Product Manager Humanoid Robotics & Data

Do you understand how human movement data can create value in robotics? Xsens digitizes human movement at high fidelity, and humanoid robotics is rapidly expanding the ways this data can support robot development, control, training and validation. We are looking for a product manager who can understand this evolving market and define where Xsens can create distinctive customer value.

Who is Xsens

Xsens is a leading full-stack provider of motion sensors, software, and analytics that enable the digitization of human movement. Partnering with global brands including NVIDIA, Electronic Arts, Netflix, and Toyota, as well as the world's leading humanoid robot manufacturers, Xsens turns motion data into meaningful, actionable insight. Xsens is a portfolio company of Francisco Partners. Visit www.xsens.com to learn more.

The Body Sensor Networks (BSN) division sells full-body motion capture systems that create a digital twin of human movement, combining hardware, software, and a recurring revenue model. Humanoid robotics is the fastest-growing segment within BSN and one of the most strategically critical businesses within Xsens as a whole.

Your role as Product Manager Humanoid Robotics & Data at Xsens

Xsens is seeking a senior product manager to own the humanoid robotics and data product strategy within BSN. This role sits at the intersection of human motion digitization, robotics, artificial intelligence and product strategy. You will stay extremely close to customers and end users, understand how the market is evolving, and translate those insights into product direction and new opportunities for Xsens.

A key part of the role is understanding the broader robotics workflow beyond motion capture. You should understand how human movement data is used across robot development, training and validation, how customer needs are changing, and where additional data, software, integrations or services could create value. This includes exploring how Xsens can create more value from the data generated through its technology without assuming a predetermined solution.

You need enough technical depth to challenge assumptions and work effectively with engineering and customer teams. When useful, you can use lightweight prototypes or experiments to validate an idea quickly, but the objective is evidence and customer learning rather than prototyping for its own sake.

You will own the roadmap for this domain and work as one product team with Sales, Product Marketing Managers, engineering, core algorithms, support and the Product Managers responsible for related Xsens products. You will also take the product lead in selected strategic partnerships that strengthen the overall proposition. You define minimum requirements, make tradeoff decisions and are accountable for product outcomes.

Key challenges

• Roadmap and product ownership: Own and prioritize the roadmap for humanoid robotics and related data opportunities.

• Market intimacy, validation and technology push: Humanoid robotics is a fast moving and highly dynamic market. Stay close to leading customers, operators and designated end users, understand how their priorities are evolving and use that insight to anticipate what comes next.

• Robotics workflow and customer needs: Understand how human movement data is used across robotics workflows from capture through development, training, validation and deployment.

• Data opportunity strategy: Evaluate how Xsens can create additional value from the data generated through its products and customer workflows.

• Integration and ecosystem: Define the requirements for interfaces, data formats and integrations needed for Xsens products to fit effectively into relevant robotics development environments, including ecosystems such as NVIDIA robotics platforms, MuJoCo and ROS 2.

• Rapid validation: Use prototypes, experiments, demonstrations and customer trials to reduce uncertainty before significant engineering investment.

• Strategic partnerships: Lead the product side of relationships with robotics manufacturers, software and platform providers and complementary technology partners. Identify partnerships that can improve speed, reach or customer value, and help convert them into usable product capability.

• Market and competitive intelligence: Maintain a current view of customer priorities, emerging technologies, competing approaches and changes in the robotics ecosystem.

• Cross functional execution and external representation: Work closely with Sales, Product Marketing Managers, engineering, core algorithms, support and other Product Managers to move from market insight to validated product direction and shipped capability.

Xsens is looking for a senior product manager with at least five years of relevant experience in robotics, physical AI or autonomous systems. Strong candidates may come from robotics, robotics software or simulation, autonomous vehicles, drones or adjacent autonomy domains where sensors, data, software and real world deployment come together.

The successful candidate combines technical understanding with strong market judgment. You understand how data contributes to robotics and autonomy, can discuss technical workflows credibly with engineers and customers, and can translate a rapidly changing market into clear product priorities. You are comfortable challenging assumptions, validating direction in the market and deciding where to focus.

You have

• A degree in engineering, computer science, robotics, artificial intelligence or another relevant technical discipline

• At least five years of relevant experience in product management or a strongly product oriented technical role within robotics, physical AI, autonomous systems, autonomous vehicles, drones, simulation or related technology

• Strong understanding of robotics or autonomous system workflows and the role that human generated and sensor data can play across development, training, validation and deployment

• Strong understanding of data as a product and the ability to think beyond raw sensor output toward data quality, usability, access and potential data driven products or platform opportunities

• Practical familiarity with robotics software, simulation, artificial intelligence and integration environments, including NVIDIA robotics platforms, MuJoCo and ROS 2, with enough technical depth to define credible product and interface requirements

• Proven product management discipline, including customer discovery, market requirements, roadmap ownership, product requirements, minimum requirements, MVP definition, acceptance criteria, prioritization, market validation and explicit technical and commercial tradeoffs

• Proven ability to work across disciplines and turn ambiguous market needs into clear product and technical decisions

• Experience working directly with robotics customers, designated end users or strategic technology partners, plus strong written and verbal English communication across engineering, commercial and executive audiences. You are comfortable representing Xsens externally and speaking at selected industry events, conferences or customer forums

• Based in Europe, preferably within practical reach of a major international airport, with the flexibility to spend regular time at Xsens headquarters in Enschede, the Netherlands and travel frequently to customers and partners globally. Expect to travel +/- 40% of your time.

Nice to have

• Experience with common robotics simulation or development platforms, including NVIDIA robotics platforms, MuJoCo or ROS 2, and familiarity with sim to real workflows

• Experience understanding how data can help transform a system from remote controlled or rule based operation toward greater autonomy, for example in robotics, autonomous driving or drones

• Hands on programming and prototyping ability using Python or similar tools to build small applications, scripts, data transformations or proof of concepts

• Experience with modern robot learning, artificial intelligence or machine learning approaches relevant to autonomous systems

• Hands on experience working with robotic systems and validating software, data or product concepts in real or simulated environments

• Familiarity with motion capture, biomechanics, human movement data or other forms of multimodal sensor data

• Experience with data collection, data operations, data products or platform business models

• Experience in a startup or scale up environment or an existing network within the robotics, physical AI or autonomy ecosystem

Working at Xsens

 We value ingenious ideas, no matter where they come from. We believe diverse thoughts, voices, and backgrounds make us stronger as a company. We know that it is through collaboration with people from all walks of life that we make the most positive impact as an organization.

Join Xsens’ innovative, ambitious, and international team, where your ideas and talents make an impact. Along with a competitive compensation package, we offer a range of benefits designed to support your well-being and help you thrive.

• 28 paid vacation days with an option to buy, sell, or carry over days, giving you flexibility to manage your time off as appropriate to your situation

• Tax perks for your sports memberships and bicycle purchase; so staying active is easier than ever.

• Flexible working hours and the option to work from home, helping you balance life and work

• Paid volunteer time: Through our partnership with Stichting Present, you have the opportunity to give back to the community during office hours

• Our partnership with Equip gives you on-demand access to a dedicated financial planner who provides clear guidance and a concrete plan for wealth building, pensions, and major life events.

• Enjoy company social events as well as fun, informal activities organized by our staff association. From movie nights and sports clinics to cooking classes and LAN parties, there’s always something happening to connect and have fun