Digital Design Manager

Digital Design Manager

Are you an Engineering Manager with a background in Digital Design and a passion for people leadership? We are seeking an experienced Digital Design Manager with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or an equivalent field. The ideal candidate will possess foundational knowledge in electrical engineering and have experience managing a team of 3 or more. This role is on site in Santa Barbara, CArelocation assistance is available for candidates out of the area.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of digital design engineers, including capacity planning, hiring, feedback, coaching, mentoring, conducting performance reviews, and performance management.
• Lead digital design projects with a focus on FPGA and SoC devices, ensuring high standards of quality and efficiency.
• Develop and implement software for MCU and SoC using languages such as Rust or C/C++.
• Design and develop FPGA-based hardware for spacecraft systems, including working with high-speed data transfer and bandwidth management.
• Interface with vendors and customers as the technical representative, ensuring smooth communication and project success.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent.
• 2+ years of experience in managing a team of digital design engineers.
• 5+ years of experience in digital design with FPGA and SoC devices.
• Expertise in VHDL and/or Verilog.
• Development experience with Xilinx devices and design suite (Vivado, SDK, Vitis).
• Experience in high-speed data transfer and bandwidth management.
• Knowledge of digital communication systems and modulations (QPSK, 8-PSK).

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience developing FPGA-based hardware for spacecraft systems.
• Experience with parallelizing DSP algorithms.
• Knowledge of Python and System/Verilog.

Work Environment

This role operates within a dynamic and fast-paced startup environment. The position is based in Downtown Santa Barbara and Goleta, providing an exciting opportunity to launch satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The role offers opportunity for an annual bonus and up to $10k relocation assistance.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Santa Barbara, California.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $180000.00 - $220000.00/yr. Flexible Time Off, Sick, Family & Medical Leave Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, LTD, STD (employer funded) Vol Life, Critical Illness, Accidental, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance (employee funded) 401k with 3% non-elective company contribution Stock Options Free Parking Free lunch daily in office

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Santa Barbara, CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 14, 2025.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.