Product Owner - Rapid Prototyping Capability

Red Gate is seeking a technically proficient, mission-focused Product Owner to support DTRA's rapid prototyping capability , which delivers data-driven, AI-enabled, and geospatial solutions to Combatant Commands, Military Services, and Special Operations Forces. The Product Owner will serve as the primary link between operational customers and multidisciplinary technical teams, translating mission challenges into prioritized product requirements, actionable development tasks, prototypes, and deployable capabilities

The Product Owner will manage the Iliad product lifecycle across 6- 18 month rapid prototyping cycles , including requirements development, backlog prioritization, product roadmaps, feature development oversight, customer engagement, operational validation, and continuous product improvement. The position requires the ability to work closely with software developers, data scientists, UX/UI designers, engineers, and operational users while maintaining focus on mission value, user experience, technical feasibility, and timely capability delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Product Owner for the Iliad platform and associated data science, AI-enabled, and mission application capabilities.
• Establish and maintain product vision, roadmaps, priorities, and development objectives aligned with operational mission requirements and customer needs.
• Manage and prioritize product backlogs, developing features, user stories, technical requirements, and acceptance criteria based on mission value, risk, dependencies, and development capacity.
• Coordinate Agile delivery activities, including sprint planning, backlog refinement, product demonstrations, reviews, and release planning.
• Engage Combatant Commands, Military Services, SOF organizations, and other mission stakeholders to identify operational challenges, capability gaps, and evolving requirements.
• Lead customer discovery sessions, requirements workshops, demonstrations, and feedback sessions; translate operational needs into actionable technical requirements.
• Guide rapid prototyping, proof-of-concept development, and iterative feature refinement based on user feedback and emerging mission requirements.
• Collaborate with software developers, data scientists, AI/ML specialists, engineers, and UX/UI designers to evaluate technical approaches and deliver mission-relevant capabilities.
• Identify and evaluate emerging AI, machine learning, data science, and AI-enabled development technologies to address operational challenges and accelerate capability delivery.
• Support integration of operational, geospatial, and external mission datasets, including data ingestion, transformation, interoperability, mapping, and visualization capabilities.
• Develop and validate requirements for mission applications operating in offline or disconnected environments.
• Support operational exercises, Validation Exercises (VALEX), simulations, and customer demonstrations; capture lessons learned and translate findings into prioritized product improvements.
• Assess prototype effectiveness and product readiness, supporting the transition of validated proofs of concept and experimental features into the operational Iliad platform.
• Communicate product roadmaps, status, risks, dependencies, priorities, and technical recommendations to Government leadership and other stakeholders.
• Support technical demonstrations and prototype development involving geospatial visualization, data conversion and integration, interactive UX/UI, offline document preview, and AI-enabled application development.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Information Systems, Business, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in product ownership, product management, software development, technical program support, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting Agile software development and rapid prototyping.
• Experience managing product requirements, priorities, backlogs, and feature development.
• Demonstrated ability to translate operational customer needs into technical requirements and development priorities.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary technical teams and operational users.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple competing requirements within a rapid-development environment.
• Active Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting DTRA, Combatant Commands, Special Operations Forces, Military Services, Intelligence Community, or other national security organizations.
• Experience conducting rapid prototyping, experimentation, exercises, or operational validation.
• Experience with AI/ML, data science, advanced analytics, geospatial data, or AI-assisted software development.
• Technical familiarity with Python, Jupyter Notebooks, Streamlit, JavaScript, geospatial visualization, and operational data integration.
• Experience delivering software or analytical capabilities in disconnected or limited-connectivity environments.
• Product Owner, Scrum, Agile, or related professional certification.

Company Description

The Red Gate Group, founded in 2006, is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Company based in Chantilly, VA. As an SDVOSB, the Red Gate Group has established a reputation for delivering quality multi-tiered services in intelligence analysis, strategic planning, program management, policy development, operational design, and technology integration. RGG delivers high-quality, customer-centric solutions around the world-from the foxhole to the highest levels of Government. Our motto, "Making a Difference for Country and Client," reflects our deep commitment to national security and service excellence. As an employer of choice, we offer comprehensive benefits including flexible time off, 11 paid holidays, immediate 401(k) eligibility with a generous match, and full medical, dental, and vision coverage. Our employees enjoy 100% company-paid life insurance and disability benefits, along with professional development assistance for degrees and certifications. We foster a culture of growth and work-life balance, backed by our commitment to supporting both our clients' missions and our employees' success. Join our team and be part of an organization that values both service excellence and employee wellbeing.