Product Owner

About Overwatch:

Overwatch Imaging automates the collection, analysis, and delivery of time-critical geospatial intelligence for missions that matter. Overwatch AI software automatically manages airborne sensors through smart pointing commands, automated detection of objects of interest, and computer-generated reporting of collected intelligence outputs for communications-efficient reporting. Overwatch smart sensors are multi-camera, multi-spectral stabilized airborne payloads designed for automated operation by edge computers rather than human sensor operators. Together, our capabilities enable life-saving agencies to scan wide areas and find small objects of interest, faster and more efficiently than with human-in-the-loop systems, so our customers can focus less on the search and more on the best response.

About this Role:

The Product Owner is responsible for transforming product strategy into clear, actionable workstreams that drive predictable, high-quality delivery. This role blends classic Product Ownership with delivery leadership and elements of agile coaching, ensuring engineering teams have clarity, alignment, and focus.

This is an ideal role for someone who thrives in dynamic technical environments, enjoys working with complex hardware-enabled software, and wants to be the connective tissue between strategy and execution.

This role is expected to be full-time (in office) in Hood River. We are NOT accepting candidates for Remote Work at this time.

What You’ll do:

Turn Strategy Into Executable Workplans

• Decompose product strategy, customer insights, and roadmap themes into epics, features, and sprint-ready work.

• Collaborate with engineering leads to plan quarterly workstreams and align capacity with priorities.

• Identify dependencies and sequence work logically for predictable execution.

Own Requirements, User Stories & Backlog Quality

• Write clear, testable user stories and acceptance criteria in JIRA.

• Maintain a prioritized, well-structured backlog that reflects business goals.

• Ensure requirements capture operational realities, mission workflows, and user needs.

• Work with the Product Designers to turn user stories into a vision for the product.

Lead Agile Delivery & Maintain Team Cadence

• Facilitate sprint ceremonies: planning, standups, grooming, reviews, and retros.

• Act as a delivery leader—tracking progress, surfacing risks, and removing blockers.

Ensure Alignment Across Engineering

• Serve as the internal subject-matter connection for what is being built and why.

• Provide ongoing clarification around requirements, constraints, and edge cases.

• Document decisions, changes, and trade-offs to keep teams aligned and informed.

Support Documentation & Release Readiness

• Track release scope and acceptance progress.

• Consolidate release notes and cross-functional handoff content.

• Review and contribute to training materials, operator manuals, and customer-facing documentation.

• Support QA, Support, and Program Management with accurate product artifacts.

What Success Looks Like:

• Engineering reports improved clarity, fewer requirement gaps, and smoother delivery flow.

• Sprint cadence stabilizes with predictable outcomes.

• Backlog is consistently clean, organized, and well-prioritized.

• Releases are structured, intentional, and clearly communicated.

• Cross-functional teams recognize improvements in communication and alignment.

What You’ll Bring:

• 3–7+ years of experience as a Product Owner, Business Analyst, Delivery Lead.

• Exceptional writing skills—especially in crafting user stories and acceptance criteria.

• Experience supporting complex or hardware-enabled software systems.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with engineering, QA, and technical stakeholders.

• Strong agile mindset with practical facilitation skills.

• Highly organized and comfortable operating in ambiguity.

Preferred Qualifications (A Strong Plus)

• Prior work experience with the U.S. Department of Defense or defense contractors.

• Experience working with optical systems or imaging technologies.

• Background in ISR or hands-on experience with video gimbal sensor operations.

• Professional experience in the aviation or aerospace industry.

• Scrum or Agile certifications (CSPO, CSM, SAFe, ICP-APO, etc.).

• Familiarity with Atlassian products (JIRA, Confluence)

What We Offer:

We strive to create the best environment for the amazing people who work here, and we thrive as a team through our shared passion for our mission. Our culture encourages professional development and internal mobility, so our teammates have the opportunity to excel in a number of different disciplines to shape our future. Overwatch is a company that enables hard-working makers and does to succeed.

• Growth Opportunities: As a team member of a true startup, you will learn by doing and shape our future. The opportunities are limitless for those who want to grow their career.

• Impact Opportunity: We work on missions that matter to keep people safe and make the world better, and we do it without bureaucracy at the speed of a startup.

• Team Collaboration: Work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with amazing teammates. The Overwatch Imaging leadership team believes in an open-door policy, meaning everyone has a voice and access to guidance, advice, feedback, and the ability to pitch crazy new products or ideas.

• Late Start Wednesday: A weekly block to have focus time away from meetings and calls. An opportunity to work from home, flex your schedule or self-directed time to focus on training and development.

• Time Off: Generous PTO to empower employees to make decisions about work life balance based on work and home needs.

• Holidays: Overwatch Imaging recognizes 10 company holidays.

• Ownership: Equity/Stock Options in our rapidly growing company.

• Health Benefits: Medical/Dental premiums 100% covered by Overwatch Imaging for employees and their families, plus available pre-tax health savings account.

• 401K: Employer matching contributions up to 4% of pay.

All applicants must be authorized to work on a permanent basis in the United States.

Overwatch Imaging is an equal opportunity workplace and makes employment decisions based on merit and
business needs, regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other protected personal characteristic.

Overwatch Imaging is committed to compliance with the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). As part of your pre-employment screening process, our team will conduct an export compliance assessment. Due to the nature of our work within these regulations, all employees will be confirmed to be U.S. persons before time of hire.

Application timeline: Applications for this position will be accepted through January 2nd, 2026. At that time, qualified candidates will be contacted regarding next steps.