📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Product Marketing Manager
🔹 Company: Traversal
🔹 Location: New York, United States
🔹 Job Type: On-site, Full-time
🔹 Category: AI & Machine Learning
🔹 Date Posted: June 20, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Building and executing Traversal’s product marketing strategy
- Translating complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives
- Driving go-to-market execution for Traversal's agentic observability platform
- Working cross-functionally with product, engineering, and sales teams
- Conducting market research and competitive analysis to inform strategy
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong understanding of AI and infrastructure products, as well as excellent communication skills to connect with both technical and business audiences.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Build and execute Traversal’s product marketing strategy across positioning, messaging, content, and product launches
✅ Translate complex technical concepts into clear narratives that connect to real-world customer pain points
✅ Develop technical marketing content, including website copy, case studies, technical blogs, videos, and product collateral
✅ Support community-building initiatives through events, content, and partnerships that engage SREs, platform teams, and the broader AI infrastructure ecosystem
✅ Conduct market research, customer discovery, and competitive analysis to inform product and marketing strategy
✅ Partner with product management and engineering to shape roadmap decisions based on market and user insights
✅ Build early sales enablement programs and materials to help the Traversal team tell the company story effectively
✅ Act as a cross-functional connector between product, engineering, sales, and marketing
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of ownership and the ability to thrive in a high-velocity, fast-paced environment.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience: 5+ years in product marketing or a hybrid product/technical marketing role, ideally in AI, observability, infrastructure, or developer tools
Required Skills:
- Proven ability to dive deep into technical products and communicate them effectively to both technical and business audiences
- Experience working closely with product and engineering teams in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Preferred Skills:
- Passion for AI innovation and a desire to help define how AI-native infrastructure products go to market
- Proven ability to build foundational marketing programs from scratch and evolve them over time
- Familiarity with AI or LLM-powered products
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with experience in AI or infrastructure products and strong communication skills will be most successful in this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $150,000 - $300,000 USD per year (based on location, level, and role)
Benefits:
- Health Insurance
- Startup Equity
- Flexible Time Off
Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is based on location, level, and role, and individual compensation is determined by experience, skills, and job-related knowledge.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: AI & Machine Learning, Infrastructure Software
Company Size: Small (less than 50 employees), with a collaborative, hard-working culture
Founded: 2023 (based on LinkedIn data)
Company Description:
- Traversal is the AI Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) for the enterprise, trusted by large companies to troubleshoot, remediate, and prevent complex production incidents
- The company's mission is to free engineers from endless firefighting and enable them to focus on creative, high-impact work
- Traversal's roots are deeply embedded in AI research, and the team includes researchers from top universities and world-class engineers from industry
Company Specialties:
- AI-powered observability
- Site Reliability Engineering (SRE)
- Infrastructure software
Company Website: Traversal
ASSUMPTION: Traversal is a well-funded startup with a strong focus on AI research and innovation.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid-level to senior, with the opportunity to grow and make a real impact
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the CEO and works closely with the BizOps lead
Work Arrangement: On-site, 5 days a week, based in New York near Madison Square Park
Growth Opportunities:
- As the first marketing hire, this role has the potential to grow into a leadership position as the team expands
- The company is looking for someone who can own meaningful parts of the product and help define a new category of infrastructure software
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, as Traversal is still in its early stages of growth.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: In-person, collaborative work environment
Office Location(s): New York, United States
Geographic Context:
- New York is a major tech hub with a vibrant startup scene and numerous networking opportunities
- The office is located near Madison Square Park, offering easy access to public transportation and amenities
Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, with flexible time off
ASSUMPTION: The in-person work environment fosters collaboration and creativity, with a focus on building the future of AI-powered software maintenance.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Initial phone or video screen to assess communication skills and cultural fit
- In-depth technical interview to evaluate understanding of AI and infrastructure products, as well as marketing strategy and execution
- Final interview with the CEO to discuss the role's fit within the company's long-term vision
Key Assessment Areas:
- Understanding of AI and infrastructure products
- Communication skills and ability to translate complex technical concepts
- Marketing strategy and execution skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with Traversal's mission and values
Application Tips:
- Highlight relevant experience in AI, infrastructure, or related fields, and provide specific examples of how you've translated complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize your understanding of Traversal's mission and how your skills and experience align with the role's requirements
- Prepare for the interview by researching Traversal's products, competitors, and market position
