Product Owner (Project Leader 3)

What You Will Do

Come join the best and brightest minds in the world at one of the most innovative and creative multidisciplinary research institutions engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. As part of the Associate Lab Directorate of Weapons Production (ALDWP), the work we do in Production Support Services Division (PSS) directly affects mission success across Los Alamos National Laboratory.

As a Project Leader on the Software Systems Development team, you will serve as the Product Owner and leader for multiple technical projects, developing and managing product backlogs and implementation using Agile and Scrum methodologies. In this role, you will collaborate closely with customers and institutional partners to understand business objectives, user needs, and priorities, translating them into clear product requirements. You will serve as the primary liaison between stakeholders and development teams, owning and prioritizing the product backlog to ensure alignment with strategic goals and maximum value delivery. You will lead Backlog Refinement, Sprint Planning, and Sprint Reviews, ensuring user stories are well-defined, prioritized, and ready for development. Additionally, you will support required reporting on product progress, outcomes, and risks. You will also contribute to the development of work packages, supporting staffing plans aligned to those work packages, and ensuring delivery commitments are met within scope, schedule, and resource constraints.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project & Product Management:
• • Lead the planning and execution of IT product delivery by applying Product Owner accountabilities to develop and maintain product roadmaps, prioritize and refine product backlogs, define user stories, and support the development of schedules, milestones, as well as resource and cost estimates.
  • Define, scope, and manage product initiatives to ensure clear objectives, deliverables, timelines, and alignment with organizational goals and user needs.
  • Facilitate Agile/Scrum practices and utilize Azure DevOPS project management tool for backlog management and tracking.
  • Analyze and document end-to-end workflows to ensure efficiency and alignment with business needs and product vision.
  • Make informed decisions to balance priorities, risks, stakeholder expectations, and technical considerations.
  • Apply advanced project and product oversight skills to manage risks, track milestones, and communicate progress and impacts to stakeholders.
  • Proven ability to successfully plan, organize, lead, and monitor team efforts effectively.

• Process Improvement:
• • Identify opportunities for process improvement and coordinate with team members to develop recommendations that enhance product delivery.
  • Participate in the implementation of approved improvements, including updating documentation, procedures, and work instructions.
  • Apply knowledge of IT architecture, standards, and content management best practices to support and enhance product and process improvements.

• Communication & Stakeholder Collaboration:
• • Communicate product status, requirements, and deliverables to management and stakeholders across PSS Division, ALDWP, and ALDPI.
  • Collaborate closely with customers, developers, and cross-functional teams to gather requirements, define expectations, clarify priorities, and ensure shared understanding of responsibilities.
  • Interact professionally with personnel at all levels, including external partners and executive leadership, delivering clear and concise guidance.

• 
  Technical & Quality Assurance:
• • Leverage organizational and enterprise technical tools and platforms, Azure DevOps, low-code and process automation environments, APIs, Microsoft Office Suite, SQL, and Oracle to support product lifecycle activities, system operations, and data-driven decision-making.
  • Apply intermediate knowledge of software development tools and technologies in support of product execution.
  • Perform and support Quality Assurance Testing (QAT), including the use of automated testing processes, to validate successful implementation.

• 
  Customer Service:
• • Provide exceptional customer service by offering clear guidance, building rapport, and resolving issues in high-visibility or high-pressure situations.
  • Deliver effective communication and support to a diverse range of stakeholders, ensuring a positive customer experience.
  • Advanced prioritization and decision-making skills.
  • Experience leveraging data and performance metrics to guide product decisions and prioritization.
  • Mentor Product Owners and Scrum teams to establish consistent product management practices and drive continuous improvement.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Education/Experience: Position requires a bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited institution and 8 years of directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
• Advanced knowledge of and demonstrated experience in all aspects of project management work, including developing project plans, work breakdown structures, and work packages; managing to scope, schedule, budget, and baselines; and documenting baseline reports and change control actions.
• Advanced knowledge of the discipline of the assigned project.
• Advanced knowledge of regulatory and Laboratory requirements related to the assigned project.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and nurturing effective mid-level internal customer relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully plan, organize, lead, and monitor a variety of team efforts to completion.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with all levels of personnel, building trust, gaining consensus, and resolving conflicts.

Desired Qualifications:

• An active DOE Q-level clearance
• Scrum Master Certification (CSM)
• Scrum Product Owner Certification (CSPO)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)

Application: For full consideration, submit a comprehensive resume reflective of your relevant experience to the job requirements and desired skills stated above.

Work Location: The work location for this position is hybrid and is located in Los Alamos, NM. Hybrid is defined as working partially onsite/partially offsite but within 2 hours ground commute of this location. All work locations are at the discretion of management and can change at any time with appropriate notice.

Position Commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Note to Applicants: Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

• PPO or High-Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
• Dental and Vision insurance
• Free basic life and disability insurance
• Paid childbirth and parental leave
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50-mile radius)

Additional Details

Directive 206.2: Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

• Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular Position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947 opt. 3.