Senior Technical Hardware Product Manager
Apply NowCompany: Utility
Location: Decatur, GA 30032
Description:
Position Summary: As our Senior Technical Hardware Product Manager, you'll own and drive the full lifecycle of law enforcement-grade hardware systems - from first sketch to deployment in the field. You'll live at the intersection of hardware, embedded software, and cellular networking to deliver high-performance, ruggedized hardware solutions designed for always-on, real-time environments. You'll work hand-in-hand with engineering, operations, and public safety stakeholders to bring powerful, rugged, and intelligent tech to life.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: The essential functions include, but are not limited to, the following:
Body Cameras & In-Car Video: Own vision, performance, storage, and user experience.
License Plate Recognition (LPR): Define specs, accuracy, optimize edge analytics.
Communication Gateways: Enable secure, seamless LTE/5G, Wi-Fi, and mesh connectivity. Sensor Tech
Define and execute multi-year product strategies for camera and sensor-based hardware products, focusing on reliability, real-time performance, and network connectivity.
Identify new market opportunities and technical enablers that shape the product roadmap across the portfolio.
Own the end-to-end lifecycle of hardware products-ideation through prototyping, field validation, regulatory compliance, and volume production.
Drive product definition and detailed technical requirements for: o Body-worn and in-car video systems o License plate recognition (LPR) cameras o Communication gateways (e.g., 4G/5G cellular, mesh networks) o Edge sensors
Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, embedded software, and systems engineers to develop reliable and ruggedized solutions.
Partner with supply chain, operations, and manufacturing teams on build, partner, and buy strategies, sourcing, production planning, and quality control.
Interface with software product teams to ensure seamless integration between hardware, firmware, and cloud systems.
Engage with customers, field users, and technical partners to capture detailed feedback and translate real-world needs into product features.
Support early deployments and pilot programs; lead triage and analysis of field issues from hardware and connectivity perspectives.
Develop precise requirements and lead technical discussions around imaging performance, low-light optimization, thermal management, onboard storage, and bandwidth utilization.
Understand and guide choices around o network standards (LTE/5G), fallback mechanisms, SIM/eSIM, and over-theair updates. o V2V (vehicle to vehicle) or C-V2X (cellular to vehicle to everything) o Battery technology and low-power optimization tradeoffs.
Ensure compliance with standards such as FCC, CE, PTCRB, MIL-801H and relevant video surveillance regulations.
Mandatory Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline.
7+ years of product management experience in hardware systems, with at least 3 years focused on imaging or sensor technology.
Deep understanding of camera systems, optics, video compression (H.264/H.265), and edge video analytics.
Strong working knowledge of 4G/5G LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS, and other wireless technologies.
Experience designing products that get bolted into vehicles, clipped onto uniforms, or deployed in extreme environments.
Experience working with field-deployed, ruggedized devices and managing OTA software/firmware updates.
Comfortable getting into the weeds with engineers-electrical, mechanical, and software alike.
You can write a killer PRD, talk shop with a field officer, and debug a pilot issue all in one day.
Comfortable working in fast-paced, cross-disciplinary product environments.
Obsessed with end-user feedback and passionate about public safety, transparency, and tech that matters.
Experience with NDAA compliance, cybersecurity requirements in edge hardware, and secure boot architectures.
Prior exposure to video analytics, facial or plate recognition, or edge ML inference is a plus.
You've shipped hardware at scale and lived through NPI (New Product Introduction) with contract manufacturers.
Willingness to travel to customer sites, test labs, and manufacturing partners (~10- 20%).
Physical Demands and Work Environment This role requires the employee to maintain a stationary and upright position consistently. Employees must be able to move (frequently, occasionally, seldomly, constantly) within the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, and other resources. This position involves (consistently, frequently, occasionally, seldomly) utilizing computer operations and various office productivity machinery and tools, including a printer and computer. The employee (Occasionally, frequently, seldomly) uses their balance, flights, ladders, and forklifts to maintain by ascending and descending as part of their job responsibilities. The employee (frequently, consistently, occasionally, seldomly) changes their body position to assist in moving objects or gaining access to items. The employee should be able to (consistently, occasionally, frequently, seldomly) and effectively communicate information and concepts for mutual understanding, including conveying precise details during these interactions. For accurate task execution, it is essential that the employee (consistently, occasionally, frequently, seldomly), maintains consistent specific vision abilities, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus especially the capability to discern close-up details within a few feet of the observer. (Consistently, seldomly, occasionally, frequently). This role involves transporting boxes weighing between 5 pounds and 75 pounds throughout the office to meet various demands.
