Junior Product Owner, ASD

National-Center-For-Missing-; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children seeks a Junior Product Owner in Alexandria, VA. You will support the ASD Product Owner with technology needs across multiple teams and systems, including CIERA, SOCM, Salesforce, and Palantir Foundry.

The role emphasizes agile practices, backlog management, and cross‑division collaboration to drive innovative ASD solutions while preparing for VCIN certification and future growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Product Management, or a related field such as Computer Science, Information Technology, or Business Administration.

Responsibilities

• Access NCIC/Nlets data after VCIN certification.
• Assist with daily technical assistance for internal and external systems (CIERA, SOCM, Salesforce, CyberTipline, ALERT, Palantir Foundry).
• Maintain the product backlog and prioritize tickets aligned with ASD’s vision.
• Gather requirements through stakeholder sessions and share with management and development teams.
• Collaborate with Missing/Exploited Child divisions and TD for data sharing and project effectiveness.
• Write user stories and support UAT across ASD products and services.

Skills

Product ownership

Scrum

Agile

Stakeholder management

Communication

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Product Management, or a related field such as Computer Science, Information Technology, or Business Administration

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Salesforce

Palantir Foundry

CIERA

Job description

TITLE: Junior Product Owner, ASD

LOCATION: Alexandria, Virginia

DATE PREPARED: March 2026

FLSA: Exempt

DIVISION: Analytical Services Division (ASD)

DEPARTMENT: Analytical Services Division

AREA OF FOCUS: Technology

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT
Ability to travel as needed (conferences, training, presentations, etc.)

HOURS and SCHEDULE
Basic hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm (37.5 hours within five (5) days per week); unless otherwise required or approved by management.

REPORTS TO
Position reports to the Executive Director of Analytical Programs, Analytical Services Division

RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC CONTACT
Daily contact requiring courtesy, discretion, and sound judgment.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION
Product Owner Certification is required or must be obtained within one year of hire date.

Must be eligible to apply for VCIN certification which requires either U.S. citizenship or having been a lawful resident of the U.S. for the past 10 consecutive years. Must obtain VCIN certification within three (3) months of hire and maintain certification including completion of all required training. VCIN certification requires background screening, to include fingerprinting, criminal history check, and professional references.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Position is responsible for collaborating with and supporting the ASD Product Owner with all products and services overlapping with NCMEC’s Technology Division (TD), for programs including the Missing Child & Data Analytics Team, Child Sex Trafficking Team, Sex Offender Tracking Team, and Recovery Services Team. This individual will assist management and the ASD Product Owner with the technological needs of the internal systems ASD utilizes, to include Child Incident Entry & Retrieval Application (CIERA), Sex Offender Case Management (SOCM), Salesforce, CyberTipline, Attempted Abductions Analytical Law Enforcement Resources Tool (ALERT), Palantir Foundry, etc. This will include being responsible for contributing to the development of new and innovative ways to enhance the growth and effectiveness of ASD’s analytical teams. The demands on the analytical teams and the Recovery Services Team within ASD continue to grow and the internal systems and structures must be continually assessed, modified and updated to respond to these demands. Further, this position is expected to proactively learn and utilize technology methodologies, including Scrum and Agile, and demonstrate proficiency in the use of Jira and Confluence tools.

Depending on the assigned project this position may have day-to-day communication with TD to include Data Science, Missing Children Division, and Exploited Children Division, to maximize the information flow, sharing of analysis, and streamlined projects of work. Consistent communication with ASD Directors, Program Managers and Supervisors, and ASD leadership is critical. This position will support the ASD Product Owner and ASD leadership with the future growth of the division, including assisting with implementation of new initiatives and outlining new technology and internal system improvements.

This position will support the ASD Product Owner in their overall management of day-to-day work with NCMEC’s TD Development team, including scoping roadmaps and priorities, gathering and documenting project requirements, prioritizing backlogs of technology tickets, and coordinating for user acceptance testing. Further, for designated projects as needed this position will act as the point person for ASD analysts or specialists who are user testing and providing feedback on those systems or products, coordinating cross-division collaboration in partnership with the ASD Product Owner.

The ASD Junior Product Owner must be creative, innovative and able to balance the many needs of law enforcement and external partners/companies with the capabilities and resources of NCMEC. This position requires an enthusiastic and a self‑motivated candidate with exceptional communication skills and interpersonal skills. This position requires an individual who can actively engage with team members and who has an ability to make sound, business savvy decisions to benefit the forward progress of ASD, with deference given to the needs, policies and protocols of the programs. In addition, qualified candidates will possess abstract thinking skills and the ability to enhance and deliver on assigned projects of work. Occasional travel and public speaking engagements required. On-call availability required.

• ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :
  This position requires the ability to access and use NCIC/Nlets data after successfully completing VCIN certification
• Assist with daily technical assistance for internal and external systems such as Child Incident Entry & Retrieval Application (CIERA), Sex Offender Case Management (SOCM), Salesforce, CyberTipline, Attempted Abductions Analytical Law Enforcement Resources Tool (ALERT), Palantir Foundry, etc. (i.e. any current or future system used by teams in ASD)
• Collaborate with ASD Product Owner and ASD management to develop ideas for ASD system improvements and when directed coordinate with TD to implement and test improvements
• Assist in the maintenance of the product backlogs to include creating and prioritizing tickets in alignment with ASD’s strategic vision and needs
• Participate in requirements gathering sessions by taking detailed notes and collecting feedback from stakeholders to be shared with ASD management, product and development teams
• Establish and maintain close collaboration with several internal NCMEC divisions such as Missing Children Division, Exploited Children Division, Technology Division to include Data Science, and others regarding internal efforts related to ASD analytical and recovery support
• Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, writing, and communicating ASD business requirements through user stories provided to TD’s development team for implementation
• When directed, perform user acceptance testing (UAT) across all ASD products and services, including writing accurate reproduction steps in bug tickets
• Learn and maintain adequate knowledge, demonstrating expertise in all ASD systems and databases
• Once training is completed, demonstrate knowledge of technical product owner methodologies, including Jira and Confluence tool utilization and management
• Participate in and contribute to ASD/Technology planning meetings specific toASD systems or programs
• In collaboration with the ASD Product Owner, communicate with ASD leadership regarding project goals and progress
• When applicable, coordinate and oversee various ASD working groups that are testing and providing feedback on internal workflows/processes and certain external donated resources
• When directed, represent the ASD Product Owner and/or ASD management by attending meetings, making presentations, and responding to inquiries
• Work closely with relevant NCMEC staff on specific projects involving ASD analytical services
• Attend conferences and public speaking engagements and provide tours, training, and department representation when directed
• Promote and exhibit loyalty to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the cause of protecting children worldwide
• Communicate with co-workers, management, law enforcement officials, and others in a courteous and professional manner
• Conform with and abide by all regulations, policies, work procedures, and instructions
• Respond promptly when returning telephone calls and replying to correspondence and faxes
• Promote a professional image
• Perform miscellaneous job‑related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Product Management, or a related field such as Computer Science, Information Technology, or Business Administration. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
• Must have met the requirements and responsibilities within the Analytical Services Division for a period of no less than 24 months required, 36 months preferred - OR -
• Other relevant experience working in the field of criminal justice, child protection with a focus on missing and exploited child issues, product management, or a related field such as Computer Science, Information Technology or Business Administration
• Knowledge of the mission of NCMEC and ASD, preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Complete a Product Owner certification course within 12 months of hire date and a Project Management certification course within 24 months of hire date
• Familiarity with public records databases (LexisNexis, CLEAR, etc.), NCIC/Nlets, and law enforcement websites such as LEEP preferred
• Experience with NCMEC’s Analytical Services Division and hands-on knowledge of ASD internal systems like CIERA, SOCM, CyberTipline, Palantir Foundry and Attempted Abductions ALERT preferred
• Ability to easily learn new systems and workflows and identify opportunities for technological advancement
• Strong computer skills, to include the use of MS Office Suite including PowerPoint and Excel
• Knowledge of technical usage of tools to include Jira and Confluence, or the ability to learn the use of these within six months of the date of hire
• Knowledge of technical product/project development methodologies such as Scrum, Waterfall, etc., or the ability to learn the use of these within six months of the date of hire
• Must not have undergone any disciplinary or corrective actions for a period of no less than one year
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, to include providing presentations/demonstrations when applicable
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to balance projects and meet deadlines
• Ability to solve problems and work using creativity and innovation
• Ability to work independently without constant supervision while also being a team player who will engage with others at varying levels of seniority throughout NCMEC
• Ability to handle and maintain the integrity and confidentiality of highly sensitive material and information
• Achieve and maintain an employee performance evaluation standard that meet and exceeds the minimum of an "expectation for competency"
• Maintain an acceptable time and attendance record