Forward Deployed Product Lead (AI)

Location: Remote/hybrid, with flexibility to travel on-site to customers and to the Austin, TX offices.

Company

hirify.global maps subsurface infrastructure and provides real-time utility data for the construction and infrastructure industry.

What you will do

• Run continuous discovery with utility owner customers through calls, site visits, and workflow shadowing.
• Map the market, identify customer pain points and budgets, and turn insights into a scalable product roadmap and productization strategy.
• Define the target sub-segments, positioning, and market-entry strategy for the Utility Owners segment with executive and engineering leadership.
• Use AI-native tools such as Claude and Cursor to prototype and demonstrate working Alpha products rapidly.
• Translate validated concepts for engineering, remain involved through production handoff, and bridge customer needs with technical implementation.
• Define and track commercial outcomes including adoption, revenue, and land-and-expand growth.

Requirements

• Relevant educational background such as a BA, BS, BE, or MBA in business, computer science, architecture, industrial engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience spanning reputed management consulting and/or product management at a B2B SaaS, data, or AI-native company.
• Ability to independently design, prototype, and ship working software using modern AI tools, with sufficient understanding to evaluate and correct generated code.
• Experience operating in a 0-to-1, forward-deployed capacity and shaping a new product and market with executives and customers.
• Ability to decompose complex business problems strategically and build practical solutions hands-on.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to translate between customer needs and engineering while working with the CEO, Chief Growth Officer, engineering, and customers.
• Ability to travel on-site to customers and to the Austin, TX offices as needed.
• Excitement about working in an AI-first product culture and using tools such as Claude to prototype, iterate, and demonstrate functioning software.

Nice to have

• Top-tier consultancy experience combined with hands-on product experience.
• A side project, startup, or open-source project built substantially with AI tools.
• Prior exposure to utility infrastructure, civil or damage-prevention work, or regulatory areas such as permitting, compliance, fines, and infrastructure-project risk.
• Prior engineering experience or a technical degree.

Culture & Benefits

• Work in a growing startup with approximately 120 employees.
• Join an AI-first product culture focused on rapid prototyping and hands-on building.
• Work directly with the VP Product, CEO, Chief Growth Officer, engineering leadership, and utility customers.
• Help shape a foundational product and market in a mission-critical infrastructure domain.
• Opportunity to grow into broader product ownership, new segments, or AI-product strategy leadership.