Design Manager Jobs in Georgia
Design Manager jobs in Georgia are in active demand, concentrated in metro Atlanta's technology, consumer goods, and media sectors, with openings ranging from entry-level associate design managers to senior and director-level positions. Atlanta, Savannah, and Athens represent the primary hiring hubs, where established employers like The Home Depot, Cox Enterprises, and NCR Voyix maintain consistent design leadership needs. Product design, UX and digital experience design, and brand design management are the most sought-after specialties across Georgia-based teams. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 55+ Design Manager jobs
Design Engineering Manager, Aircraft Structures & FAA Certification
Location: Albany, GA
Employment Type : Full-Time, Permanent W2
About the Company
This organization has built a strong reputation designing, manufacturing, and supporting highly engineered aircraft structures and specialized flight platforms out of a major regional airport facility in Albany, GA. Research, airframe design, structural analysis, flight testing, and lifecycle support all happen under one roof, giving engineers exposure to complex, multi-system challenges on a daily basis.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary Range : $120,000–$140,000/year, based on experience and management tenure
- Relocation assistance available for candidates relocating to the Albany, GA area
- Choice of traditional or high-deductible health plans (HDHP)
- Dental and vision coverage
- Prescription drug coverage
- Short-term and long-term disability
- Supplemental insurance options
- Paid time off (PTO) and paid company holidays
- Paid parental leave
- 401(k) retirement savings plan
- Sponsored professional development and training access
Job Summary
This role sits at the intersection of technical leadership and department management. You'll be responsible for making sure every technical release, structural drawing, and product modification clears airworthiness, safety, and schedule requirements — while also acting as the connective tissue between engineering, the shop floor, and regulatory bodies like the FAA and DERs. Executive leadership will look to you for both big-picture planning and hands-on problem-solving.
Key Responsibilities
- Run daily operations for the design engineering department, keeping projects moving from concept through production release
- Build and maintain master schedules spanning design, stress analysis, testing, and manufacturing
- Report on timelines, resourcing, and progress to leadership across departments
- Serve as the primary point of contact for FAA and DER certification activities
- Push process improvements that boost accuracy and throughput across the team
- Hire, coach, and evaluate engineering staff; oversee shop-floor engineering support
- Manage departmental budget, software tools, and technical resources
- Coordinate with other department leads, suppliers, and outside engineering contractors
- Set and enforce design standards, SOPs, and department policy
- Represent engineering at PDR/CDR design reviews and executive strategy sessions
Minimum Requirements
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field
- 10+ years of relevant engineering experience with a bachelor's degree, or 5+ years with a master's degree
- 5+ years directly managing or supervising engineering staff
- Hands-on experience with FAR Part 23 or Part 25 certification work
- Strong grounding in structural fabrication, aircraft repair, aviation hardware, and maintenance practices
- Advanced proficiency in SolidWorks or a comparable 3D CAD platform
- Self-directed, adaptable, and comfortable leading a team under deadline pressure
- Strong written and verbal communication for cross-departmental and regulatory work
Ideal Qualifications
- Systems engineering background covering integration across multiple aircraft subsystems
- Track record in structural airframe integration and compliance documentation
- Established working relationships with FAA officials, DERs, or commercial fleet customers
Elevate Your Career
Rio Staffing's engineering recruitment team connects experienced technical leaders with top aerospace and defense manufacturers nationwide. We'll manage your interview process, keep you informed at every stage, and advocate for the compensation you deserve. Apply today or browse more opportunities at www.riostaffing.com .
