets requirements. This position requires a deep understanding of Agile frameworks, the Scrum methodology, and the ability to communicate effectively with software engineers, scientists, and senior managers. The position also requires familiarity with software mechanical control system products.

This position will be located at one of the NRAO facilities in Charlottesville (VA), Socorro (NM), Albuquerque (NM) or Green Bank (WV).

What You Will be Doing

• Translates and communicates the product vision for highly technical telescope M&C software products to Agile software development teams utilizing the Scrum framework.
• Collaborates with stakeholders to define product requirements into user stories and acceptance criteria and to produce a clearly defined and prioritized product backlog.
• Prioritizes requirements and implements solutions that deliver the best value to stakeholders, as aligned with the NRAO mission.
• Acts as a bridge between stakeholders and software development teams to understand roadblocks and specifications and recommend actionable solutions.
• Gathers, records, and organizes user feedback to continuously refine the product roadmap and improve processes, workflow, and product development.
• Oversees development to ensure requirements are implemented effectively within the required timelines, reviewing and accepting completed work.
• Facilitates Agile activities including sprint planning, backlog refinement, reviews, and retrospectives to inspire continuous improvement across the team.
• Evaluates emerging Agile practices and tools to enhance team effectiveness and delivery quality.
• Proactive compliance with NRAO and government safety policies and procedures in own work area is expected.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Environment

The successful candidate will join a team of professionals engaged in research and development in the fields of science, engineering, software development, and education. Work is typically performed in a research or development environment.

Who You Are:

Bachelor’s degree in management, computer science, astronomy or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience required. You have at least four years of relevant experience as a practicing Product Owner in a professional software development environment.

Active certification as an Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO) and/or Certified Scrum Professional – Product Owner (CSP-PO). You have a background in software products that integrate hardware and software for mechanical infrastructure and controls. Expertise using Atlassian tools, including Jira and Confluence, to manage backlogs and team workflows. A passion for Agile and Scrum practices and a dedication to inspiring continuous improvement across teams. Demonstrated ability to craft a clear product vision and roadmap that aligns with long-term organizational goals. Expertise in prioritizing user stories based on value, technical dependencies, and stakeholder needs. Ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships and balance competing demands while maintaining buy-in across the organization. Understanding of technical constraints and feasibility sufficient to communicate effectively with software developers. Experience working with large, existing applications in a distributed team. Excellent interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to establish and maintain working relationships with a wide range of people and personality types. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to communicate comfortably and effectively with software engineers, scientists, and senior managers. All candidates must be authorized to work in the US. This position cannot sponsor international applicants.

Competency Summary

• Advanced degree in management, computer science, or related field.
• Background that includes Physics or Mathematics.
• Demonstrated prior experience as a software developer with familiarity in applications developed using C++
• Experience supporting scientific operations in radio astronomy or related fields.
• Experience developing and supporting hardware-software integration.
• Familiarity with basic astronomical principles, in particular radio astronomy, and observatory operations.
• Ability to work with international colleagues and across geographically distributed teams.

Additional Requirement

Observatory employees must be authorized to work in the United States. The Observatory presently cannot sponsor H-1B visas for this position.

Total Rewards:

Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) offers a comprehensive total rewards package for this position, subject to eligibility requirements. We are committed to serving our employees and their families with an extensive and competitive compensation and benefits package that supports our employees’ overall well-being and career growth.

Compensation

AUI strives to attract and retain dedicated, highly qualified, competent, and motivated employees by offering competitive compensation and recognition for performance.

The starting salary of this position is between $79,000 and $120,000. Factors which may affect starting pay within this range may include; education, experience, skills, competencies, other qualifications of the successful candidate, as well as internal equity and labor market conditions.

Benefits

AUI’s benefits package addresses the needs of employees and their families with most benefits beginning on the first day of employment. AUI provides excellent paid time off (13 holidays, annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days and 15 sick days, additional time off for doctor/dentist visits, and 8 weeks of paid parental leave). Medical, dental and vision plans are effective on the first day of employment. AUI’s retirement benefit contributes an amount equal to 10 percent of a qualified participant’s base pay with no required employee contribution; we also offer an optional supplemental, tax-deferred plan for employee retirement contributions.

Application Instructions:

Select the “Apply” button. Please be prepared to upload your current CV/Resume and a cover letter describing interest and suitability for the position.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

AUI is an equal opportunity employer. To view our complete statement, please visit https://public.nrao.edu/careers/. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, you may submit your request by sending an email to resumes@nrao.edu. PM20