Principal Product Manager - Flight Experience & Software Platforms

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial transportation.

The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, and operational excellence to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users - from first responders to insurance claims adjusters, utilities, and more!

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About The Role

As the Principal Product Manager of Skydio’s Flight Experience & SW Platforms, you will get to shape the end-to-end flight experience that builds on Skydio’s world-class autonomy.

You’ll craft a comprehensive experience across our controllers, mobile apps and web to offer the easiest, most enjoyable and productive drone flight platform in the world.

To do this, you’ll need to utilize a strong understanding of existing flight interfaces, capabilities and workflows, while crafting entirely new experiences through a first principles' mindset.

You will work closely with UX Design and other product teams, as well as the wide range of cross-functional engineering teams across software, cloud, hardware, autonomy and flight test.

You will spend a significant amount of time working directly with customers and GTM teams to become a subject matter expert in the workflows and needs across our Utilities, Public Safety and Federal customers.

Using this, you will craft a vision, build and test your hypothesis with internal and external usage and feedback. You will use all of this to launch an industry-leading flight experience to make our customers safer, more effective and more efficient.

Location : This is a hybrid position that requires 3 days / week onsite at our HQ in San Mateo, CA.

What You Will Be Responsible For In This Role

• Be the overall product owner for Skydio’s flight SW platforms, responsible for building a cohesive and scalable system spanning Skydio’s mobile apps, controller software and cloud.
• Specifically own the end-to-end flight experience of the flight interface / HUD, OOBE, settings, controls and information architecture.
• Be the product owner of our drone platform’s underlying flight autonomy system and behavior for core capabilities like launch / land, positioning, autonomous flight and safety features including obstacle avoidance.

What You Will Be Doing In This Role

• Engage regularly with customers to become the subject matter expert for how users interact with their flight control interfaces, and by extension their drones, to perform their day jobs (that don’t usually include piloting a drone).
• Write clear, compelling and detailed documentation of your vision, product narrative, PRDs and roadmap.
• Effectively present product documents and presentations in large reviews with executive internal and external stakeholders so everyone is aligned and inspired by your plan.
• Collaborate closely with sales and customer success to build and maintain close customer relationships, and ensure proper training and support for customer success.
• Partner with product marketing to develop launch plans, product positioning and messaging to bring your products to market.

Required experience that would make you a good fit for the role :

• 7+ years of proven success launching multiple complex products, across software and cloud platforms, ideally integrated with a hardware product, with examples of delightful customer experiences and user interfaces.
• A seasoned Product Management Leader of the end-to-end product lifecycle, with strong examples of :
• Leading highly effective customer-centric discovery.
• Crafting a compelling vision.
• Building a tactical roadmap strategy.
• Writing clear and effective PRDs.
• Executing high impact product launches.
• Tracking and driving success after launch.
• Highly autonomous and proactive product leader who seeks out continuous improvements in products, features and processes.
• Direct or indirect experience with engineering that allows you to actively participate in deep discussions with engineers on complex technical architecture challenges and tradeoffs.
• An advanced degree (e.g. MBA), or equivalent experience.

Potential backgrounds that would make you a great fit for the role :

• Experience owning large and complex products, platforms and experiences - examples could include drone / flight controllers, strategy / flight games, mobile device OS, or car software platforms.
• Deep understanding of drones or aviation systems.
• A background in software engineering, computer science, and / or user interaction design.
• Direct experience leading products in Robotics or AI products.
• Experience working closely with Utilities, Public Safety or Defense customers.

Compensation Range : The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - $215,000*. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience.

In addition to base salary, Skydio full-time employees are eligible to enroll in our benefit plans and take advantage of a variety of incentives and stipends.

For some positions the pay may be dependent upon the individual's regional location.

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems.

We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

As such, we do not make hiring or other employment-related decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, sex / gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, age, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, veteran, military or family status, or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https : / / www.e-verify.gov /

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