Product Manager II

EOTECH•Plymouth Charter Township, MI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Product Manager II serves as the strategic and technical leader responsible for driving the successful development, production, and lifecycle management of advanced optical and weapon defense products. This role exists to align customer mission requirements, product innovation, and manufacturing excellence, ensuring that every system delivered meets the highest standards of performance, reliability, and compliance demanded by defense applications. With a deep foundation in product management, engineering design, and process optimization, this position bridges the gap between technology development and operational execution. The purpose of the role is to translate complex defense needs into practical, manufacturable, and commercially viable solutions that strengthen the organization’s competitive advantage and support the success of defense and government programs.

Requirements

Strategic product planning in defense, optics, electro-optics, IIT, and multi-spectral sensor markets.
Market intelligence & defense customer engagement
Proven success managing optical, electro-optical, or defense product portfolios from concept to production.
Strong knowledge of defense acquisition processes, DFARS/ITAR compliance, and DoD customer requirements.
Familiarity with optical design, thermal management, precision machining, and ruggedization for field conditions.
Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams across engineering, operations, and business units.
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical discipline.
2 to 4+ years of total experience, including 2 to 4+ years in Product Management/Product Development
2 to 4+ years in Program Management
2 to 4+ years in Manufacturing/Process Engineering
Defense industry experience required.
Must undergo and meet company standards for background check, employment verification and reference checks.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree is preferred.
Security clearance (Secret or higher) preferred or ability to obtain clearance.
Certifications such as Lean Six Sigma, PMP, or NPDP are preferred.
Proficient in PLM/ERP
U.S. Citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

Define and execute product roadmaps for Soldier borne, weapon borne, optical, and weapon defense systems aligned with corporate strategy, defense market requirements and opportunities and commercialization potential.
Develop business cases, pricing strategies, and lifecycle management plans that maximize program value and profitability.
Analyze customer requirements, competitive intelligence, and technology trends to guide R&D priorities.
Partner with sales, government programs, and business development to capture new opportunities and support proposal efforts.
Oversee product performance metrics, risk assessments, and compliance with ITAR and DoD requirements.
Lead cross-functional teams through design, prototyping, testing, and validation of advanced optical and electro-mechanical systems.
Translate complex technical and operational requirements into clear engineering specifications.
Implement structured development processes (stage-gate or agile hybrid) ensuring traceability, technical rigor, and documentation compliance.
Drive innovation in optical design, materials, coatings, and system integration for ruggedized defense applications.
Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing to ensure design for manufacturability (DFM), reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
Leverage 10+ years of process engineering experience to optimize production methods for precision optical and mechanical assemblies.
Partner with operations to ensure scalable, repeatable manufacturing processes that meet defense quality standards (AS9100, ISO9001).
Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and root cause analysis methodologies.
Support qualification, first article inspections (FAI), and production ramp-up for new defense programs.
Drive process capability improvements and yield enhancements in optical fabrication, coating, and assembly processes.
Other duties as required.