Principal Product Manager, Istari
$156-230k
Plus Stock Options
Digital twin technology
Be an early applicant
Digital twin technology
21-100 employees
Be an early applicant
$156-230k
Plus Stock Options
21-100 employees
Company mission
To make digital engineering ecosystems a reality where all technologies are created digitally, free from real-world costs, schedules, and environmental impacts.
Role
Who you are
- This role is ideal for a seasoned product leader with deep experience shaping product vision, validating hypotheses through customer insight, and driving cross-functional teams toward delivery in high-stakes, secure environments
- 10+ years of experience in product management, software engineering, or a combination thereof, with increasing levels of responsibility and impact
- Proven ability to define and deliver products in technical domains—ideally including simulation tools, CAD/CAM software, or digital engineering workflows, or alternatively developer tooling
- Demonstrated success in conducting effective customer interviews and distilling insights into actionable product direction
- Deep experience collaborating with UX and design teams to develop highly usable technical tools
- Outstanding communication, stakeholder management, and presentation skills
- Hands-on experience in early-stage startup environments, with a demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguity, wear multiple hats, and deliver with limited resources
Desirable
- Prior experience building software for aerospace engineering or Department of Defense (DoD) customers
- Comfort working in cleared or secure environments and understanding of related compliance requirements (e.g., ITAR, FedRAMP, CMMC)
- Exposure to modeling and simulation (M&S), PLM systems, or other digital engineering platforms
- Background in a STEM discipline or direct experience as a software engineer
What the job involves
- We are seeking a strategic, execution-oriented Principal Product Manager to lead the development of complex, high-impact software products serving aerospace engineering and defense customers
- As a key member of the product leadership team, you will play a pivotal role in defining and delivering user-centric solutions that meet mission-critical needs
- Your background in software engineering or product development—particularly in the Department of Defense (DoD), aerospace, or other cleared work environments—will be instrumental to your success
- Product Discovery & Strategy: Formulate and test product hypotheses through rigorous customer research, data analysis, and competitive intelligence
- Translate market needs and customer challenges into clear product strategies and roadmaps
- Advocate for customer-centric thinking across engineering, design, and go-to-market teams
- Customer Insight & Validation: Lead qualitative and quantitative user research initiatives, including interviews with technical end-users, engineers, and government stakeholders
- Prioritize customer outcomes over feature requests, ensuring problem-solution fit before committing to development
- Collaboration & Execution: Work closely with UX, design, and engineering teams to deliver intuitive, elegant experiences in technically complex domains
- Manage and communicate product priorities, ensuring alignment with overall business and mission objectives
- Navigate technical trade-offs and constraints, particularly in secure or air-gapped computing environments
- Leadership & Mentorship: Guide cross-functional teams through ambiguity, fostering a culture of iterative learning and delivery
- Mentor junior product managers and contribute to the evolution of product practices across the organization
Our take
In the realm of digital engineering, industries like aerospace, defense, and manufacturing face significant challenges. Traditional methods lof designing, testing, and certifiying complex systems are often time-consuming, costly, and environmentally tacxing. These processes typically require physical prototypes and extensive real-world testing, leading to delays and increased resource consumption.
Istari is transforming this landscape by developing aplatform that enables the creation, testing, and certification of technologies entirely in the digital real. Its advanced digital twin technology allows for virtual simulations and modeling, reducing the need for physical prototypes. This approach not only accelerates development timelines but also minimized costs and environmental impact.
Its making major progress too, including the $19M contract with the US Air Force to help develop the world's first digitally certified aircraft. While the use of digital twins in military applications (especially with potential links to autonomous systems) can raise valid ethical concerns, Istari's focus is on safety, precision, and reducing the need for real-world testing that can be risky or wasteful. By improving how complex systems are designed and certifies, its aiming to make engineering across industries more efficient and sustainable.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Funding (1 round)
Feb 2023
$13m
SEED
Total funding: $13m
Company benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental and Vision coverage
- 401(k)
- Flexible paid time off
- All positions are eligible for remote work
- 11 paid holidays
- Generous technology stipend for optimizing your home office
Company HQ
East Cambridge, Cambridge, MA
Leadership
Will Roper
(CEO)Member of the Defense Innovation Board. Distinguished Professor of the Practice at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Advisor and Board Member at a number of companies.
Christopher Benson
(CTO)Senior Systems Engineer with the US Air Force. Previously founded ELLO, AFWERX, StartLabs, and Ring Theory.
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