Forward Deployed Product Manager

Key Beliefs

• We believe in in-person collaboration, internally and with customers/partners
• We believe meetings are for shaping/ problem solving, not status updates
• We believe in order to win, this is a team sport and hold one-another accountable to a high bar, publicly
• We believe in first principles and a beginner mindset
• We believe in a bias for action and speed
• We believe in doing the hard things and making trade-offs

Benefits + Perks

We value you at and outside of work and know your loved ones are important. Our benefits are designed to support you and your family’s health through life’s expected and unexpected events.

Our Benefits Include:

• Competitive Salary + Stock Options
• Health Care Coverage + Life Insurance (2X Salary)
• 401K Plan with Company match 
• Health Savings Account + Flexible Spending Account
• Flexible Vacation Policy
• Adaptable Working Schedule and Environment

Our Perks Include:

• Casual Dress Attire
• Hybrid work flexibility (2 days work from home)
• Catered Lunches, Snacks and Beverages
• Commuter Transit and Parking Plan
• Company Outings and Happy Hours
• Designated Volunteering Hours + Group Volunteer Events

Sight Machine is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and considers candidates regardless of age, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. Sight Machine also considers qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

About Sight Machine, Inc.

Sight Machine strengthens manufacturers by providing the industry’s best manufacturing AI and data platform, and system-level visualization capabilities. Our innovative platform integrates all critical data into a single, intuitive  platform, enabling everyone involved in the fabrication process to visualize, contextualize and analyze information seamlessly. Leveraging 3D technology and AI capabilities allows plant operators and managers to get real-time visibility into their manufacturing lines and AI/ML recommendations help improve production, yield and uptime. 

Sight Machine is committed and mission-driven to improve lives, strengthen communities and make the world cleaner by continuously re-envisioning  and improving manufacturing processes, making them more efficient, sustainable and absolute. Founded in Michigan in 2011 and expanded to San Francisco in 2012, Sight Machine blends the Silicon Valley spirit of technology innovation and the down to earth style of Detroit manufacturing. Together, we bring deep industry expertise and a shared commitment to advancing manufacturing towards a more sustainable future.

At Sight Machine, you will work with manufacturing leaders across industries including food & beverage, consumer packaged goods, automotive, packaging, etc. . You will have access to vast amounts of factory floor data, learn how the products you use every day are made, using that knowledge to uncover insights into how customers manufacture products and develop solutions to critical business challenges. Our platform tackles complex problems, including Extract Transform Load (ETL), information retrieval, data aggregation and analytics, factory automation, distributed computing, security, and is leading the expansion into machine learning, agentic and physical AI applications. 

We place great value on professional, technical, and personal growth in an inclusive, collaborative environment. The ideal candidate is passionate  about technology and brings a strong, can-do attitude. They must be able to work in a highly dynamic environment with a good degree of ambiguity. They believe in the company’s mission and are all-in to make themselves and the company successful.

About the role

As a Forward-Deployed Product Manager, you will play a critical role in shaping the future of our client engagements, working closely with our sales and delivery teams to turn prospects' needs into tailored solutions before they even become customers. You will be the bridge between our clients' real-world operational needs and our innovative technological capabilities.

You’ll ensure that prospects are a good fit and that we can deliver the right solutions to help them succeed. This means you’ll need to push back on both customers and internal teams when necessary, always advocating for what will lead to successful outcomes. You’ll work directly with partners, navigating complex and potentially political environments, and shaping solutions tailored to each customer.

This is a high-impact, customer-facing role that requires travel up to two times a week and the ability to influence and present to C-suite executives at large manufacturing companies.

What you will do

• Understand Prospect Needs: Collaborate with prospects to deeply understand their operational challenges, going beyond surface-level requirements to identify core, underlying needs.
• Assess Fit and Viability: Ensure prospects are a good fit for our solutions by rigorously evaluating their needs, challenges, and potential success with our technology. You’ll advocate for long-term success over short-term wins.
• Push Back When Needed: Challenge assumptions, push back on both prospects and internal teams when necessary, and ensure alignment on solutions that will truly make the customer successful.
• Shape Tailored Solutions: Leverage your product management and technical knowledge to design and recommend solutions that address the unique challenges and goals of each prospect, with a focus on driving digital transformation. Work closely with partners to craft these solutions as needed.
• Collaboration with Internal Teams: Work closely with sales and delivery teams to ensure customer needs are understood and met, aligning product development and delivery with real-world requirements.
• Influence Stakeholders: Present and communicate effectively with executive-level stakeholders, influencing decision-making through compelling storytelling and data-driven insights.
• 0 to 1 Product Development: Work in a fast-paced, startup-like environment to craft 0-to-1 solutions from scratch and execute on high-growth opportunities, delivering customer-specific solutions. Collaborate with platform PMs to translate these bespoke solutions into scalable, resellable products.
• Travel & On-Site Engagement: Be on the ground with prospects and partners, traveling up to twice a week to build trust, gather insights, and facilitate solution design workshops.

Qualifications

• Experience: 3+ years as a Product Manager, ideally with experience in a startup (0 to 1) environment. Experience in manufacturing, data technology, or enterprise software is a plus.
• Customer-Focused Mindset: Ability to work directly with customers and prospects to uncover needs, influence decision-making, and shape solutions.
• Determination & Curiosity: A driven and curious mindset with the ability to navigate complex and potentially political environments with diplomacy and strategic thinking.
• Technical Proficiency: Strong understanding of software and data solutions, and the ability to translate customer needs into actionable product requirements.
• Executive Presence: Strong communication and presentation skills, with experience influencing C-level executives and other senior decision-makers.
• Travel: Willingness to travel up to twice a week to meet prospects and collaborate with internal teams.

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