Senior Director, Product Management - Defense and Intelligence

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

Planet is seeking a Senior Director of Product Management to lead our Defense and Intelligence (D&I) product portfolio. As the product leader for our fastest-growing business segment, you will define the strategy, build the roadmap, and drive the execution of our flagship dual-use products, including our Global Monitoring Service (GMS), Marine Domain Awareness (MDA) platforms, automated change detection feeds, and agentic workflows.

You will manage a dedicated team of product managers and partner directly with the Vice President of D&I Engineering and executive leadership to transform raw satellite imagery and API services into scalable, mission-critical software solutions. A core component of this role is ensuring these capabilities thrive as dual-use solutions, leveraging Planet’s commercial platform to meet rigorous national security requirements. Your work will directly empower government, allied mission partners, and enterprise customers to make critical, time-sensitive decisions.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our San Francisco, CA or Arlington, VA office 3 days per week.

Impact You'll Own:

• Oversee the full product lifecycle for the D&I portfolio, synthesize market requirements from global defense customers, and define pricing and packaging for intelligence solutions. You will translate high-level market vision and defense mission requirements into actionable product roadmaps for our dual-use GMS and MDA lines, while recruiting, mentoring, and managing a team of product managers.
• Work seamlessly on a daily basis with the D&I Engineering leadership, UX researchers, account executives, product marketing managers, and external government stakeholders to align product strategy with engineering execution sprints and system designs.
• Build dual-use tools that monitor geopolitical events, ensure marine security, and protect critical infrastructure. Your work aligns perfectly with Planet's core value of using space to help life on Earth while driving both our commercial and government ecosystems forward.

What You Bring:

• Typically 10+ years of relevant work experience and 8+ years of supervisory/leadership experience in the defense, intelligence, geospatial, or aerospace sectors.
• Demonstrated track record of scaling end-to-end dual-use or defense software applications (such as domain awareness, automated change detection, or spatial monitoring platforms) from concept to launch.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Defense and Intelligence mission frameworks, workflows, and user needs, specifically regarding broad area monitoring and Marine Domain Awareness (MDA).
• Experience collaborating directly with executive engineering leadership to translate high-level market vision and defense mission requirements into scalable engineering roadmaps.
• Familiarity with navigating product development within environments governed by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for articulating product strategy, requirements, and roadmaps to internal executive leadership, commercial partners, and external mission partners.
• Active high-level government security clearance, or eligibility to obtain top-secret clearance upon hire.

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Direct product experience defining requirements for the integration of advanced machine learning models, analytics, or agentic workflows into a commercial or defense product stack.
• Direct professional experience serving in the intelligence community, military, or a related government agency.
• Background in defining product requirements for secure government environments, air-gapped systems, or sovereign cloud deployments (e.g., AWS GovCloud/C2S).
• Experience with multi-sensor data fusion workflows, including optical satellite imagery and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).

Application Deadline:

11:45p / 23:45 PT on the date stated below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This posting may be removed earlier than projected if a suitable pool of applications has been received. For this reason, we recommend applying as soon as you are able to.

EAR/ITAR Requirements:

This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Benefits While Working at Planet:

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
• Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
• 16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
• Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation:

The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

San Francisco Salary Range

$260,500—$325,600 USD

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Why we care so much about Belonging.
We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

EEO statement:
Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations:
Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to accommodations@planet.com or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

Privacy Policy: By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

Privacy Policy (European Applicants): By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

AI in Our Interviewing Process: Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy: Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact accommodations@planet.com with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.