Digital Design Engineer

Actalent; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Digital Design Engineer for a contract-based, onsite role in Seattle, WA. You will own the digital subsystem for multi-layer PCBs used in processor, FPGA, and SoC systems, collaborating with firmware and software teams and driving bring-up and validation.

The role emphasizes high-speed design, timing, signal integrity, and manufacturability, with potential for conversion to a full-time position.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 5+ years designing digital hardware.
• Ownership of complex digital boards from schematic design through bring-up.
• Experience with PCBs for data center or network/FPGA platforms.
• Experience with PCIe and other high-speed interfaces.
• Proficiency with schematic capture and PCB design tools (EDM).
• Lab testing with high-speed equipment and structured debugging.
• Ability to read datasheets and translate into robust designs.
• Experience with high-speed interfaces such as I2C.
• Strong understanding of signal integrity and timing.

Responsibilities

• Design complex multi-layer digital PCBs and participate in design reviews.
• Define high-speed interfaces, pin planning, and timing constraints.
• Own digital subsystem clocking including clock tree and resets.
• Perform pre/post-layout signal-integrity analysis and derive routing rules.
• Collaborate with PCB layout engineers on dense, high-pin-count designs.
• Lead digital board bring-up, power-on hand-off, and validation.
• Debug digital hardware with high-speed test equipment and systematic methods.
• Create tests and document results; drive root-cause analysis across hardware, firmware, software.
• Contribute to manufacturability and testability with bring-up procedures.
• Work with firmware/software teams to ensure seamless integration.

Skills

High-speed design

Schematic capture

PCB design tools

PCIe interfaces

Signal integrity

Lab debugging

Clocking/timing

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Siemens Xpedition

EDM tooling

Job description

Job Description

This role focuses on the end-to-end design and development of complex, multi-layer digital printed circuit boards (PCBs) for advanced processor, FPGA, and SoC-based systems. You will own the digital subsystem from schematic capture and high-speed interface definition through board bring-up, validation, and manufacturing readiness. You will collaborate closely with layout, firmware, and software teams to deliver high-performance, reliable digital hardware for demanding applications such as data center server boards and network switch or FPGA-based platforms, with potential for conversion to a full-time role.

Job Title: Digital Design Engineer

This role focuses on the end-to-end design and development of complex, multi-layer digital printed circuit boards (PCBs) for advanced processor, FPGA, and SoC-based systems. You will own the digital subsystem from schematic capture and high-speed interface definition through board bring-up, validation, and manufacturing readiness. You will collaborate closely with layout, firmware, and software teams to deliver high-performance, reliable digital hardware for demanding applications such as data center server boards and network switch or FPGA-based platforms, with potential for conversion to a full-time role.

Responsibilities

• Design complex multi-layer digital PCBs, including schematic capture, component selection, and participation in detailed design reviews for processor-, FPGA-, and SoC-based boards.
• Define and constrain high-speed digital interfaces, including pin planning, interface budgeting, and ensuring robust timing and signal integrity.
• Own the digital subsystem clocking, including clock tree definition, reset strategies, boot and configuration sequences, and general-purpose I/O planning.
• Perform pre- and post-layout signal-integrity analysis and translate the results into routing rules, impedance constraints, and layout guidance.
• Partner closely with PCB layout engineers on routing dense, high-pin-count devices and complex high-speed interfaces.
• Own digital board bring-up, including power-on hand-off, clocking validation, interface initialization, and link validation.
• Debug digital hardware in the lab using high-speed test equipment and a structured, methodical approach to problem isolation and resolution.
• Write, execute, and maintain functional and interface test plans across a range of operating conditions, documenting results and driving root-cause analysis for hardware, firmware, and software integration issues.
• Contribute to manufacturing readiness by incorporating design-for-manufacturability and design-for-test principles, and by developing bring-up procedures and supporting documentation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including firmware and software engineers, to ensure seamless integration of digital hardware into the overall system.
• Support continuous improvement of design processes, tools, and methodologies for high-speed digital hardware development.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or an equivalent discipline.
• 5+ years of industry experience designing digital hardware.
• Proven ownership of complex digital boards from schematic design through bring-up, demonstrating strong understanding of high-speed digital design fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience designing digital PCB assemblies (PCBAs), including server PCBAs for data center applications and circuit boards with network switches or FPGAs.
• Experience with high-speed memory and/or high-speed serial interfaces, such as PCIe and similar technologies.
• Proficiency with industry-standard schematic capture and PCB design tools (EDM), with the ability to implement complex multi-layer designs.
• Hands-on lab proficiency using high-speed test equipment and applying a structured debug methodology to identify and resolve issues.
• Ability to read and interpret datasheets, reference manuals, and user guides and translate them into correct and robust design decisions.
• Experience defining and working with high-speed digital interfaces, including I2C and other common protocols.
• Strong understanding of signal integrity and high-speed digital design practices, including constraints definition and validation.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with processor-, FPGA-, or SoC-based hardware design and associated toolchains.
• High-speed memory or serial interface design and bring-up experience, including validation and optimization of high-speed links.
• Signal-integrity simulation experience, including pre- and post-layout analysis and interpretation of results.Experience bringing up embedded processors or SoCs and working closely with firmware and software teams on integration and debug.Experience in high-reliability or harsh-environment hardware design, including robust design practices for demanding conditions.Scripting skills for test automation and data analysis to improve validation efficiency and repeatability.Familiarity with Siemens Xpedition tool chain for schematic capture and PCB layout, strongly preferred.Interest in long-term opportunities with potential for conversion to a full-time position.

  Job Type & Location

  This is a Contract position based out of Seattle, WA.

  Pay And Benefits

  The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $65.00/hr.

  Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

  Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

  If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

  • Medical, dental & vision
  • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
  • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
  • Short and long-term disability
  • Health Spending Account (HSA)
  • Transportation benefits
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a fully onsite position in Seattle,WA. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Sep 29, 2026.

  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 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

  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 process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

  San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

  Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

  Massachusetts Lie Detector

  It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

  Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.