Michael Otwell
Product Owner, Digital Manufacturing @Ursa Major
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WORK HISTORY
Product Owner, Digital Manufacturing @Ursa Major
CO, US
Lead product strategy and execution for enterprise manufacturing systems supporting rocket engine production. One of two product owners managing six platforms (ERP, PLM, MES, SCADA), 5 developers, and 35+ stakeholders across engineering, supply chain, quality, and finance.Co-lead multi-disciplinary team achieving 90%+ OKR completion rates. Combine roles of Product Owner, Business Analyst, and Scrum Master to align engineering efforts with business priorities while serving as liaison to leadership for quarterly planning and resource allocation. Apply ISA-95 frameworks to guide manufacturing system integration and scalability.Delivered PLM-ERP integration generating $108K in annual labor savings that scales with company growth, eliminating manual engineering effort. Supported Foundry BI platform enabling supply chain and quality decision-making with anticipated savings in the millions annually, enabling AI-powered tool for non-conformance dispositioning currently in production refinement.Rebuilt ERP subcontracting system, reducing manual effort by 50%+ and eliminating error-prone workflows. Implemented hybrid accounting model providing clear R&D hardware valuation and preventing financial misstatement. Led enterprise-wide Odoo migration from v14 to v16 with comprehensive regression testing and change management.Redesigned material control capabilities for cataloging, forecasting, and material transfers from purchase orders through production to shipping. Enhanced financial reporting with revised cost roll-up modules providing real-time COGS visibility. Established ERP-PLM integration framework creating single source of truth for manufacturing data.Partner with stakeholders to define requirements for ERP, PLM, BI, MES, and SCADA systems. Build and maintain platform roadmaps using Agile development models. Provide stabilizing presence during organizational transitions, maintaining delivery momentum through frequent reorganizations.
EDUCATION
Western Michigan University
Credit Hours, Political Science and Government
University of Colorado Boulder
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Psychology
Tennessee Technological University
Credit Hours, Cellular and Molecular Biology
SKILLS
ABOUT MICHAEL OTWELL
My career has always been about helping others achieve their goals, it just looks different now than it did when I started as a personal trainer.Back then, I learned the importance of deeply understanding what someone needs, breaking down complex challenges into achievable steps, and using data to track progress and adjust course. Those principles carried forward when I transitioned into planning and eventually product ownership, where I now apply that same human-centered approach to solving business and technical problems.Today, I lead product strategy for digital manufacturing platforms at Ursa Major, a rocket engine manufacturer. As one of two product owners supporting a 350-person company, I bridge the gap between engineering and business across six manufacturing platforms, ERP (Odoo), PLM (Windchill), MES, SCADA, BI (Foundry/Palantir), and AI systems. I work with cross-functional teams to streamline operations, enable data-driven decision-making, and scale manufacturing capabilities in one of the most technically complex environments: rocket propulsion.What drives me is solving problems that matter. I use frameworks like ISA-95 to help stakeholders understand how systems integrate and where capabilities should live. I’ve delivered solutions that eliminate manual engineering labor, save millions in operational costs, and give teams the visibility they need to make better decisions faster. Whether it’s automating subcontracting workflows, implementing hybrid accounting models, or building AI tools for quality dispositioning, I focus on creating real, scalable impact.I thrive in ambiguity. In a fast-growing company that reorganizes every six months, I’ve become the stabilizing force that keeps roadmaps clear, stakeholders aligned, and delivery moving forward. I wear multiple hats - product owner, business analyst, scrum master, because in startup environments, you do what needs doing.I’m passionate about applying complex systems thinking to work that creates meaningful impact, whether that’s advancing aerospace technology, improving manufacturing efficiency, or enabling better decision-making through data. I’m always interested in connecting with others working at the intersection of technology and operations.
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