Product Manager, See & Spray

We’re Blue River, a team of innovators driven to create intelligent machinery that solves monumental problems for our customers. We empower our customers – farmers, construction crews, and foresters - to implement safer and more sustainable solutions, driving increased profitability with less reliance on scarce labor. We believe that focusing on the small stuff – pixel-by-pixel and task-by-task - leads to big gains. 

Blue River Technology aligns with John Deere’s vision to “innovate on behalf of humanity” by quickly identifying and solving high-value, high-uncertainty challenges in AI, machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. BRT acts as a research and development flywheel, building not only new products but also new platforms that reliably create value for both Deere and its customers. From fully autonomous machines to highly precise farming equipment, BRT and Deere are partnering to create technical breakthroughs in industries like agriculture and construction. 

Our people are at the heart of what we do. Through cross-discipline collaboration, this mission-driven team is eager to define the new frontier of robotics. We are always asking hard questions, rapidly iterating, and getting our boots in the field to figure it out. We won’t give up until we’ve made a tangible and positive impact on the planet!

Blue River Technology is based in Santa Clara, CA. 

Summary

See & Spray is one of the most ambitious collaborations between BRT & Deere. Our mission is to remove unnecessary chemicals from the planet by revolutionizing the agriculture sector. Our intelligent sprayers successfully removed over 8 million gallons of herbicide from the planet, and we’re still in the early stages of our journey. 

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced product manager who is excited about enabling our teams to develop groundbreaking products for farmers that promote environmental, economic, and social sustainability by using advanced technology to solve real problems. As a product manager on the See & Spray team, you will develop and communicate a deep understanding of our customers' needs through in-depth research and the identification of opportunities to create products. You will define and prioritize product initiatives and collaborate with engineering teams to transition these ideas into reality.

Job Responsibilities

The main job responsibilities are noted below. 

• Define and deliver upon the strategy for internal development and production tools critical for delivering See and Spray for our customers.
• Build a deep empathy and understanding of the customer, the business, and the market through qualitative and quantitative research.
• Develop a deep understanding of our technology stack to understand what is possible as we translate organizational aspirations into real products.
• Design and translate customer needs and opportunities into products and features with clear, concise requirements that bring the product to life.
• Identify, research, define, execute, and prioritize product development initiatives in collaboration with cross-functional engineering teams, balancing performance, complexity, and value. 
• Define objectives and key metrics, then measure and track progress toward achieving those objectives.
• Collaborate with leadership on the long-term product vision and roadmap.

Required Experience and Skills

• 5 or more years of experience as a product manager in a technology company.
• Strong technical competency, specifically in database design, data visualization, simulation, development of custom software tools, and development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) systems.
• The ability to collaboratively solve unstructured, ambiguous problems with curiosity. 
• Proven ability to influence, collaborate, and engage with others from diverse backgrounds, ranging from engineers to computer vision researchers to agronomists, field technicians, and growers.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate technical product information in a clear, concise, and creative manner.
• Delivery focus and a forward-looking understanding of the software development challenges faced by cross-functional engineering teams. 
• Bachelor's or advanced degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field.
• Familiarity with software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum).

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience with or knowledge of agriculture, agricultural technology, or equipment.
• Entrepreneurial experience taking a product from ideation to commercialization.
• Experience working on a Platform team.
• MBA or MSE.

At Blue River, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.  While we have more work to do to advance diversity and inclusion, we’re investing in our programs, including recruiting, mentorship, career development, and learning & development to ensure they support our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. We support each employee in living a full life, enabling a thriving career, and accomplishing a meaningful, challenging mission while collaborating with incredible people. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align completely with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation. 

The US annual base salary range for this position is $146,000 - $218,000, along with eligibility for Blue River’s bonus and benefit programs.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. During the recruitment process, we may identify an alternative role or level to which you are more suited. If your ideal role at Blue River differs from the advertised position, we will provide an updated pay range as soon as possible during the hiring process.

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