Product Owner - CDAO

Job Description

Agile Defense is seeking a Technical Product Owner with a strong focus on supporting CDAO operations to join our dynamic team. This position is based out of the Pentagon, and is central to advancing mission-critical solutions within the Department of War (DoW). You will serve as a Product Owner, bridging the gap between stakeholders and technical teams while delivering high-impact solutions that align with mission priorities.
 
This role demands a professional with military or military contracting experience, strong product ownership skills, and the ability to build roadmaps, juggle competing priorities, and effectively communicate with senior military leaders. Additionally, the ideal candidate will have a foundational technical understanding of data pipelines and/or the Advana War Data Platform (WDP), enabling them to contribute to the integration of data-driven decision-making tools.
 
Your efforts will directly support CDAO's strategic objectives, enabling operational excellence and aligning technical solutions to mission needs. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments, is adept at managing complex requirements, and has a proven ability to translate mission needs into actionable plans.

Education and Background

• Product Ownership Expertise: 3+ years of experience as a Product Owner, including roadmap development, prioritization, and stakeholder management.
• A bachelor's degree plus 3 years of recent specialized experience, OR, an associate's degree plus 7 years of recent specialized experience, OR, a major certification plus 7 years of recent specialized experience, OR, 11 years of recent specialized experience

Years of Experience

3+ years

Required Skills

• Military Experience: Direct military or military contracting experience, with a strong understanding of CDAO operations.
• Product Ownership Expertise: 3+ years of experience as a Product Owner, including roadmap development, prioritization, and stakeholder management.
• Clearance: Active Top Secret/SCI clearance required.
• Agile Methodologies: Demonstrated experience working within Agile frameworks, with a solid understanding of Scrum or SAFe practices.
• Technical Knowledge: Foundational understanding of data pipelines and/or the Advana War Data Platform (WDP).
• Communication Skills: Exceptional ability to communicate effectively with senior military leaders and technical teams alike.

Preferred Skills

• 4+ years of experience in applied data science, Palantir Foundry development, or data pipeline development. 
• Proficient in Python, SQL, and distributed data frameworks (e.g., Spark, Databricks, PySpark). 
• Experience developing ML models from training to deployment using industry-standard tools and libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, XGBoost). 
• Familiarity with MLOps, API development, and secure cloud-based environments (e.g., AWS, Azure, Palantir Foundry). 
• Strong understanding of data validation, model testing, and performance evaluation techniques. 
• Excellent technical communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical audiences.

Working Conditions

On-site at the Pentagon

• Happy - Be Infectious. Happiness multiplies and creates a positive and connected environment where motivation and satisfaction have an outsized effect on everything we do.
• Helpful - Be Supportive. Being helpful is the foundation of teamwork, resulting in a supportive atmosphere where collaboration flourishes, and collective success is celebrated.
• Honest - Be Trustworthy. Honesty serves as our compass, ensuring transparent communication and ethical conduct, essential to who we are and the complex domains we support.
• Humble - Be Grounded. Success is not achieved alone, humility ensures a culture of mutual respect, encouraging open communication, and a willingness to learn from one another and take on any task.
• Hungry - Be Eager. Our hunger for excellence drives an insatiable appetite for innovation and continuous improvement, propelling us forward in the face of new and unprecedented challenges.
• Hustle - Be Driven. Hustle is reflected in our relentless work ethic, where we are each committed to going above and beyond to advance the mission and achieve success.