Engineering Manager, Digital Design

Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space—for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra’s ecosystem operates through three business units:
Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms). Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission‑ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed.

Space Systems is where Umbra turns hardware and software designs into on‑orbit realities; developing, implementing and iterating mission‑ready core technology, while simultaneously advancing the next generation of our own satellite constellation. Space Systems is vertically integrated across the satellite architecture, thus the team designs, builds, and tests an array of critical components and subsystems, including power systems, communications, control systems, deployment hardware, avionics, and payloads, as well as the flight software, firmware and digital design solutions to support the entire hardware stack.

Our focus is on first principles engineering, and our mandate is simple: it has to work when it counts. Every bolt, board, and binary is proven on our own SAR constellation, ensuring flight‑proven reliability where failure is not an option.

If you want to work on cutting edge space technology while maintaining the highest standard for innovation and mission ready performance, you belong here at Umbra.

We are on the lookout for a highly skilled and experienced Digital Design Engineering Manager who will be instrumental in the development and delivery of embedded flight software tailored for Umbra missions. This pivotal role encompasses a broad spectrum of responsibilities, where you will not only oversee day-to‑day people management but also provide robust technical leadership to guide your team towards success.

You will be at the forefront of creating cutting‑edge HDL‑based digital designs for next‑generation space radar systems. In this role, you’ll work closely alongside our software and electrical engineering teams to innovate, analyze, manufacture, and rigorously test microwave subsystems.

This position is based on‑site in our Santa Barbara, CA office.

• 40% people management of a team of 4‑5 software engineers, and 60% "hands on" technical leadership of that team to develop FPGA‑based digital designs for radar, electronic warfare, and communications.
• Work with electrical and systems engineers to integrate Xilinx SoC based hardware with high‑speed data converters and associated microwave transmitter and receiver chains.
• Continuously collaborate with the payload engineering team to address mechanical, thermal and power subsystems and interfaces.
• Rapidly develop prototypes and iteratively improve hardware and firmware.
• Prepare engineering documentation, reports, and test plans.
• Perform other professional duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s of Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or equivalent.
• Knowledge of foundational electrical engineering, computer architecture and digital design concepts.
• 2+ years of people management of a team of digital design engineers, including capacity planning, hiring, feedback, coaching, mentoring, performance reviews, and performance management.
• 5+ years of proven, relevant experience in digital design with FPGA and SoC devices.
• Development experience with Xilinx devices and design suite, such as Vivado, SDK and Vitis.
• Expertise in VHDL and/or Verilog.
• Experience developing MCU and SoC software in Rust or C/C++.
• Working knowledge of modern FPGA architectures and external interfaces, including high speed converters, DDR RAM, and Solid‑State NAND and NOR based storage.
• Familiarity with standard physical layers for digital communication (UART, SPI, LVDS).
• Comfortable working in a dynamic and fast‑paced development environment.