Technical Product Manager

Big Belly Solar; Needham (MA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Big Belly Solar, located in Needham, MA, is looking for a Technical Product Manager to lead the product lifecycle of their innovative smart waste and recycling system. This role combines hardware product leadership with IoT connectivity, ensuring Big Belly stations function as efficient, data-driven assets.

The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in product management, focus on physical products, and a technical background in electronics or mechanical engineering. Strong collaboration with engineering and sales teams is essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of product management experience focused on physical products.
• Experience with the full hardware product lifecycle.
• Technical familiarity with mechanical devices, firmware, IoT communications.

Responsibilities

• Define product strategy and develop a roadmap.
• Conduct customer and market research to identify opportunities.
• Manage and prioritize the product backlog.

Skills

Product lifecycle management

Data analysis

Customer research

Cross-functional teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

SolidWorks or similar CAD environments

PLM systems such as Arena

Job description

Full-time in Needham, MA

Bigbelly is seeking a Technical Product Manager to own the end-to-end lifecycle of our world-leading smart waste and recycling system. You will sit at the intersection of hardware engineering (solar power, compaction, sensors), embedded firmware, and our CLEAN™ cloud platform. Your mission is to ensure Bigbelly stations are not just bins, but highly efficient, data-driven assets that help municipalities and campuses reach their sustainability goals. This role is ideal for product managers who enjoy working with both physical products and connected technology. This role blends hardware product leadership with IoT connectivity, working closely with engineering, manufacturing, and software teams. You will work closely with our engineering and customer support teams in Needham, manufacturing operations in Methuen, and the sales team to manage our products from concept through production and field performance.

Core Responsibilities

• Strategy & Vision: Defining the "why," "what," and "when" of the product, setting goals, and developing a strategic roadmap.
• Customer & Market Research: Conducting user interviews, analyzing market trends such as AI, and analyzing competitor products to identify opportunities.
• Prioritization & Backlog Management: Managing the product backlog, determining which features to build next, and making tough decisions between competing priorities.
• Cross-Functional Teamwork: Collaborating with design, engineering, sales, and marketing teams to ensure a smooth, cohesive product launch.
• Data Analysis & Iteration: Monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) and user data to measure success and improve existing functionality.
• Communication: Serving as the product lead for communicating product updates, vision, and value to stakeholders and internal teams.
• For new products, writing user stories, user testing, and supporting product marketing activities
• Commercial: Working with internal teams to ensure timely and accurate product pricing is in place to support sales and business needs.
• Global: With roughly 50% of the company’s products exported globally, monitor for changes in market requirements to stay ahead of any regulatory changes.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field

Experience

• 5+ years of product management experience, with a heavy focus on physical products.
• Experience supporting a hardware product lifecycle from concept through production and end-of-life
• Experience building pricing strategies for physical products
• Technical familiarity with mechanical devices, firmware, IoT communications, and cloud-based software

Tools

• Skilled in the Microsoft Office suite, including strong proficiency in Excel and designing engaging PowerPoint presentations.
• Proficient in leveraging generative AI tools to streamline research and content creation
• Familiarity with hardware design processes and tools such as SolidWorks or similar CAD environments
• Familiarity with PLM systems such as Arena