Product Owner, IoT Operations

Job Title: Product Owner, IoT Operations

Job Description

This role serves as the Product Owner within an IoT value stream-such as Applications, Backend, Edge, or Smart Devices-owning and prioritizing the product backlog to maximize business value. You will translate product roadmaps and business requirements into clear, actionable development work, and partner closely with architecture, engineering, and delivery teams to ensure high-quality, scalable IoT solutions. The position requires a strong Agile and SAFe background, deep understanding of full-stack or IoT systems, and the ability to balance technical feasibility with business outcomes in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Product Owner for an IoT value stream (Applications, Backend, Edge, or Smart Devices), managing and prioritizing the product backlog to deliver maximum business value.
• Partner with the Agile Trio (Product Owner, Architect, and delivery leadership) to define and refine epics, features, and user stories that align with product and architectural objectives.
• Translate high-level product roadmaps and business requirements from Product Management into clear, actionable development priorities for the team.
• Define and maintain high-quality user stories, including acceptance criteria and definitions of ready and done, to ensure clarity and shared understanding across the development team.
• Facilitate and actively contribute to backlog refinement, Program Increment (PI) Planning, and iteration reviews to ensure the team delivers consistent, predictable value.
• Collaborate with Release Train Engineers (RTEs), Solution Train Engineers (STEs), and Program Managers to identify and manage cross-team dependencies and align value-stream deliverables with integrated IoT releases.
• Work closely with DevOps, QA, and engineering teams to ensure release readiness, validate feature acceptance, and maintain adherence to quality standards.
• Partner with Product Management to measure business value, validate solution outcomes, and ensure traceability between strategic objectives and delivery.
• Continuously assess and improve backlog management processes, team velocity, and feature throughput using Agile metrics and feedback loops.
• Support Inspect & Adapt sessions and retrospectives by providing data-driven insights into delivery performance and opportunities for improvement.
• Engage with engineering and architectural teams to ensure technical feasibility, adherence to design intent, and scalability of IoT solutions across device, edge, and cloud layers.
• Maintain a strong understanding of how the assigned value stream connects across the full IoT stack-from device through cloud to customer applications-and demonstrate ownership and curiosity in this end-to-end context.
• Balance technical feasibility with business value by applying strong analytical, prioritization, and problem-solving skills to guide trade-offs and decision-making.
• Engage and facilitate discussions with stakeholders across technical and business functions, ensuring alignment, transparency, and effective communication.
• Adapt to changing priorities and support both Agile and hybrid Agile/Waterfall workflows while enabling team success and continuous improvement.

Essential Skills

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Product Owner, Business Analyst, or Product Manager in Agile development environments.
• Officially held the Product Owner or Product Manager title for at least 3 years (not in acting or hybrid roles).
• Proven experience working in SAFe or other large-scale Agile environments supporting multi-team product development.
• Hands-on experience with IoT systems or full-stack products, such as hardware, firmware, cloud, mobile, or web applications.
• Strong product management fundamentals with demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills.
• Strong analytical, prioritization, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance technical feasibility and business value.
• Proficiency with Agile lifecycle management tools such as Jira, Confluence, Power BI, or equivalent platforms.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders across technical and business functions.
• Ability to manage changing priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Understanding of Agile Trio dynamics (Product Owner, Architect, and delivery leadership) and how they drive alignment between content, technical, and delivery authority.
• Educational background in Computer Science, Embedded Software Development, or IoT, or equivalent relevant experience.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor"s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field; an additional 5 years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• SAFe Product Owner / Product Manager (POPM) certification is preferred.
• Familiarity with data architecture and machine learning in cloud-based environments.
• Experience in IoT or embedded systems development involving device connectivity and data platforms.
• Demonstrated curiosity and strong customer empathy, with a clear understanding of how technical decisions impact end-user experience.
• Comfort working across both Agile and hybrid Agile/Waterfall workflows.
• Growth mindset with a focus on learning, continuous improvement, and enabling team success.
• Interest in connected IoT solutions that enhance how customers manage, maintain, and enjoy their environments, such as pool or water-related systems.

Work Environment

This position is based in Apex, NC in a hybrid work environment that blends on-site collaboration with remote flexibility. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Architecture, Engineering, DevOps, QA, and Program Management in a structured SAFe environment. The work focuses on connected IoT solutions and full-stack products spanning devices, embedded software, cloud services, and customer-facing applications. The culture emphasizes innovation, collaboration, operational excellence, and building sustainable, resource-efficient solutions, supported by modern Agile tools and practices.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Apex, NC.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $70.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Apex,NC.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 20, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.