Product Owner / Product Manager

About Telepathic Instruments

Telepathic Instruments is an internationally based electronic instruments company founded by Kevin Parker and friends. Our whole thing is to help musicians find what’s on their mind. Our first product, Orchid, combines intuitive design with deep synthesis and sampling capabilities, and we’re just getting started. Our product design is led by 3 core principles: Insight, Innovation, and Inspiration. We’re building more than instruments—we’re building a movement of creative musicians who see themselves as collaborators in the future of music technology.

Role Summary

Telepathic Instruments is seeking a Product Owner / Product Manager to lead the end-to-end lifecycle of its software and firmware products. This senior, hands-on role involves translating complex ideas into clear actions, managing roadmaps, and ensuring product quality and long-term viability. You will work at the intersection of hardware, firmware, software, sound, and creative intent.

Key responsibilities include:

• Release management
• Backlog ownership
• QA and testing
• Cross-functional reporting
• LAB-stage product exploration

You will collaborate closely with Kevin (Creative Director), Tom (Design Director), Sam and BJ (Engineering), and Charl (MD).

Responsibilities

Product Ownership & Roadmapping

• Own the roadmap for firmware, desktop software, plugins, and internal tooling.
• Sequence and prioritise initiatives in line with OKRs.
• Maintain high signal-to-noise in planning and documentation.
• Balance near-term delivery with long-term viability and technical health.

Release Management

• Define and run release cycles across firmware, software, and VSTs.
• Coordinate delivery with Engineering, Design, Sound, and Operations.
• Make go/no-go decisions and own communication to internal stakeholders.
• Set and enforce standards for performance, stability, and user experience.

Project & Ticket Management (Asana)

• Run backlog prioritisation and sprint planning.
• Write testable user stories and technical requirements.
• Keep Asana clean, current, and trustworthy.
• Ensure tasks are properly scoped, sequenced, and resourced.

QA & Validation

• Define and oversee test plans for hardware, software, and firmware.
• Manage bug triage, tracking, and regression testing.
• Coordinate internal testing and external beta workflows.
• Support QA loops with manufacturing partners for production firmware.

Stakeholder Communication & Reporting

• Provide regular product updates and OKR tracking.
• Translate complexity into clarity for non-technical stakeholders.
• Escalate risks early with options and recommendations.
• Align cross-functional priorities across product, creative, and commercial.

New Product Development (LAB)

• Co-lead LAB sessions with Kevin, Ignacio, and Tom.
• Shape early ideas into scoped features and product concepts.
• Run feasibility and validation sprints.
• Define DVF criteria and phase gates for new product initiatives.

What Good Looks Like

• Releases ship on time, with fewer surprises.
• Firmware and software quality improves over time.
• Product plans are clear, visible, and trusted.
• Risks are surfaced early and clearly.
• LAB projects move cleanly from idea to delivery.

Skills & Experience

• 10+ years in technical product, project, or QA roles.
• Proven experience owning software and/or firmware delivery.
• Background working on hardware-software integrated products.
• Deep comfort with release planning, QA, and backlog management.
• Fluent in Agile / Lean practices (but not dogmatic).

Strengths & Attributes

• Systems thinker who brings order to chaos.
• Strong product judgment and clear trade-off thinking.
• Calm under pressure, decisive under uncertainty.
• Excellent communicator across disciplines.
• Technically literate; credible with devs, creative with designers.

Tools & Workflow

• Asana (required)
• Google Suite / Docs
• Slack, Notion, Figma
• GitHub, Linear (nice to have)
• Familiarity with CI/CD and test frameworks

Bonus Points

• Audio software, plugin, or DAW experience.
• Experience with contract manufacturers or production firmware.
• Music tech background or passion for instruments.
• You secretly love writing test plans and cleaning up backlogs.

Key skills/competency

• Product Management
• Release Management
• QA & Testing
• Firmware Development
• Software Development
• Agile Methodologies
• Stakeholder Communication
• Backlog Management
• Hardware-Software Integration
• Product Roadmapping