TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Position Summary:

MISTRAS Group is seeking a Technical Director to lead the technical group supporting Aerospace & Defense laboratory operations across the U.S. and Canada. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Aerospace & Defense, the Technical Director serves as a key member of the regional operations leadership team and is responsible for driving technical excellence, operational consistency, quality, and scalability across multiple laboratory sites.

The role leads a distributed team of technical experts, including NDT Level III specialists, chemical engineers, project leaders, and engineering support personnel. The Technical Director acts as a technical subject matter expert, oversees compliance with industry standards, supports strategic initiatives, and works closely with laboratory operations, quality teams, and customers to enhance performance, reliability, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a distributed team of technical experts, including NDT Level III specialists (RT, UT, PT, ET), chemical engineers, project leaders, and engineering support personnel.
• Manage team performance, alignment, and communication across geographically dispersed locations.
• Serve as the primary liaison between laboratory operations and quality teams, supporting audits, nonconformance investigations, and root cause analysis.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by identifying and implementing best practices across laboratory locations.
• Standardize technical procedures, administrative processes, and operational workflows throughout the laboratory network.
• Lead and manage strategic initiatives, including laboratory consolidations, relocations, and capacity expansion projects.
• Oversee 5S program standards across laboratories while supporting compliance with aerospace and defense regulatory requirements, including AS9100, ITAR, and company quality standards.
• Support capital investment projects through budgeting, scheduling, vendor coordination, and execution.
• Provide technical expertise in support of sales and business development activities.
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for internal teams and external customers.
• Maintain oversight of NDT procedures, certifications, and compliance frameworks, including AS, ISO, and NADCAP requirements.
• Establish, monitor, and report key performance indicators (KPIs) to improve operational performance and accountability.
• Drive the transformation of the technical organization into a proactive, consultative function.
• Contribute to business strategy and capability development initiatives.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Engineering degree preferred in Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical, or a related discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum 3–5 years of leadership experience within the aerospace, space, NDT inspection, materials testing, or related industries.
• Proven experience leading and managing geographically dispersed technical teams.
• Strong background in project and program management, including capital project support, budgeting, and scheduling.
• Demonstrated experience supporting operational growth, facility expansion, capacity improvement, and process optimization.
• Experience working in regulated, quality-driven environments such as testing, inspection, manufacturing, or industrial services.
• Proven knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025 and NADCAP requirements related to materials testing.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple activities.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills for communication with customers and senior leadership.
• Ability to lead distributed technical teams while maintaining alignment and accountability.
• Expertise in operational transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of technical governance, regulatory compliance, and quality management systems.
• Experience supporting complex laboratory projects, including consolidations, relocations, and capital investments.
• Ability to provide technical guidance for customer engagement and business development activities.
• Demonstrated leadership, critical thinking, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• NDT/NDI knowledge is preferred.

About the Company:

MISTRAS Group is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining fair employment practices. Employment decisions are made without regard to any protected class under applicable law. The company maintains an at-will employment relationship and values integrity, technical excellence, and compliance across its operations.