Product Manager (all genders) for Space Hardware

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES THE WHY To make sure we build what the market actually needs. A great product that misses the customer is a failed product. You make sure that never happens. THE WHAT You own market-fit for our portfolio (e.g. Launch, or Satellites). You don't just write requirements – you make sure the right product gets built, for the right reasons, every time. You ensure: • the segment's customer needs, applications, and competitive landscape are understood before they become a surprise • every product idea is tested for feasibility and market-fit before a single resource is committed • qualified products keep performing in the field – and if they don't, you already have the next move ready You don't manage a roadmap. You own a market. Your tasks in detail and by priority: • Maintain a current , first-hand picture of customer needs , applications , and the competitive landscape in your segment : You engage directly with the market - whether through customer conversations, input from Sales, or your own research - and you know when a desk is enough and when it isn't. → High Performance: Stay current. Stay sharp. No stale assumptions. • Translate customer needs into clear product requirements and a sequenced roadmap with gate milestones : The roadmap is jointly owned with Strategy and Engineering – you stress-test it, you don't rubber-stamp it. → Accountability: Own the roadmap. No vague requirements, no unmanaged surprises. • Turn every product idea – from R&D, market opportunity, or customer request – into a structured concept brief, run feasibility checks with engineering, and pitch it to the Product Committee: → Togetherness: Built with Engineering and BD, decided as a committee – never alone. • Write and own the PRD, define functional gate exit criteria , and decide on spec changes when requirements are changing : You're informed when a gate is missed and step in fast when the requirement itself has to change. → Candor: Flag it early. Decide it fast. No silent drift. • Identify new product opportunities or addressable market segments that become viable as new technologies mature - and decide which ones are worth pursuing. R&D doesn't push technology on you – you pull it when it's ready. → Accountability: You decide. You own the call. • Review field-insight reports monthly with the Product Owner and feed learnings into the next product generation: → Candor: Real field signal, not filtered good news. • Bring genuine curiosity and energy to your segment: You enjoy the breadth of trade shows, customer dialogue, and new product ideas as much as the depth of a well-built roadmap. → Playfulness: Curiosity is part of the job, not a distraction from it. YOUR PROFILE • Master's degree in Industrial / Mechanical / Electrical / Aerospace Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. If your background is technical, you bring commercial experience too – and vice versa. • 3–5+ years of experience , ideally as a Product Manager, Product Owner, Product Designer, or Program/Project Manager. • Structured, strategic thinking with strong analytical rigor – you can prioritize under ambiguity and make decisions without complete information. • Strong communication skills and customer empathy – you're comfortable as the external face of your segment. • Technical fluency – able to meet engineers at eye level without owning the design yourself. • Daily user of AI tools , with a genuine interest in experimenting with new workflows. • Comfortable with breadth across many topics rather than depth in one. • You speak English fluently; German is a plus for day-to-day collaboration but not a must-have. • Nice-to-have: experience in the space industry or with COPVs. • Nice-to-have: start-up or VC background. WHAT WE OFFER • High level of autonomy & real impact: You own a critical seam in the business — between what we sell and what we build. • Startup mindset meets aerospace innovation: Flat hierarchies, fast decisions, and space for your ideas. • Choose your own benefit: Germany ticket, Egym Wellpass, or a tax-free Give Card. • Healthy & social lunch culture: Fresh meals during shared lunch breaks. • Stunning views: Rooftop terrace with views of the Alps in Taufkirchen, or indoor garden in Garching-Hochbrück. • Growth opportunities: Work on technically demanding projects with real stakes. • We live our team culture: From tech talks to team events and after-work gatherings — we celebrate success together. About us Blackwave designs, manufactures and ships flight-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) for launch vehicles and satellites. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, the company delivers COPVs from a standardized portfolio with flight heritage. The approach reduces lead time from months to days while ensuring that each tank is qualified and flight-ready. Blackwave's mission is to end COPV failure in spaceflight. The company employs more than 150 people across manufacturing facilities in Germany and Texas.More information at Blackwave.com and the procurement platform COPV.com.