Technical Director, Aviation Sector

About this role

In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next!At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what’s possible.Job Description:
Technical Director, Aviation Sector | Parsons Corporation
Shape the Future of Global Aviation Modernization
Parsons is seeking an exceptional Technical Director, Aviation Sector to serve as the senior technical authority for one of the most consequential missions in critical infrastructure: the modernization of air traffic management, aviation weather, and national airspace systems worldwide.
This is a highly visible, externally facing technical leadership position at the center of how Parsons partners with the FAA, international air navigation service providers (ANSPs), airports, the Department of Defense, and leading aviation technology OEMs to modernize the systems that keep the skies safe.
If you are a recognized technical leader in CNS/ATM, aviation weather, air traffic management, or safety-critical systems integration — someone who has earned credibility with government and industry customers through demonstrated delivery, not just theory — this role offers the scope, autonomy, and mission impact to make your mark on the next generation of aviation infrastructure.
Why This Role Matters
Aviation modernization is entering a pivotal decade. Aging infrastructure, growing airspace complexity, emerging technologies like AI and digital engineering, and the integration of new entrants such as UAS and UAM are converging to reshape how air traffic is managed and how aviation weather is sensed, processed, and delivered to operational decision-makers.
As Technical Director, you will be the person customers, executives, and engineering teams turn to when the technical stakes are highest: when a modernization program needs a credible architecture, when a proposal needs technical teeth, when an integration risk needs to be surfaced early, or when a customer needs to trust that Parsons understands their mission as well as they do.
What You'll Be Doing
Setting Technical Direction

• Define and evolve the Aviation Sector's technical strategy, translating business and customer mission needs into executable plans.

• Assess which emerging technologies (AI, digital engineering, cloud, advanced data platforms) are genuinely ready for safety-critical aviation use — and which are not.

• Establish Parsons as the technically credible, vendor-neutral partner for complex aviation integration challenges.

Serving as Technical Authority for CNS/ATM and Aviation Weather

• Provide senior technical leadership across communications, navigation, surveillance, air traffic management, ATC automation, and airspace operations.

• Guide the technical approach to aviation weather sensing, forecasting, and dissemination, and its integration into ATM and airport decision-support systems.

• Evaluate competing architectures, technologies, and vendor claims with operational rigor.

Leading Complex Systems Integration

• Provide technical oversight for multi-system, multi-site, multi-vendor programs — from architecture through deployment and cutover.

• Instill engineering discipline across requirements, configuration management, interface control, and verification/validation.

• Surface integration risks early, before they become cost, schedule, or safety problems.

Driving Program and Pursuit Success

• Provide technical leadership to major programs, captures, and proposals across FAA, international ANSP, airport, DoD, and OEM opportunities.

• Serve as a technical escalation point for difficult architecture, integration, or delivery challenges.

• Ensure what gets proposed is what can actually be delivered.

Engaging Customers and Industry

• Build trusted relationships with FAA, international civil aviation authorities, ANSPs, airports, DoD organizations, and OEM partners.

• Represent Parsons at industry forums and executive briefings as a senior technical voice.

• Translate customer and market insight into recommendations for talent, partnerships, and investment.

Establishing Technical Governance

• Lead independent technical reviews, architecture reviews, and readiness assessments.

• Promote disciplined, phased delivery with clear readiness gates for safe, predictable modernization in live operational environments.

• Ensure schedule or commercial pressure never compromises safety, security, or quality.

Building Technical Talent and Capability

• Define the sector's technical capability model and close critical skill and succession gaps.

• Recruit, mentor, and retain senior technical professionals; build career paths for chief engineers and architects.

Driving Innovation Responsibly

• Lead practical application of digital engineering, AI, and enterprise data integration in regulated, safety-critical environments.

• Clearly distinguish what's ready for operational deployment from what's still experimental.

What Success Looks Like

• Established a clear, actionable technical strategy for the Aviation Sector.

• Strengthened Parsons' technical credibility with the FAA, ANSPs, airports, DoD, and international customers.

• Improved the technical realism and competitiveness of major proposals.

• Built repeatable playbooks for systems integration, testing, and operational transition.

• Grown a deeper bench of CNS/ATM and aviation weather technical leadership.

• Contributed directly to new contract awards and strategic growth.

What Required Skills You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, aviation, meteorology, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience.

• 25+ years of progressive experience in aviation systems, aerospace, CNS/ATM,…