Product Owner

Are you a Product Owner who thrives on connecting business goals to execution and turning complex product needs into clear, actionable work for development teams?

Smart State is a rapidly growing technology company, bringing together expertise in software engineering, analytics, and product management to deliver reliable and innovative digital solutions.  Smart State is a place where talents from different niches can make real changes across the industry.  We create an environment to let smart ideas act boldly.

📍 Location: Fort Lee, New Jersey (100% On-site)

⏰ Work Mode: Full-time, office-based (Remote or hybrid work arrangements are not available)

The Role 🛠️

As a Product Owner, you aren't just managing a list of tasks, you are the engine driving our product execution.  You will be the driving force connecting business objectives to development execution, ensuring that every feature, improvement, and release delivers real value to our users and aligns with the company’s vision.  You will be deeply involved in the entire product lifecycle, from requirement gathering to release validation and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Do 🚀

• Own and prioritize the Product Backlog, ensuring every sprint aligns with our business goals and KPIs.
• Translate complex business needs into clear, actionable technical specifications, user stories, and edge-case scenarios.
• Participate in and run Scrum ceremonies, joining daily stand-ups and supporting sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Act as the primary point of contact for leadership and stakeholders to manage expectations, secure approvals, and provide data-driven updates.
• Define acceptance criteria, establishing clear conditions to verify that tasks are completed properly and meet quality standards.
• Collaborate with the engineering team to refine tasks, clarify architectural dependencies, and improve requirements before they hit development.
• Create and support user stories, use cases, and edge cases.
• Manage and prioritize change requests and operational updates to ensure the product evolves based on real-world feedback.

What We’re Looking For 🎯

• 5 - 7 years of hands-on experience in a Product Owner or closely related product role, preferably with consumer-facing mobile or digital applications.
• Proven experience in regulated industries such as iGaming, sports betting, or fintech working on large-scale and complex projects involving backend and frontend development.
• Solid experience using data tools (Google Analytics, BigQuery, Power BI, or similar).
• Strong understanding of the full requirements lifecycle and backlog management, with hands-on experience writing user stories, use cases, acceptance criteria, and task definitions.
• Ability to independently clarify and elaborate requirements, turning business ideas into clear and actionable development tasks.
• Solid knowledge of API integrations, product architecture, and core technical concepts.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills, with the ability to solve complex problems and drive outcomes.
• Experience creating and interpreting UML and BPMN diagrams.
• Strong background in Agile/Scrum, backlog ownership, and stakeholder management.

Nice to Have ✅

• Experience launching digital products in multiple regulated US states.
• Prior experience working closely with or supporting Product Managers and cross-functional delivery teams.
• Deep knowledge of monetization strategies and engagement-boosting features like CRM and gamification.

Why Join Smart State Inc.? 💎

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401K plan, and more.
• Generous PTO policy.
• A dynamic and collaborative international work environment.
• Breakfasts and lunches in the office (partially paid by the company).
• Birthdays, milestones and employee anniversaries celebrations.
• Opportunities for professional development and growth.

✅ Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision + 401(k)

✅ Time Off: Generous PTO policy

✅ Perks: Partially subsidized in-office breakfasts and lunches

✅ Culture: Collaborative, international team that celebrates milestones and wins together

✅ Growth: Strong opportunities for professional development and ownership within a scaling organization

Smart State Inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe diverse perspectives make us stronger and provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.