Product Owner

Are you a seasoned Product Owner who thrives at the intersection of software development and scientific innovation? Are you excellent in translating stakeholder needs into tangible results while keeping agile teams aligned and motivated? Picture yourself leading software development for cutting-edge radio astronomy instrumentation and managing R&D projects that push the boundaries of what’s possible. If this excites you and you’re ready to make your mark in one of the most fascinating fields of modern science, we’d love to have you apply for the job of Product Owner and Project Manager.

You will join team COMPAS, a dedicated team of project managers and systems engineers committed to continuous improvement and excellence in project delivery. In your role as product owner, you will work closely with Team Ruby, the software development team responsible for delivering monitoring and control software for LOFAR 2.0, ASTRON's next-generation radio telescope system. Next to acting as a product owner, you will also be leading various small- to medium-sized R&D projects.

This unique position brings together expertise in agile methodologies, project management, and software development to create cutting-edge radio astronomy instrumentation. You will play a key part in prioritizing development work, translating the needs of astronomers and telescope operators into working software, and managing software-related R&D projects. This position provides ample opportunity to work at the intersection of software development and astronomical research in a dynamic, high-impact environment.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Determining priorities for the development team in consultation with stakeholders, aligning different expectations
• Ensuring that client requirements are translated into working software solutions
• Creating and maintaining the planning, backlog and product roadmap, aligning with and feeding into the LOFAR Instrument Roadmap.
•  Monitoring progress and actively communicating with stakeholders
• Aligning the work of the Agile team with project-driven processes within the instrument development program
• Leading smaller software-related R&D projects, ensuring delivery of results within time and budget constraints

WHY ASTRON?

Why should you choose ASTRON? Everybody here works on the forefront of innovation. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is technologically possible to make discoveries in radio astronomy happen. Further, we care deeply about the wider impact of our work: we aim to innovate in a way that benefits society as a whole. This includes a commitment to reduce the environmental footprint of our work, leading to a real focus on green computing.

We believe that diversity is key to our success. We are dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive workspace for everybody, and we are especially interested in applications from women and other traditionally under-represented groups. We are building an institute where you can work alongside international experts from a variety of fields in a culture of mutual respect and support. We want to see all of our staff, whatever their background or characteristics, thrive and grow in an inspirational environment.

What's more, the ASTRON premises are situated in a fantastic area in the middle of a beautiful national park. Since we are surrounded by stunning scenery, our lunch walks are like small holidays, and you can often see hares, fawns, and deer grazing around the building. We work where people travel to in order to relax and enjoy their free time!

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US

• An inclusive, innovative, and pleasant working environment with an international and inspiring work culture
• A driven team constantly working on personal growth and optimizing our methods
• The exceptional combination of astronomy, operations and engineering in one building
• Employment conditions tailored to your needs (part-time appointment, parental leave, working from home, etc.)
• A temporary appointment in the service of the Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes (NWO-I), with the intention to make it permanent
• A gross monthly salary in the range of €4.885, - to €7.641, - (full-time salary), based on relevant experience, an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.33% year-end bonus
• 42 vacation days per year on a full-time basis

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN AN APPLICANT

Essential requirements:

• Have experience working with agile teams in project-driven environments including both hardware and software teams
• Have proven experience as a project manager, successfully delivering results within time and budget constraints
• Excel at communication and stakeholder management, capable of aligning different expectations from both management and team members
• Take ownership and responsibility with a high degree of initiative and independence

Ideally you also have:

• 3-5+ years of relevant experience in agile product ownership and project management
• Experience working in software development environments in an R&D project setting

We strongly believe that progress, creativity and innovation is only possible in an inclusive and diverse environment. Therefore, we value the unique skills and qualities you bring to the table. While we appreciate a range of relevant expertise, please note that not ticking all the boxes does not diminish our interest in your application. Therefore, we warmly welcome everyone and in particular women and individuals from under-represented groups to apply for an interview.

To discover firsthand experiences of colleagues who love working at ASTRON click this link.

Collaboration at our office sparks some of the best ideas and solutions to complex problems. Therefore, we work at least 60% of our time at the ASTRON premises. If you face difficulties coming to the office, we'll be glad to consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR APPLICATION

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, then we would very much like to meet you! Please visit our website www.jobsatastron.nl to apply. We look forward to receiving your letter and curriculum vitae. Candidates will be considered until the position has been filled, and the first round of interviews will take place in week 12 and 13. For more information, please contact Ágnes Mika on mika@astron.nl or Iris Bom on bom@astron.nl for questions about HR (visa etc.).

REACTIONS

You can apply for this job by sending your letter and curriculum vitae to ASTRON through www.jobsatastron.nl. The first closing date is 6th of March 2026. Candidates will be considered until the position has been filled.

We are seeking responses from individual candidates, not employment agencies.