Software Product Manager, CE Portfolio

Position Summary

We are seeking a Product Manager to lead the lifecycle management and evolution of our capillary electrophoresis (CE) software portfolio. This role will be responsible for defining and executing the product strategy and roadmap for software supporting CE workflows, with a particular focus on improving the customer experience, extending the value of our installed base, and incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies into future software capabilities. This is an onsite position in Pleasanton, California. The Product Manager will work closely with the local Software R&D team and partner across R&D, product management, marketing, commercial, service, quality, regulatory, and other functions to translate customer and business needs into differentiated software solutions. The ideal candidate combines strong product management skills with an understanding of scientific software and life sciences workflows. Experience with capillary electrophoresis, genetic analysis, molecular biology, or related analytical technologies is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy and Lifecycle Management

• Own the product strategy, roadmap, and lifecycle management for CE software products.
• Develop a deep understanding of customer workflows, pain points, and unmet needs and translate these insights into product requirements and roadmap priorities.
• Manage software products throughout their lifecycle, including new releases, feature enhancements, maintenance, compatibility requirements, cybersecurity considerations, and end-of-life planning.
• Define business cases and prioritize investments based on customer value, market opportunity, technical feasibility, strategic fit, and business impact.
• Establish and track key performance indicators for software adoption, customer satisfaction, usage, and business performance.
• Partner with product managers responsible for CE instruments, consumables, applications, and services to deliver an integrated customer experience.

AI and Software Innovation

• Identify and prioritize opportunities to incorporate AI and machine learning into CE software and customer workflows.
• Develop product requirements and business cases for AI-enabled capabilities that deliver meaningful customer value, such as improved data analysis and interpretation, workflow automation, troubleshooting, decision support, and user experience.
• Work closely with Software R&D, data science, informatics, and other technical teams to evaluate the feasibility and value of emerging AI technologies.
• Help define a responsible approach to AI-enabled product development, considering data quality, customer trust, security, privacy, regulatory requirements, and scientific validity.
• Monitor developments in AI, scientific software, bioinformatics, and adjacent markets to identify technologies and capabilities relevant to the future CE portfolio.

R&D Partnership and Product Development

• Serve as a primary product management partner to the Software R&D team.
• Translate customer and market needs into clear product requirements, use cases, priorities, and acceptance criteria.
• Participate actively in software development planning and prioritization, balancing new capabilities with lifecycle, quality, cybersecurity, and technical-debt requirements.
• Make informed product trade-offs in partnership with engineering and other stakeholders to deliver high-value solutions on appropriate timelines.
• Support verification, validation, beta programs, and customer evaluations as appropriate.
• Ensure strong communication and alignment between R&D and commercial stakeholders throughout the development lifecycle.

Customer and Market Insights

• Develop deep knowledge of CE customers, applications, workflows, competitive products, and market trends.
• Engage directly with customers, key opinion leaders, field teams, and other stakeholders to identify unmet needs and validate product concepts.
• Conduct competitive analysis of scientific software and emerging digital solutions relevant to CE workflows.
• Represent the voice of the customer in product development and lifecycle decisions.
• Partner with commercial and marketing teams to develop positioning, value propositions, launch strategies, and customer-facing messaging for software releases.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in life sciences, engineering, computer science, bioinformatics, or a related discipline.
• 7+ years of product management, software product management, R&D, applications, or related experience in life sciences, diagnostics, biotechnology, scientific instrumentation, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated ability to translate customer needs into product requirements and work effectively with software development teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to prioritize across competing customer, technical, and business requirements.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders in a matrixed organization.
• Ability and willingness to engage directly with customers and translate scientific workflows into software product opportunities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with capillary electrophoresis, genetic analysis, DNA sequencing, fragment analysis, molecular biology, or related technologies.
• Experience managing scientific, analytical, informatics, or instrument-control software.
• Familiarity with software development processes and Agile product development.
• Experience developing or commercializing AI/ML-enabled software capabilities.
• Understanding of AI technologies, including generative AI and machine learning, and their potential application to scientific workflows.
• Experience with software lifecycle management, including installed-base support, compatibility management, cybersecurity, and end-of-life planning.
• Experience operating in regulated or quality-controlled product development environments.
• Advanced degree (MS, MBA, PhD, or equivalent experience) in a relevant scientific, technical, or business discipline.