NOTE: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by persons authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to their own health or safety or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: The essential functions include, but are not limited to, the following:
Body Cameras & In-Car Video: Own vision, performance, storage, and user experience.
License Plate Recognition (LPR): Define specs, accuracy, optimize edge analytics.
Communication Gateways: Enable secure, seamless LTE/5G, Wi-Fi, and mesh connectivity. Sensor Tech
Define and execute multi-year product strategies for camera and sensor-based hardware products, focusing on reliability, real-time performance, and network connectivity.
Identify new market opportunities and technical enablers that shape the product roadmap across the portfolio.
Own the end-to-end lifecycle of hardware products-ideation through prototyping, field validation, regulatory compliance, and volume production.
Drive product definition and detailed technical requirements for: o Body-worn and in-car video systems o License plate recognition (LPR) cameras o Communication gateways (e.g., 4G/5G cellular, mesh networks) o Edge sensors
Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, embedded software, and systems engineers to develop reliable and ruggedized solutions.
Partner with supply chain, operations, and manufacturing teams on build, partner, and buy strategies, sourcing, production planning, and quality control.
Interface with software product teams to ensure seamless integration between hardware, firmware, and cloud systems.
Engage with customers, field users, and technical partners to capture detailed feedback and translate real-world needs into product features.
Support early deployments and pilot programs; lead triage and analysis of field issues from hardware and connectivity perspectives.
Develop precise requirements and lead technical discussions around imaging performance, low-light optimization, thermal management, onboard storage, and bandwidth utilization.
Understand and guide choices around o network standards (LTE/5G), fallback mechanisms, SIM/eSIM, and over-theair updates. o V2V (vehicle to vehicle) or C-V2X (cellular to vehicle to everything) o Battery technology and low-power optimization tradeoffs.
Ensure compliance with standards such as FCC, CE, PTCRB, MIL-801H and relevant video surveillance regulations.
Mandatory Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline.
7+ years of product management experience in hardware systems, with at least 3 years focused on imaging or sensor technology.
Deep understanding of camera systems, optics, video compression (H.264/H.265), and edge video analytics.
Strong working knowledge of 4G/5G LTE, Wi-Fi, GPS, and other wireless technologies.
Experience designing products that get bolted into vehicles, clipped onto uniforms, or deployed in extreme environments.
Experience working with field-deployed, ruggedized devices and managing OTA software/firmware updates.
Comfortable getting into the weeds with engineers-electrical, mechanical, and software alike.
You can write a killer PRD, talk shop with a field officer, and debug a pilot issue all in one day.
Comfortable working in fast-paced, cross-disciplinary product environments.
Obsessed with end-user feedback and passionate about public safety, transparency, and tech that matters.
Experience with NDAA compliance, cybersecurity requirements in edge hardware, and secure boot architectures.
Prior exposure to video analytics, facial or plate recognition, or edge ML inference is a plus.
You've shipped hardware at scale and lived through NPI (New Product Introduction) with contract manufacturers.
Willingness to travel to customer sites, test labs, and manufacturing partners (~10- 20%).
Physical Demands and Work Environment This role requires the employee to maintain a stationary and upright position consistently. Employees must be able to move (frequently, occasionally, seldomly, constantly) within the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, and other resources. This position involves (consistently, frequently, occasionally, seldomly) utilizing computer operations and various office productivity machinery and tools, including a printer and computer. The employee (Occasionally, frequently, seldomly) uses their balance, flights, ladders, and forklifts to maintain by ascending and descending as part of their job responsibilities. The employee (frequently, consistently, occasionally, seldomly) changes their body position to assist in moving objects or gaining access to items. The employee should be able to (consistently, occasionally, frequently, seldomly) and effectively communicate information and concepts for mutual understanding, including conveying precise details during these interactions. For accurate task execution, it is essential that the employee (consistently, occasionally, frequently, seldomly), maintains consistent specific vision abilities, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus especially the capability to discern close-up details within a few feet of the observer. (Consistently, seldomly, occasionally, frequently). This role involves transporting boxes weighing between 5 pounds and 75 pounds throughout the office to meet various demands.
NOTE: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by persons authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to their own health or safety or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.