Technical Design Director - Defense Infrastructure

Parsons; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 446,000 - 725,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Corporation in Riyadh seeks a Technical Design Director for Defense Infrastructure to lead architectural development, engineering assurance, and multidisciplinary design integration for mission-critical facilities.

You will align high-level architectural intent with structural, MEP, and security requirements while managing design consultants and internal teams through concept to issued-for-construction delivery.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of progressive design-management experience.
• Experience on mega government and defense infrastructure projects.
• Experience in Saudi Arabia or GCC region.
• Eligibility for Saudi Council of Engineers.
• Familiarity with Saudi Building Code and Civil Defense requirements.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the integrated technical-design strategy.
• Direct architectural development and engineering coordination from concept to issued-for-construction.
• Oversee design assurance for mission-critical military infrastructure and vertical facilities.
• Establish design-review requirements, design gates, and responsibilities.
• Lead design reviews and coordinate multidisciplinary interfaces including security systems.

Skills

Leadership

Design leadership

Architectural integration

BIM coordination

Security integration

Client liaison

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor in Architecture/Civil Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

BIM

Job description

Job Snapshot

Role: Technical Design Director - Defense Infrastructure

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Industry: Defense and Space

Function: Design

General Experience: Minimum 15 years

Job Type: Full-time

Parsons is hiring a Technical Design Director - Defense Infrastructure in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for a major program within the Defense and Space industry. The director will lead architectural development, engineering assurance, and multidisciplinary design integration for complex mission-critical facilities and vertical structures. This senior leadership role will connect high-level architectural intent with structural, MEP, infrastructure, security, and construction requirements. The successful candidate will manage design consultants and internal teams from concept development through issued-for-construction delivery while maintaining compliance with military standards, Saudi codes, budget, and schedule commitments.

Job Details

Country: Saudi Arabia

City: Riyadh

Industry: Defense and Space

Function: Design

General Salary: 40000-65000 SAR per month

Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in Riyadh; please confirm the final offer with the employer.

Gender: Any

Candidate Nationality: Any

Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

Mission-critical defense developments require architecture, engineering, operational security, resilience, and construction feasibility to be resolved as one coordinated design. Technical decisions must satisfy strict performance and confidentiality requirements while progressing through demanding review and approval stages. The Technical Design Director will provide the authority needed to align creative intent with secure and buildable engineering solutions. Strong governance will reduce design conflicts, maintain package quality, and protect the program from approval delays and construction-stage redesign.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and lead the integrated technical-design strategy.
• Direct architectural development and engineering coordination from concept to issued-for-construction stages.
• Oversee design assurance for mission-critical military infrastructure and vertical facilities.
• Establish technical-review requirements, design gates, and approval responsibilities.
• Lead design reviews and verify that comments are resolved before package progression.
• Direct lead design consultants and specialist subconsultants.
• Assess consultant performance against scope, budget, schedule, quality, and technical requirements.
• Serve as the primary technical contact for senior clients and relevant authorities.
• Present complex design matters, risks, alternatives, and recommendations to decision-makers.
• Coordinate architecture, structural engineering, MEP, civil infrastructure, and security systems.
• Resolve multidisciplinary interfaces, spatial conflicts, and competing technical requirements.
• Ensure specialized defense and high-security systems are integrated into the overall design.
• Maintain alignment between design packages, construction sequencing, and program milestones.
• Conduct buildability and constructability reviews.
• Lead value-engineering studies without weakening security, functionality, quality, or lifecycle performance.
• Identify technical and design risks and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Verify compliance with Saudi Building Code requirements.
• Ensure alignment with Civil Defense requirements and applicable authority regulations.
• Assess designs against military standards and recognized defense-facility benchmarks.
• Oversee BIM-led coordination and model-based technical assurance.
• Ensure accurate design-data integration across disciplines and consultant packages.
• Establish clear design-change and technical-decision controls.
• Maintain complete and auditable technical documentation.
• Monitor design progress and address bottlenecks affecting critical delivery dates.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams within fast-track program conditions.
• Support procurement and construction teams with timely design clarifications.
• Protect approved design intent during technical development and delivery.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor 's degree in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Master 's degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive design-management experience.
• Proven leadership on mega projects or major government and defense infrastructure programs.
• Professional experience within Saudi Arabia or the wider GCC region.
• Strong knowledge of technical-design integration and multidisciplinary engineering.
• Ability to evaluate structural and architectural buildability.
• Experience with high-security facilities, controlled environments, or mission-critical assets.
• Detailed understanding of value engineering, risk management, and design assurance.
• Familiarity with Saudi Building Code and Civil Defense requirements.
• Experience leading design consultants and large multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to negotiate complex technical solutions with clients, authorities, and consultants.
• Demonstrated success within fast-track delivery environments.
• Eligibility for membership in the Saudi Council of Engineers.
• Professional chartership is preferred.
• Membership of RIBA, AIA, ICE, IStructE, or an equivalent professional body is advantageous.

Skills Set

• Defense-infrastructure design
• Mission-critical facilities
• Technical-design leadership
• Architectural design integration
• Structural coordination
• MEP coordination
• Security-systems integration
• Lead-consultant management
• Design assurance
• Issued-for-construction packages
• Design-stage governance
• Constructability reviews
• Buildability assessment
• Value engineering
• Technical risk management
• Saudi Building Code
• Civil Defense requirements
• Military design standards
• High-security facility protocols
• BIM-led coordination
• Model-based design review
• Design-data integration
• Spatial-conflict resolution
• Design-change control
• Technical documentation
• Client and authority liaison
• Multidisciplinary team leadership
• Fast-track design delivery

Why Join Us

This opportunity provides technical authority over a high-profile program where design excellence, security, regulatory compliance, and construction feasibility must work together. The director will influence major architectural and engineering decisions from early strategy through final construction documentation. The position offers a strong route toward executive design, technical-director, and program-leadership roles within Saudi Arabia's growing Defense and Space market.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation delivers engineering, architecture, program-management, and secure infrastructure solutions for complex government and defense developments. Its multidisciplinary teams combine technical assurance, digital coordination, and disciplined delivery to support mission-critical project outcomes.