Graphics Artist, SME

Leidos•Fort Meade, MD

1d•$82,550 - $149,225

About The Position

Leidos is seeking a Graphic Design Subject Matter Expert and Visual Communication Strategist to support the Cyber National Mission Force Commander’s Action Group at U.S. Cyber Command through COSS 3.0 in Fort Meade, Maryland. The role partners with senior leaders and mission experts to explain complex cyber operations, strategic priorities, organizational relationships, and operational outcomes to audiences with varying levels of technical knowledge. The successful candidate leads assignments from discovery and concept development through production and revision. They identify the message that matters, develop compelling visual approaches, explain design decisions, and produce clear, accurate materials that help leaders communicate and audiences understand required decisions or actions. The role also establishes reusable templates and visual standards, mentors teammates, evaluates authorized emerging design methods, and coordinates reviews and delivery through designated Government and Leidos channels.

Requirements

Five or more years of professional graphic design or visual communication experience, including independent concept development and production of presentations for senior audiences. The posting says this proposed threshold requires confirmation against the approved SME job profile and contract qualifications before posting.
Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance with a polygraph at the time of application. The posting says the FSO must confirm the required polygraph type, currency, and customer acceptance before posting.
A portfolio demonstrating original concept development and expert visual communication, including simplification of a complex technical or strategic idea for a senior audience; applicants should be able to explain the source problem, personal contribution, design rationale, and results.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint and professional vector and raster design tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, with strong command of typography, composition, information hierarchy, and production quality.
Demonstrated experience independently leading visual communication assignments from stakeholder discovery and initial sketches through a finished, editable product.
Ability to interpret unfamiliar technical material, ask focused questions, distinguish evidence from assumptions, and work with subject matter experts to verify accuracy.
Experience supporting demanding senior stakeholders, incorporating direct feedback, and delivering quality products under changing deadlines.
Ability to create accessible presentations and documents using appropriate contrast, reading order, alternative text, and captions as applicable; familiarity with applicable Section 508 authoring and testing practices.
Working knowledge of computer networking concepts and terminology, with the ability to interpret technical relationships and verify visual explanations with cyber mission experts.
Demonstrated understanding of formatting and information handling for classified and unclassified briefing environments.
Submit three to five unclassified, publicly releasable, or otherwise authorized work samples. Include at least one example showing how an initial idea or dense source material became a clear visual product, and one editable presentation or diagram example where sharing is permitted. Identify personal contributions to team projects. Synthetic or independently created examples are welcome when previous work cannot be shared. Do not submit classified, controlled, or proprietary customer material.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s or bachelor’s degree or higher in graphic design, visual communication, multimedia arts, or a related discipline, consistent with the approved job profile and equivalency rules; with 8 or more years of experience.
Experience advising a commander, general or flag officer, senior executive, chief of staff, or comparable leadership team on high-consequence visual communications.
Experience translating cyber, intelligence, defense, engineering, scientific, or other complex technical subject matter into accurate visual explanations; military command staff or Commander’s Action Group experience is particularly relevant.
Advanced layout and publication skills using Adobe InDesign; motion design and video editing using After Effects or Premiere; or comparable capabilities demonstrated through work samples.
Experience with Figma/FigJam or comparable tools for collaborative concept development, reusable design systems, and prototyping; ability to deliver usable outputs in customer-approved formats.
Experience using approved AI-assisted creative workflows for ideation and production, including prompt refinement, editing, verification, asset provenance, and appropriate disclosure.
Experience with data storytelling in Power BI or Tableau; geospatial storytelling with ArcGIS Pro or StoryMaps; or 3D explanatory visualization with Blender or comparable software, when supported by the mission need.
Adobe Certified Professional credentials in Illustrator and Photoshop, the Adobe Visual Design specialty credential, or the Adobe AI Creative Workflows specialty credential; equivalent portfolio evidence and relevant advanced training are also valued.
Demonstrated development through visual storytelling and information design programs such as Duarte VisualStory, Slide:ology, or DataStory; relevant Nielsen Norman Group training; or DINFOS graphic design or multimedia education. Course completion is distinct from professional certification.

Responsibilities

Lead discovery discussions with the Commander’s Action Group and mission experts to establish purpose, audience, essential message, evidence, and desired outcome before selecting a visual format.
Translate incomplete notes, complex narratives, and technical information into original visual concepts, storyboards, infographics, diagrams, maps, and leadership presentations; propose alternatives and recommend the approach that best serves the message.
Design executive briefings, strategy graphics, decision visuals, campaign and mission overviews, placemats, reports, and event materials, adapting approved concepts across presentation, print, and digital formats.
Make cyber concepts understandable without changing their technical meaning, and confirm terminology, relationships, quantitative claims, and depicted effects with responsible subject matter experts.
Build editable PowerPoint presentations and reusable vector graphics, preserving live text, maintainable charts, source-data references, and organized production files.
Use advanced illustration, layout, and image-editing techniques to establish visual hierarchy, readable typography, and purposeful color; apply accessibility practices appropriate to each deliverable.
Create motion graphics, short visual explainers, or interactive prototypes when appropriate to the communication objective and approved technology environment.
Advise senior stakeholders on visual communication, offer constructive alternatives when requested designs obscure the message, and revise professionally as requirements evolve.
Establish reusable templates, visual standards, and an organized asset library; mentor teammates and improve production methods to reduce rework and accelerate recurring products.
Evaluate emerging design and AI-assisted methods against communication needs; use only customer-authorized tools and features with permitted information, validate outputs, protect source material, and maintain workable alternatives when cloud or AI services are unavailable.
Manage multiple priorities, communicate delivery estimates, coordinate technical, security, and release reviews, and deliver approved products through designated Government and Leidos channels.