Product Manager (all genders) for Space Hardware

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

THE WHY  To make sure we build what the market actually needs. A great product that misses the customer is a failed product. You make sure that never happens.

THE WHAT  You own market-fit for our portfolio (e.g. Launch, or Satellites). You don't just write requirements – you make sure the right product gets built, for the right reasons, every time.

You ensure: 

• the segment's customer needs, applications, and competitive landscape are understood before they become a surprise
• every product idea is tested for feasibility and market-fit before a single resource is committed
• qualified products keep performing in the field – and if they don't, you already have the next move ready

  You don't manage a roadmap. You own a market.   Your tasks in detail and by priority: 

• Maintain a current, first-hand picture of customer needs, applications, and the competitive landscape in your segment: You engage directly with the market - whether through customer conversations, input from Sales, or your own research - and you know when a desk is enough and when it isn't. → High Performance: Stay current. Stay sharp. No stale assumptions.
• Translate customer needs into clear product requirements and a sequenced roadmap with gate milestones: The roadmap is jointly owned with Strategy and Engineering – you stress-test it, you don't rubber-stamp it. → Accountability: Own the roadmap. No vague requirements, no unmanaged surprises.
• Turn every product idea – from R&D, market opportunity, or customer request – into a structured concept brief, run feasibility checks with engineering, and pitch it to the Product Committee: → Togetherness: Built with Engineering and BD, decided as a committee – never alone.
• Write and own the PRD, define functional gate exit criteria, and decide on spec changes when requirements are changing: You're informed when a gate is missed and step in fast when the requirement itself has to change. → Candor: Flag it early. Decide it fast. No silent drift.
• Identify new product opportunities or addressable market segments that become viable as new technologies mature - and decide which ones are worth pursuing. R&D doesn't push technology on you – you pull it when it's ready. → Accountability: You decide. You own the call.
• Review field-insight reports monthly with the Product Owner and feed learnings into the next product generation: → Candor: Real field signal, not filtered good news.
• Bring genuine curiosity and energy to your segment: You enjoy the breadth of trade shows, customer dialogue, and new product ideas as much as the depth of a well-built roadmap. → Playfulness: Curiosity is part of the job, not a distraction from it.

YOUR PROFILE

• Master's degree in Industrial / Mechanical / Electrical / Aerospace Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. If your background is technical, you bring commercial experience too – and vice versa.
• 3–5+ years of experience, ideally as a Product Manager, Product Owner, Product Designer, or Program/Project Manager.
• Structured, strategic thinking with strong analytical rigor – you can prioritize under ambiguity and make decisions without complete information.
• Strong communication skills and customer empathy – you're comfortable as the external face of your segment.
• Technical fluency – able to meet engineers at eye level without owning the design yourself.
• Daily user of AI tools, with a genuine interest in experimenting with new workflows.
• Comfortable with breadth across many topics rather than depth in one.
• You speak English fluently; German is a plus for day-to-day collaboration but not a must-have.
• Nice-to-have: experience in the space industry or with COPVs.
• Nice-to-have: start-up or VC background.

WHAT WE OFFER

• High level of autonomy & real impact: You own a critical seam in the business — between what we sell and what we build.
• Startup mindset meets aerospace innovation: Flat hierarchies, fast decisions, and space for your ideas.
• Choose your own benefit: Germany ticket, Egym Wellpass, or a tax-free Give Card.
• Healthy & social lunch culture: Fresh meals during shared lunch breaks.
• Stunning views: Rooftop terrace with views of the Alps in Taufkirchen, or indoor garden in Garching-Hochbrück.
• Growth opportunities: Work on technically demanding projects with real stakes.
• We live our team culture: From tech talks to team events and after-work gatherings — we celebrate success together.

About us

Blackwave designs, manufactures and ships flight-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) for launch vehicles and satellites. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, the company delivers COPVs from a standardized portfolio with flight heritage. The approach reduces lead time from months to days while ensuring that each tank is qualified and flight-ready. Blackwave's mission is to end COPV failure in spaceflight. The company employs more than 150 people across manufacturing facilities in Germany and Texas.

More information at Blackwave.com and the procurement platform COPV.com.