Digital Engineer (FPGA/VHDL Focus)

Actalent; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 138,000 - 165,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short/Long-term disability

Health Spending Account

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Digital Engineer (FPGA/VHDL focus) to design, develop, troubleshoot, and verify VHDL-based digital and FPGA solutions in a San Diego‑area environment. The role involves firmware support for SDR applications and close collaboration with systems and hardware teams.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's in Engineering or related STEM field, strong VHDL/FPGA experience, and the ability to work in Agile or traditional development contexts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related STEM field.
• Strong hands-on experience with VHDL design and verification.
• Experience with FPGA development tools.
• Active Secret Clearance required at start.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, integrate, and test VHDL-based digital and FPGA solutions.
• Support firmware development for software-defined radio applications.
• Perform digital design verification and debugging activities.
• Collaborate with systems, hardware, integration, and test engineering teams.
• Analyze system requirements and resolve performance, functionality, and timing challenges.
• Work within Agile and/or traditional development environments.

Skills

VHDL design

FPGA development

Digital verification

Agile methods

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/related STEM

Tools

FPGA development tools

Job description

Actalent is Hiring: Digital Engineer (FPGA/VHDL Focus)

Location: San Diego, CA Area

Pay Rate: $100-$120/hour

Duration: Estimated 12-month contract with potential for extensions and the opportunity to apply for a direct hire position.

Clearance Required: Active Secret Clearance

Actalent is actively seeking a Digital Engineer with strong experience in VHDL design, FPGA development, and digital verification to support advanced communication and defense technology programs. We are looking for qualified candidates ASAP for this opportunity.

• Design, develop, integrate, and test VHDL-based digital and FPGA solutions.
• Support firmware development for software-defined radio applications.
• Perform digital design verification and debugging activities.
• Collaborate with systems, hardware, integration, and test engineering teams.
• Analyze system requirements and resolve performance, functionality, and timing challenges.
• Work within Agile and/or traditional development environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related STEM field.
• Strong hands‑on experience with VHDL design and verification.
• Experience working with FPGA development tools and environments.
• Active Secret Clearance required at start.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently or within a team.

This is an excellent opportunity to work on cutting‑edge digital communication technologies in a highly collaborative engineering environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of San Diego, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100.00 - $120.00/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 San Diego,CA.

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.