Product Owner — AI Reliability Engineering

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc•Pittsfield, MA

1d•$124,397 - $138,003•Remote

About The Position

This role is for a Product Owner focused on AI Reliability Engineering, working on enterprise-scale AI modernization. The position involves replacing legacy ERP, HRM, CRM, and manufacturing systems with AI-native applications. The Product Owner will have decision authority over what the pod builds and in what order, working directly with executive-level stakeholders and the CDAIO organization. The role is part of a new pod model, and the Product Owner will help define its operations. The work involves hard, consequential problems in the defense industry.

Requirements

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.
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.
Experience working directly with engineering teams on software delivery.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to present to executives and translate between business needs and technical reality.
Experience with enterprise systems (ERP, CRM, HRM, MES, or similar).

Nice To Haves

Experience in a product owner or product manager role during a system modernization or legacy replacement effort.
Familiarity with AI/ML concepts.
Experience in manufacturing, defense, or complex enterprise environments where process compliance and change management matter.
Track record of managing stakeholders who have competing priorities.
Thinks in outcomes, not outputs.
Makes decisions independently, even with incomplete information.
Protects the team's focus by saying no to non-priority work.
Ability to explain complex technical initiatives to executives concisely.
Accountable for delivery, not just involvement.

Responsibilities

Define, prioritize, and maintain the pod's work backlog based on business value, stakeholder input, and technical feasibility, ensuring each item has a clear definition of done.
Articulate the value case for each initiative, quantifying benefits such as cost savings, efficiency gains, risk reduction, and user impact.
Manage stakeholder expectations across executive leadership, functional organizations, and the pod team, making final decisions when priorities conflict.
Identify risks early, escalate unresolved issues, and ensure the pod meets its commitments by tracking progress through outcomes delivered.
Serve as the final authority on whether the pod's deliverables meet business needs, working with Domain SMEs for validation.