Art Director Supporting DARPA

DESIGN PORTFOLIO IS REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION.

Spire Communications is seeking an exceptional art director to lead creative and design efforts in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), one of the world’s most influential organizations for breakthrough technology and innovation.

In this highly visible role, you will serve as a creative leader, strategic partner, and brand advisor to DARPA program managers and leadership, as well as the commercial, military, and academic partners working alongside them. You will help shape how some of the nation’s most ambitious and complex technology programs are understood by translating advanced scientific and defense concepts into sophisticated, compelling visual narratives for audiences ranging from technical experts and senior government leaders to industry and the public.

We are looking for more than an exceptional designer. This role requires a confident creative leader with strong judgment, a clear point of view, and proven experience leading and developing talented designers. You must be able to absorb complex information quickly, establish a creative direction, make decisive calls under pressure, and articulate the strategic reasoning behind those decisions to both creative teams and senior government stakeholders.

Clearance: Existing SECRET clearance (or higher) preferred

What You’ll Do

• Set and maintain the overall design vision and creative standards across all DARPA program deliverables (presentations, digital assets, branding, motion graphics, print, and web).
• Manage, mentor, and provide day-to-day direction to a team of designers, balancing individual growth with program deadlines and quality standards.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with other contractors, subject matter experts, program managers, and government points of contact to ensure creative work aligns with program goals and messaging.
• Translate complex, technical, and often classified or sensitive subject matter — spanning defense, military systems, and advanced technology — into clear, compelling visual storytelling.
• Plan and execute creative support for DARPA events, challenges, and competitions — including signage, presentation materials, branding, environmental/booth design, and promotional assets.
• Coordinate with program and events staff to meet tight timelines around high-visibility public and government-facing events.
• Make and defend high-stakes creative decisions, providing well-reasoned rationale grounded in program objectives, audience needs, and design best practices.
• Establish and enforce brand and visual consistency across multiple workstreams and program components.
• Navigate federal contracting norms, government review/approval cycles, and security requirements with professionalism and discretion.
• Review and provide constructive feedback on design work from internal staff and outside collaborators.
• Manage creative production schedules, resource allocation, and workload prioritization across concurrent deliverables.
• Stay current on design trends, defense/tech visual culture, and emerging tools relevant to DARPA-style innovation storytelling.
• Maintain compliance with accessibility standards, including Section 508 compliance.

What You’ll Bring to Spire

• 10+ years of professional design experience, including 3+ years in a creative leadership or art direction role.
• Demonstrated experience managing and mentoring a team of designers.
• Strong portfolio showcasing sophisticated design vision across multiple formats (digital, print, motion, brand).
• Experience working on or supporting defense, aerospace, or a related technical sector, ideally federal government contracts.
• Proficiency in industry-standard design tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma).

Major Pluses

• Prior experience supporting DARPA, Department of War, or another defense/intelligence agency.
• Familiarity with 508/WCAG accessibility standards for government deliverables.
• Experience managing external contractor relationships or multi-agency creative teams.
• Experience designing for live events, conferences, or public competitions/challenges.
• Background in motion graphics, video, or emerging tech visualization.