ATS Keywords: Product Marketing, AI, Infrastructure, Observability, Technical Communication, Market Research, Sales Enablement, Content Development, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Customer Discovery, Competitive Analysis
ASSUMPTION: The interview process will focus on assessing the candidate's technical skills, communication abilities, and cultural fit, with a strong emphasis on understanding AI and infrastructure products.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Marketing automation tools (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo)
- Content creation tools (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Suite)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- AI and machine learning tools (e.g., Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch)
ASSUMPTION: The required tools and technologies will depend on the candidate's specific role and responsibilities, but a strong understanding of AI and machine learning tools is essential.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Innovation: Traversal is committed to pushing the boundaries of AI research and infrastructure software
- Collaboration: The company fosters a collaborative work environment where everyone's ideas are valued
- Integrity: Traversal is dedicated to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all aspects of its business
Work Style:
- High-ownership: Candidates should be comfortable taking on significant responsibilities and driving projects to completion
- High-velocity: The work environment is fast-paced, and candidates should be able to adapt to changing priorities and tight deadlines
- Learning-oriented: Traversal values continuous learning and growth, and candidates should be eager to expand their skills and knowledge
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you thrive in high-ownership, high-velocity environments?
- Are you passionate about AI innovation and helping define how AI-native infrastructure products go to market?
- Do you have strong communication skills and the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates who are comfortable taking on significant responsibilities, thrive in fast-paced environments, and are passionate about AI innovation will be the best fit for this role.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- As the first marketing hire, the candidate will need to build the product marketing function from the ground up and define how Traversal tells its story
- The role requires a strong understanding of AI and infrastructure products, as well as the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives
- The work environment is fast-paced and high-velocity, which may be challenging for candidates who prefer a more structured or slower-paced work environment
- The role requires a high level of ownership and the ability to thrive in an ambiguous environment, which may be challenging for candidates who prefer clear, well-defined job roles and responsibilities
ASSUMPTION: The potential challenges of this role are outweighed by the opportunity to have a significant impact on Traversal's growth and success, as well as the chance to help define a new category of infrastructure software.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Product Marketing Manager (AI/ML) vs. Product Marketing Manager (Software): The AI/ML focus requires a stronger understanding of AI and machine learning concepts, as well as the ability to translate them into clear, compelling narratives for technical audiences
- Product Marketing Manager (Startup) vs. Product Marketing Manager (Enterprise): The startup environment offers more flexibility and the opportunity to have a significant impact on the company's growth and success, but may also come with more ambiguity and less structure
- Product Marketing Manager (In-house) vs. Product Marketing Manager (Agency): The in-house role offers more control over the marketing strategy and execution, but may also come with more responsibility and less access to specialized resources
ASSUMPTION: The specific requirements and challenges of this role may vary depending on the company size, industry, and work arrangement, but the core responsibilities and required skills will remain consistent.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing a go-to-market strategy for Traversal's agentic observability platform, including positioning, messaging, and launch plan
- Creating technical marketing content, such as website copy, case studies, and blog posts, that highlights Traversal's unique value proposition and differentiates it from competitors
- Conducting market research and customer discovery to inform product and marketing strategy, and identify opportunities for growth and expansion
ASSUMPTION: The specific projects and responsibilities of this role may vary depending on the company's needs and priorities, but the core focus on product marketing strategy, execution, and customer engagement will remain consistent.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the company's long-term vision for its AI-powered observability platform, and how this role fits into that vision?
- How does Traversal differentiate itself from competitors in the AI and infrastructure software space?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
- How does Traversal support the growth and development of its employees, and what opportunities are there for career advancement within the company?
- What is the company's approach to work-life balance, and how does it support employees' personal and professional growth?
ASSUMPTION: The key questions to ask during the interview should focus on understanding the company's long-term vision, competitive differentiation, and support for employee growth and development.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the Traversal Careers page
- Highlight your relevant experience in AI, infrastructure, or related fields, and provide specific examples of how you've translated complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize your understanding of Traversal's mission and how your skills and experience align with the role's requirements
- Prepare for the interview by researching Traversal's products, competitors, and market position
- Follow up with the hiring manager within one week of submitting your application to express your interest in the role and reiterate your qualifications
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
