Product Owner Associate Director

Overview Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world. For over 20 years, Iridium’s unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things. At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed. Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions. Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world. Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves. We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world. Responsibilities What We’re Looking For: Iridium is seeking a motivated, confident, well-spoken Senior Principal Software System Engineer to join our Satellite Software Team! As Product Owner for the Iridium Satellite Software, you will be the primary functional lead responsible for planning, scheduling and delivering the Flight Software designed and built by the Satellite Software Engineering teams and their Subcontractors. You will serve as the "voice of the customer" within the Technology Development Organization (TDO), translating Iridium’s strategic business goals and complex mission requirements into a prioritized, actionable backlog of new services and features. You will ensure that every Program Increment (PI) and sprint aligns with the technical roadmap. What You’ll Do: Lead the continuous refinement and prioritization of the Satellite Software product backlog, ensuring it reflects company priorities, business goals, and technical dependencies. Partner with Systems Engineering, Satellite Operations, and other stakeholders to translate high‑level system requirements into well‑defined features; collaborate with the Software Engineering team to further break these into executable user stories with clear acceptance criteria. Make strategic decisions on product scope and sequencing—balancing new feature development, architectural needs, inter‑segment dependencies, and technical debt to maximize mission value. Evaluate inputs from multiple stakeholders and data sources to make rapid, high‑impact prioritization decisions in a fast‑changing environment. Play a key role in Program Increment (PI) Planning by defining the vision, roadmap, and priorities for the Space RAN segment and working with the Agile Release Train (ART) to develop achievable plans. Provide daily guidance to the Software Development team by clarifying requirements, answering functional questions, and accepting or rejecting completed stories based on defined criteria. Lead PI Demonstrations to showcase integrated software capabilities, gather stakeholder feedback, and inform future iterations. Align development schedules with major program milestones by partnering closely with Segment Product Owners, Project Managers, and TDO senior leadership. Serve as the primary point of contact for TDO stakeholders, translating their technical needs into prioritized backlog items and setting clear expectations for delivery timelines. Collaborate with senior leadership to define strategic objectives for satellite software and ensure execution supports overall mission goals. Clearly communicate roadmap updates, deliverable status, and product outcomes to stakeholders, even with limited preparation time. Qualifications What You’ll Need to Succeed: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field 12+ years of experience in complex software or systems engineering, with a strong preference for telecommunications, real-time embedded systems, or space-based software environments A proven track record of technical leadership, either as a Lead Engineer, Technical Product Manager, or Product Owner, overseeing high‑stakes projects from concept to deployment Exceptional ability to articulate product visions, technical trade‑offs, and complex analyses to diverse audiences. Must be adept at tailoring communication styles for both deep‑dive engineering sessions and executive-level briefings Expert at building trust‑based relationships across all levels of the organization; comfortably providing candid, constructive feedback to both development teams and senior leadership Demonstrated ability to decompose highly complex technical situations into actionable solutions and drive those solutions through the full Agile lifecycle A creative approach to problem‑solving with professional maturity to make reliable, high‑impact decisions on new or ambiguous assignments Proven ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment, effectively managing a shifting product backlog and navigating evolving mission priorities A commitment to knowledge sharing and cross‑functional mentorship We’ll also need you to: Be able to travel up to 30 days annually Be on call to support on orbit satellite anomaly resolution Be able to work a hybrid schedule that includes at least 60% of your time (3 days per week) in office Be a US Citizen with no dual citizenships #J-18808-Ljbffr