Product Owner - Research

Kuali, Inc.

$96K — $115K *
US-AnywhereRemote in United States
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of product ownership or business analysis experience
  • Strong understanding of Agile/Scrum principles
  • Excellent communication skills with technical and non-technical teams
  • Ability to translate complex workflows into actionable requirements
  • Passion for enhancing research processes and educational outcomes

Responsibilities

  • Own and prioritize the product backlog for Kuali Research
  • Translate customer feedback and institutional needs into user stories
  • Collaborate with engineering and design teams for timely delivery
  • Work with Product Managers to align roadmap priorities
  • Support release planning and retrospective sessions
  • Advocate for the customer within the scrum team
  • Monitor product performance and drive data-driven decisions

Benefits

  • Remote-first work environment
  • Choice of top-of-the-line equipment
  • Comprehensive medical and dental coverage for employees and dependents
  • 401(k) matching contributions
  • Employee stock option plan
  • Paid maternity and parental leave
  • Unlimited paid time off
  • Opportunities for skill development
  • Quarterly hack weeks for personal projects
  • Engagement in employee resource groups and community events
Full Job Description
About the Role

We're looking for a Product Owner to support complex research administration institutions, lead enablement initiatives, and provide structured insights that shape product direction and improve customer outcomes.

The Product Owner will serve as the bridge between customer needs and product execution-translating institutional workflows into actionable backlog items and measurable outcomes. Partnering closely with Product Management, Engineering, Customer Success, and Design, you'll ensure Kuali Research delivers exceptional value and impact.

What you'll be responsible for
  • Own the product backlog for Kuali Research, ensuring clarity, prioritization, and alignment with strategic goals.
  • Translate customer feedback, institutional requirements, and product vision into actionable user stories and acceptance criteria.
  • Collaborate daily with engineering and design teams to ensure timely, high-quality delivery.
  • Partner with Product Managers to refine roadmap priorities and validate outcomes against customer needs.
  • Support release planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives to drive continuous improvement.
  • Serve as the voice of the customer within the scrum team, ensuring solutions meet real-world research administration challenges.
  • Monitor product performance and collaborate on data-driven decisions to enhance usability and adoption.


About you

We're looking for curious, enthusiastic, empathetic people to solve problems, execute on ideas, advocate for the customer, and contribute to a team culture built on trust and mutual respect.
We build and support systems using both Java and Node.js/React. We believe that great developers can always learn new tools. Above any specific tech stack, we're looking for versatile developers - those who know when to think big and when to act small, and who are comfortable in both greenfield and refactoring projects.
We believe the best results are created by teams who represent a broad range of ideas and perspectives. We value employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Ideal candidates have experience with:
  • 3+ years of experience in product ownership, business analysis, or software delivery.
  • Strong understanding of Agile/Scrum principles and backlog management.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical teams.
  • Ability to translate complex workflows into clear, actionable requirements.
  • Passion for improving research administration processes and higher-education outcomes.

We'd be delighted if you bring experience with:
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Science, or a related field.
  • Experience with SaaS products or enterprise software in higher education or research administration.
  • Familiarity with HRIS, ERP, or grant management systems.
  • Working knowledge of Jira, Aha!, or similar backlog tools.
  • Comfort with data analysis and metrics-driven decision making.
  • Demonstrated curiosity and initiative to learn new tools and practices.

Perks
  • Remote-first work
  • Top-of-the-line equipment of your choice to get your job done
  • A truly exceptional benefits package including full premium coverage for employee and dependent medical and dental care
  • 401(k) matching
  • Employee stock option plan
  • Paid Maternity/Parental leave
  • All the paid time off you need (just work it out with your manager)
  • Encouragement and support in learning and improving your skill-sets.
  • Space to work on self-driven projects during quarterly "hack weeks"
  • Employee resource groups and community events


Pay Range: $96,000 - $115,000 per year

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