Digital Design Engineer

Team: Engineering & Operations

Location: Saratoga, CA

Commitment: Full-Time

Workplace Type: onsite

We are seeking experienced Digital Design Engineers to join our Satellite Avionics team. In this role you will own the electrical design of complex digital boards for a next-generation satellite constellation, including high-speed interfaces, FPGA integration, and mixed-signal subsystems. You will play a central role in delivering flight-qualified avionics hardware from concept through qualification.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own schematic design and component selection for digital avionics boards, from concept through flight qualification.
• Design high-speed SERDES interfaces (PCIe, JESD, gigabit links) and DDR4/DDR5 memory interfaces with proper timing closure.
• Develop clocking architectures including PLL configuration, jitter management, and clock distribution networks.
• Perform power budgeting and system-level power allocation across board subsystems.
• Apply radiation-tolerant design techniques including SEU/SEE mitigation, TID considerations, and appropriate component derating.
• Collaborate with FPGA engineers on support circuitry design, pinout planning, and power/layout requirements.
• Drive board bring-up activities including configuration, interface verification, and structured debugging.
• Participate in design reviews and cross-functional integration with RF, power, thermal, and mechanical teams.

Required Qualifications:

• Own schematic design and component selection for digital avionics boards, from concept through flight qualification.
• Design high-speed SERDES interfaces (PCIe, JESD, gigabit links) and DDR4/DDR5 memory interfaces with proper timing closure.
• Develop clocking architectures including PLL configuration, jitter management, and clock distribution networks.
• Perform power budgeting and system-level power allocation across board subsystems.
• Apply radiation-tolerant design techniques including SEU/SEE mitigation, TID considerations, and appropriate component derating.
• Collaborate with FPGA engineers on support circuitry design, pinout planning, and power/layout requirements.
• Drive board bring-up activities including configuration, interface verification, and structured debugging.
• Participate in design reviews and cross-functional integration with RF, power, thermal, and mechanical teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with satellite or spacecraft avionics design and qualification (EM/QM/FM build cycles).
• Background in non-volatile memory technologies (Flash, MRAM, FRAM) and in-system programmability.
• Exposure to power supply design and power integrity analysis for digital boards.
• Experience with design for radiation reliability and single-event effects mitigation at the board level.
• Familiarity with signal integrity simulation tools (HyperLynx SI/PI, Ansys, ADS).

Tools & Technologies:

• Altium Designer (schematic capture and layout review)
• HyperLynx SI, SI/PI, and Full-Wave (signal and power integrity)
• SPICE-based circuit simulation
• FPGA vendor toolchains (for interface bring-up and debug)