Principal Product Manager

FORT is seeking a Principal Product Manager to lead our most foundational product initiatives. This role will define what we build and why, translating customer pain, industry standards, and strategic vision into executable product requirements. You’ll work at the intersection of hardware and software, partnering closely with engineering, safety, sales, and leadership to drive clarity and momentum.

This is not a traditional product role—we’re seeking someone who thrives in ambiguity, understands safety-critical systems, and has a builder’s mindset. You’ll lay the groundwork for a scalable product function at FORT, while helping define the future of autonomy and human-machine interaction.

• Own the development of FORT’s product roadmap and product requirements documents (PRDs) with clear business rationale, technical feasibility, and regulatory awareness
  
• Work closely with engineering and systems teams to translate product strategy into execution-ready plans
  
• Lead customer discovery and pain-point synthesis across industrial automation, robotics, and safety markets
  
• Serve as the bridge between engineering, sales, marketing, and leadership, ensuring alignment on roadmap priorities and tradeoffs
  
• Conduct build vs. buy vs. partner analysis for key components and features
  
• Integrate industry standards (e.g., ISO 13849/21434, IEC 61508, GDPR) into product development strategy and documentation
  
• Contribute to go-to-market materials and external communications (roadmap presentations, panels, technical webinars)
• Represent FORT at conferences and industry events, including speaking engagements
  
• Help define the future product organization by setting standards, templates, and processes
  

• Have 5–10+ years in product management, systems engineering, or technical program roles in robotics, automation, or safety-critical industries
  
• Have experience writing or co-owning PRDs, use cases, or systems requirements
  
• Understand functional safety (e.g., IEC 61508, ISO 13849) and can work alongside safety engineers
  
• Can speak the language of engineering, understand constraints, and engage in technical problem-solving
  
• Have a proven ability to synthesize customer input, competitive data, and technical insights into a clear strategy
  
• Are highly self-directed and comfortable working without an existing product org or tightly defined processes
  
• Thrive in ambiguous, fast-moving environments and aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions or pivot
  
• Have experience at both large industry players and smaller robotics/AI startups
  

• A shareable company-wide roadmap and PRDs for core product initiatives
  
• A defined strategy for platform, safety, and recurring revenue expansion
  
• Clear articulation of customer pain points across target verticals
  
• Improved cross-functional alignment on “what and why” we build
  
• Increased visibility into standards, compliance, and competitive landscape
  
• Early foundation laid for a scalable product function at FORT