Ranch Manager & Product Owner

This is an on-site, live-in position. Housing is provided at the 701x test ranch and residency is a requirement of the role. The role combines traditional ranch management with hands-on agricultural technology product development. The sole full-time employee at 701x's test ranch, the person is responsible for the full-time care and management of a 150-head cow-calf herd in the North Dakota Badlands and for field-testing 701x's GPS ear tags, cattle management software, and new products, providing direct feedback to the engineering team from a working rancher's perspective. 701x is a Fargo, North Dakota-based agricultural technology company building a technology ecosystem for beef cattle producers.

Responsibilities

Full day-to-day responsibility for the health, nutrition, and care of 150 cow-calf pairs year-round; Plan and supervise the breeding of livestock; monitor for open cows and reproductive issues; Provide care for newborn calves; monitor health and intervene early when issues arise; Identify, record, and respond to disease and health problems across the herd; Manage pasture rotation and grass utilization throughout the season; Prepare animals for shipment; Maintain shelters, pens, feeding systems, and fencing; Work small groups of cattle independently (~5-15 head) for product installs and testing; Use 701x's cattle management app and hardware products daily as a working rancher; Record observations, issues, and improvement ideas clearly and consistently; Communicate feedback to 701x's engineering team verbally and in writing; Serve as the primary voice of the rancher in product development decisions; Test new products as they are developed and provide structured feedback before public release

Requirements

Demonstrated experience raising and managing beef cattle, ideally in cow-calf operations; Knowledge of livestock breeding, calving, and herd health management; Ability to identify and record animal health issues and respond appropriately; Pasture and grass management knowledge, including pasture rotation; General ranch skills: feeding, fence repair, pen and shelter maintenance; Comfortable with daily smartphone and app use; quick to learn new software; Strong documentation habits and clear verbal and written communication; Highly independent, able to make sound decisions and manage a herd alone; Comfortable living and working in a remote, rural environment year-round

Nice to have

Experience or genuine interest in agricultural technology or precision ranching tools; Familiarity with GPS ear tags, RFID, or other livestock monitoring technology; Experience working in the North Dakota Badlands or similar rugged ranching environments; Background providing structured feedback to improve tools, equipment, or processes

Benefits

On-site housing at the test ranch; 401(k); Dental insurance; Health insurance; Health savings account; Life insurance; Paid time off; Vision insurance; First-in-the-world access to 701x's latest hardware and software before public release; Direct influence on product development