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About FlightSafety International FlightSafety International is the world's premier professional aviation training company and supplier of flight simulators, visual systems and displays to commercial, government and military organizations. The company provides training for pilots, technicians and other aviation professionals from 167 countries and independent territories. FlightSafety operates the world's largest fleet of advanced full-flight simulators and award-winning maintenance training at Learning Centers and training locations in the United States, Canada, France and the United Kingdom.
Purpose of Position
The Director of Defense Visuals is responsible for defining, developing, executing, and updating the company's strategy pertaining to visual systems, sensors, and display technologies across all variations of simulation and training systems. The Director is expected to lead cross-functional engineering, product, and program teams to deliver world-class immersive environments supporting defense, aerospace, and mission readiness objectives. Moreover, the Director ensures visual system architectures align with corporate growth strategies, customer requirements, and evolving technological landscapes.
Tasks and Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership and direction for all visual system programs, technologies, and architectures supporting simulation and training environments.
- Lead planning, design, integration, and sustainment of visual display systems, image generation technologies, sensor fusion, and correlated environmental databases.
- Define and manage the visual systems technology roadmap, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, customer missions as well as DoD and industry standards.
- Serve as the executive technical interface with defense customers, OEM partners, and program offices to translate mission requirements into advanced visual system capabilities.
- Collaborate closely with Engineering, Program Management, Business Development, and Capture teams to define discriminating visual solutions that strengthen proposals and contract execution.
- Oversee vendor relationships, technology evaluations, and make-buy decisions for visual components including projectors, image generators, collimated displays, dome systems, and immersive XR/AR/MR solutions.
- Provide technical oversight to ensure performance, interoperability, and cybersecurity compliance of all visual subsystems.
- Represent the company as a thought leader at key simulation and training industry forums, defense technology panels, and customer demonstrations.
- Drive continuous innovation through partnerships with suppliers, academia, and R&D organizations to maintain technology leadership in visual simulation fidelity and performance.
- Mentor and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary team of engineers, architects, and project leaders.
- Oversee capital planning, resourcing, and budgeting for visual systems development and sustainment activities.
- Support strategic pursuits and business growth initiatives, including customer engagement, proposal content, and executive briefings.
Minimum Education
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, Computer Science, Optics, Aerospace, or related technical discipline - mandatory.
- Master's degree in systems engineering, Engineering Management, or Business Administration - preferred.
- Certifications in simulation technologies or training system design - desirable.
Minimum Experience
- Twelve (12) years of experience in simulation, aerospace, or defense training technology sectors.
- At least 5 years in technical or engineering leadership roles involving visual or sensor systems for flight simulation or related domains.
- Demonstrated success in managing large-scale visual systems programs from concept through delivery.
- Proven experience with simulation technologies, virtual/augmented/mixed reality training platforms, or advanced training systems.
- Experience collaborating with DoD, FMS, and OEM customers on training and simulation system development.
- Familiarity with advanced learning management systems and interactive training environments.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Eligible for DoD Personal Security Clearance.
- Expert understanding of flight simulation visual system architectures, display technologies, and image generation solutions.
- Deep familiarity with military training standards (e.g., DIS, HLA, CIGI, NVG, EO/IR, and correlated terrain databases).
- Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.
- Exceptional presentation and communication skills-capable of translating complex technical concepts into strategic narratives for senior stakeholders.
- Ability to develop and deliver technology strategies that align with the company's role in defense and aerospace training readiness.
- Strong knowledge of immersive technologies such as VR, AR, MR, XR, serious gaming, Distributed Mission Training systems, Joint Simulation Environment, and other emerging military simulated rehearsal environments.
- Proactive and self-directed; capable of identifying opportunities, engaging customers, and guiding internal teams toward technical and business success.
- Proven record of building and leading high-performance technical teams.
- Ability to travel up to 30% for conferences, client meetings, and industry events.
- Proficiency with MS 365 (including MS Project), CRM tools, and GovWin (SAM.Gov).
- Familiarity with proposal and content automation platforms (i.e., AI-based authoring tools).
- Working knowledge of modeling & simulation software, visual database generation tools, and CAD/CAE environments.
- Ability to travel up to 30% for conferences, client meetings, and industry events.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a teammate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the teammate is regularly required to sit, use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The teammate must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. The teammate must have close and distance vision and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. FlightSafety is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Vet/Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability. Cybersecurity Notice: All official recruiting communication from FlightSafety International will come from an @flightsafety.com email address. FlightSafety International will never ask for personal or financial information through social media or third-party email providers.
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