Product Owner

Insight Global (United States); North Carolina; On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global is seeking a Product Owner to own cloud and platform capabilities for smart pool IoT products, bridging product goals with backend features.

You will work with Product Managers and Agile roles to deliver device-to-cloud experiences, translate roadmaps into backend epics, and ensure alignment with architecture and business goals.

Qualifications

• 5+ years as a Product Owner in Agile, including IoT/cloud platform exposure.
• Hands-on ownership of backend capabilities (device connectivity, cloud services, APIs).
• Understanding of full IoT stack from hardware to apps and customer impact.
• Experience shaping AI or data-driven product capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Identify backend capability gaps with evidence-backed proposals.
• Own and prioritize the Backend value stream backlog for devices, cloud, and apps.
• Translate roadmaps into backend epics, features, and enablers.
• Define and refine features aligned to architectural runway and objectives.
• Write high-quality user stories with acceptance criteria including NF requirements.
• Shape AI-enabled backend capabilities with architects and data teams.

Skills

IoT product ownership

Backend capabilities

IoT stack knowledge

AI-first product

SAFe/Agile

Stakeholder communication

Job description

Insight Global is looking for a Product Owner to join their customers backed IOT value stream. In this role you will own the cloud and platform capabilities that make our smart pool products work: device connectivity and provisioning, data ingestion, device and account management, APIs and integrations, notifications, and AI-enabled services. You will be the voice of the customer and the content authority for your Agile team.

You will partner with Product Managers to turn smart product capabilities into backend features, and work in the Agile Trio with the Value Stream Architect (technical authority) and Scrum Master (execution authority). Together with the Applications, Edge, and Smart Devices value streams, you will deliver connected experiences that work seamlessly from device to cloud to app.

The ideal candidate has led IoT or connected products, understands the full device-to-cloud stack, and can translate business goals into clear technical stories. You are comfortable discussing APIs, data models, and system behavior with architects and engineers, and explaining the tradeoffs in business terms.

Responsibilities

• Proactively identify backend capability gaps and opportunities in reliability, data, and AI, and bring forward evidence-backed proposals, not just responses to requests.
• Own and prioritize the Backend value stream backlog to deliver maximum business value across devices, cloud, and customer applications.
• Partner with Product Managers to translate roadmaps and smart product capabilities into backend epics, features, and enablers that power connected experiences.
• Work with the Value Stream Architect and Scrum Master to define and refine features and stories that align to architectural runway and product objectives.
• Write high-quality user stories and acceptance criteria, including non-functional requirements for performance, scalability, security, and reliability, and maintain clear definitions of ready and done.
• Own backend capabilities such as device connectivity and provisioning, device and fleet management, telemetry and data pipelines, APIs and third-party integrations, identity and access, notifications, and firmware update orchestration.
• Shape AI-enabled backend capabilities with architects and data teams, such as predictive diagnostics, anomaly detection, intelligent alerts, and conversational or agentic services, built on strong data foundations.
• Facilitate backlog refinement, PI Planning, and iteration reviews to deliver consistent, predictable value.
• Manage dependencies with the Applications, Edge, and Smart Devices value streams, RTEs, and STEs to align integrated IoT releases.
• Work with DevOps, QA, and engineering on release readiness, feature acceptance, monitoring, and quality standards.
• Use platform and product data, such as device online rates, latency, error rates, and feature adoption, to measure value, validate outcomes, and guide prioritization.
• Lead conversations with Product Management, Architecture, Engineering, Service, and Commercial teams, explaining technical tradeoffs clearly and building alignment.
• Work AI-first: use AI tools to analyze data, draft and challenge requirements, synthesize feedback, and explore new concepts, applying human judgment and security to every output.
• Continuously improve backlog practices, flow, and throughput using Agile metrics, and bring data-driven insights to Inspect & Adapt and retrospectives.

Must-haves

• 5+ years as a Product Owner in Agile, including 2+ years on IoT, connected device or cloud platform products
• Hands-on ownership of backend capabilities such as device connectivity, cloud services, APIs, data pipelines and integrations
• Understanding of the full IoT stack, from hardware and firmware to cloud and apps – How do backend decisions affect devices and the customer experience?
• AI-first, with experience shaping AI or data-driven product capabilities
• SAFe or large-scale Agile experience, with strong story writing and acceptance criteria
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management with product, architecture and engineering

Pluses:

• Experience with cloud IoT platforms and services, such as AWS IoT or Azure IoT.
• Familiarity with data architecture, analytics, AI, and ML in cloud environments.
• Experience with device provisioning, firmware updates, fleet management, or IoT security and identity.
• Experience with smart home ecosystems and integrations, such as voice assistants or Matter.
• Background in connected equipment, consumer durables, or hardware product development, including hybrid Agile and Waterfall workflows.