The Stacks Product Manager

astera; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Astera is seeking a Product Manager for The Stacks, an open-access platform for publishing scientific knowledge. In this role, you will lead product vision, strategy, and execution while collaborating with engineering and design teams.

The ideal candidate has 4–7+ years of experience in product management, strong understanding of open science principles, and technical fluency. You will develop the product roadmap and ensure The Stacks meets high standards for performance and user experience.

Qualifications

• 4–7+ years of product management experience in digital publishing or research tools.
• Demonstrated ability to lead product development from concept to execution.
• High product intuition for usability and information architecture.

Responsibilities

• Lead product vision and strategy for The Stacks.
• Develop and maintain product roadmap with prioritized features.
• Communicate product decisions and timelines to stakeholders.

Skills

Product management experience

Open science concepts

Communication skills

Technical fluency

User research

Job description

About Astera

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward an abundant future for all. We believe the coming years will bring an era of unprecedented scientific and technological advancement as exponential progress in AI converges with central advances in other fields to dramatically accelerate innovation. This inflection point provides an unparalleled opportunity to fundamentally rethink the institutions, systems, and tools that drive scientific progress. We are searching for visionary leaders who are compelled by the challenge of driving transformative change in the way science is funded, conducted, and communicated. You can read more about our mission, vision, and programming here.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Product Manager to lead the vision, strategy, and execution of The Stacks, a new open‑access platform for publishing, exploring, and connecting scientific and technical knowledge. We’re looking for a product leader who can translate a bold conceptual vision into a clear roadmap, partner closely with engineering and design, and ensure the final product truly serves researchers, writers, and knowledge‑seekers. We're a nimble team, so looking for someone who is comfortable being scrappy and wearing multiple hats - from user research to analytics to prototyping. The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of open science, digital publishing, and modern web product design, alongside technical fluency that allows them to collaborate effectively with software teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the product vision and strategy for The Stacks in alignment with Astera’s mission.
• Develop and maintain a clear product roadmap with thoughtful prioritization of features and milestones.
• Translate conceptual ideas and user needs into clear product requirements, specifications, and user stories.
• Work closely with engineering and design to ensure features are delivered with high quality, usability, and technical feasibility.
• Lead iterative development cycles by clarifying requirements, making trade‑off decisions, and keeping teams aligned.
• Conduct user research and gather structured feedback from researchers, writers, and early adopters to inform product direction.
• Analyze workflows, pain points, and habits of scientific and technical users to shape product design decisions.
• Ensure The Stacks maintains high standards for performance, accessibility, reliability, and user experience.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to ensure cohesive development and smooth collaboration.
• Communicate product decisions, timelines, tradeoffs, and progress clearly to leadership and stakeholders.
• Drive usage by understanding performance metrics and qualitative feedback to prioritize opportunities for improvement.
• Advocate for open science principles and incorporate them into product decisions and long‑term planning.

Qualifications

• 4–7+ years of product management experience, ideally in content platforms, digital publishing, research tools, or adjacent fields.
• Demonstrated ability to lead product development from 0 → 1.
• Familiarity with open science concepts and contemporary research workflows.
• Experience working closely with engineering and design; able to translate technical constraints into product decisions.
• Technical fluency (comfortable reading specs, understanding system architecture, and discussing tradeoffs), ideally with prior experience in:
  • software development, or
  • technical product management roles, or
  • overseeing complex web products.
• Exceptional communication skills (clear, structured, succinct).
• High product intuition with a strong sense for usability, information architecture, and content experience.
• Ability to operate in fast‑paced, ambiguous environments and bring structure to open‑ended problems.

Location

On site at our office in Emeryville, CA. Some travel may be required from time‑to‑time for in‑person collaboration and work.

Compensation

The posted salary range is based on location in the Bay Area. The successful candidate will receive a competitive compensation package, commensurate with their experience and location.

• Benefits summary