Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers high-technology solutions for defense and scientific missions. The Product Owner will own the AI modernization pod's backlog, value case, stakeholder alignment, risks, milestones, acceptance, and validation while helping replace legacy enterprise systems with AI-native applications.
Responsibilities
- The backlog. Define, prioritize, and maintain the pod's work backlog based on business value, stakeholder input, and technical feasibility. Every item has a clear definition of done
- The value case. Articulate why each initiative matters — cost savings, efficiency gains, risk reduction, user impact. You quantify value, not just describe it
- Stakeholder alignment. Manage expectations across executive leadership, functional organizations, and the pod team. When priorities conflict, you make the call and own the decision
- Risks and milestones. Identify risks early, escalate what you can't resolve, and ensure the pod hits its commitments. You track progress through outcomes delivered, not activities completed
- Acceptance and validation. You are the final voice on whether what the pod builds meets the business need. You work with Domain SMEs to validate but the decision is yours
- Technical architecture or engineering decisions — that's the Lead Architect's job
- Day-to-day task management or sprint mechanics — the team self-organizes
- People management, performance reviews, or HR administration
Skills
- Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, or a related Science, Engineering or Mathematics field, plus a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience; or Master's degree, plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience
- Department of Defense Secret security clearance is required at time of hire
- Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required
- • Bachelor's degree plus 8 years of experience in product ownership, product management, or business analysis in a technology-driven environment
- • Demonstrated experience owning a product backlog and making prioritization decisions — not just writing user stories for someone else to prioritize
- • Experience working directly with engineering teams on software delivery — you understand what it takes to ship software and can have credible conversations with engineers
- • Strong communication skills — you can present to executives and translate between business needs and technical reality without losing fidelity in either direction
- • Experience with enterprise systems (ERP, CRM, HRM, MES, or similar) — you understand the complexity of business processes these systems support
- • U.S. citizenship required. Department of Defense Secret security clearance is required at time of hire
- • Remote — 100% telework
- • 9/80 schedule
- • Experience in a product owner or product manager role during a system modernization or legacy replacement effort
- • Familiarity with AI/ML concepts — you don't need to build models, but you should understand what AI can and cannot do so you can make informed trade-off decisions
- • Experience in manufacturing, defense, or complex enterprise environments where process compliance and change management matter
- • Track record of managing stakeholders who have competing priorities — you have made unpopular decisions and stood behind them
Benefits
- Remote — 100% telework
- 9/80 schedule
- Flexible work environment
- Contributions are recognized and rewarded
Company Overview