Technical Product Manager

Job Summary 

We are looking for a hands-on Technical Product Manager who lives at the intersection of product development, engineering, and the end user. You will spend as much time working on prototypes, testing gear, and engaging with customers as you will coordinating internal teams.

Your primary responsibility is to drive product development through direct iteration, working side-by-side with internal teams, vendors and customers to refine, build, and deliver mission-ready systems.

You will own core product management responsibilities including planning, prioritization, stakeholder communication, and structured reporting such as customer calls, monthly updates, and technical review presentations.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Work directly with mechanical and textile engineers to design, prototype, and refine products
• Get involved in the details: materials selection, fit, durability, manufacturability, and system integration
• Build, test, and iterate on prototypes—often on tight timelines. Participate in field tests, training environments, and product evaluations
• Engage directly with military users to understand real-world needs through observation and hands-on interaction. Rapidly translating user feedback into design changes—often in days, not months
• Lead customer-facing engagements (calls, reviews, and demos), maintain structured reporting such as monthly reports, presentations, and manage schedules and budgets to keep programs on track.
• Push products forward even with incomplete information. Make trade-off decisions in real time (performance vs. weight vs. cost vs. manufacturability)
• Act as the connective tissue between engineering, manufacturing, and the end user. Ensure alignment without heavy process - this is a doer role, not a coordinator role
• Help move products from a prototype to low-rate production with speed and pragmatism. Be responsible for all product documentation and the transition to manufacturing,
• Support early deployments and ensure products perform under real conditions

Required Qualifications: 

• 
  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Textile Engineering, or similar technical field
• 3–8 years of experience in hands-on product development, hardware engineering, or technical product roles. Proven ability to manage product scope, schedules, and budgets while communicating progress and risks to internal and external stakeholders
• Strong intuition for mechanical systems and/or textile-based products
• Comfortable working with physical prototypes, tools, and test setups
• Experience working directly with customers or end users in a technical or military environment
• Ability to operate independently in a fast-paced, unstructured startup setting
• You bias toward action—when in doubt, you build and test
• You are highly practical and solutions oriented.
• You bring structure where needed—balancing hands-on execution with disciplined planning, clear communication, and reliable delivery against commitments
• You’re comfortable getting your “hands dirty”.
• You communicate clearly with both engineers, customers, and military personnel.
• You thrive in ambiguity and move quickly without waiting for perfect information

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in defense, military, or working with tactical gear/equipment, wearable systems, or ruggedized products
• Familiarity with textile construction, sewing, patterning, or soft goods development
• Experience taking products from prototype to production
• Experience with formal program management practices, customer reporting cadence and tools for tracking schedules, budgets, and deliverables

Other Requirements:

• Must be US Citizen, per US government contracts
• This position may require domestic and/or international travel and flexibility to work evening hours when required
• US security clearance is preferred; the ability to obtain upon employment is required.

Physical Requirements:

The role requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, and move throughout both office and production environments for extended periods, with occasional lifting of materials or equipment exceeding 25 lbs. Fine motor skills are essential for tasks such as computer work, handling small parts, and assembling prototypes, along with visual acuity to read technical documents and inspect components. The employee will frequently be exposed to noise, heavy machinery, and manufacturing tools in a fast-paced setting that may demand shifting between independent work, team collaboration, and meeting tight deadlines.