Design Engineering Manager, Aircraft Structures & FAA Certification
Location: Albany, GA
Employment Type : Full-Time, Permanent W2
About the Company
This organization has built a strong reputation designing, manufacturing, and supporting highly engineered aircraft structures and specialized flight platforms out of a major regional airport facility in Albany, GA. Research, airframe design, structural analysis, flight testing, and lifecycle support all happen under one roof, giving engineers exposure to complex, multi-system challenges on a daily basis.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary Range : $120,000–$140,000/year, based on experience and management tenure
- Relocation assistance available for candidates relocating to the Albany, GA area
- Choice of traditional or high-deductible health plans (HDHP)
- Dental and vision coverage
- Prescription drug coverage
- Short-term and long-term disability
- Supplemental insurance options
- Paid time off (PTO) and paid company holidays
- Paid parental leave
- 401(k) retirement savings plan
- Sponsored professional development and training access
Job Summary
This role sits at the intersection of technical leadership and department management. You'll be responsible for making sure every technical release, structural drawing, and product modification clears airworthiness, safety, and schedule requirements — while also acting as the connective tissue between engineering, the shop floor, and regulatory bodies like the FAA and DERs. Executive leadership will look to you for both big-picture planning and hands-on problem-solving.
Key Responsibilities
- Run daily operations for the design engineering department, keeping projects moving from concept through production release
- Build and maintain master schedules spanning design, stress analysis, testing, and manufacturing
- Report on timelines, resourcing, and progress to leadership across departments
- Serve as the primary point of contact for FAA and DER certification activities
- Push process improvements that boost accuracy and throughput across the team
- Hire, coach, and evaluate engineering staff; oversee shop-floor engineering support
- Manage departmental budget, software tools, and technical resources
- Coordinate with other department leads, suppliers, and outside engineering contractors
- Set and enforce design standards, SOPs, and department policy
- Represent engineering at PDR/CDR design reviews and executive strategy sessions
Minimum Requirements
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field
- 10+ years of relevant engineering experience with a bachelor's degree, or 5+ years with a master's degree
- 5+ years directly managing or supervising engineering staff
- Hands-on experience with FAR Part 23 or Part 25 certification work
- Strong grounding in structural fabrication, aircraft repair, aviation hardware, and maintenance practices
- Advanced proficiency in SolidWorks or a comparable 3D CAD platform
- Self-directed, adaptable, and comfortable leading a team under deadline pressure
- Strong written and verbal communication for cross-departmental and regulatory work
Ideal Qualifications
- Systems engineering background covering integration across multiple aircraft subsystems
- Track record in structural airframe integration and compliance documentation
- Established working relationships with FAA officials, DERs, or commercial fleet customers
Elevate Your Career
Rio Staffing's engineering recruitment team connects experienced technical leaders with top aerospace and defense manufacturers nationwide. We'll manage your interview process, keep you informed at every stage, and advocate for the compensation you deserve. Apply today or browse more opportunities at www.riostaffing.com .
See All 55 Design Manager Jobs in Georgia
Find roles in Georgia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Manager JobsDesign Manager Jobs by City in Georgia
Where Georgia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Design Manager Job Market in Georgia
A snapshot from current Georgia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
- Banking & Financial Services
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Retail
- Insurance
What Georgia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in design manager jobs across Georgia.
- Bachelor's degree in graphic design, industrial design, or a related design discipline
- Five or more years of professional design experience with at least two in a leadership role
- Demonstrated portfolio showing end-to-end project ownership from concept through delivery
- Proficiency in industry-standard design tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or Sketch
- Experience collaborating cross-functionally with product, engineering, and marketing stakeholders
- Strong communication skills for presenting design decisions to executive and non-design audiences
Design Manager Jobs in Georgia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a design manager in Georgia?
Most design managers in Georgia move into the role by building several years of hands-on design experience and then demonstrating team leadership, whether by mentoring junior designers or owning a product area end to end. No state-issued license is required, but a strong portfolio is essential for every hiring conversation. Georgia employers, particularly those in Atlanta's technology and consumer products sectors, typically expect a bachelor's degree in design or a closely related field alongside that experience.
How much do design managers make in Georgia?
Design managers in Georgia earn a median of about $110,430 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $49,990 for the lowest 10% to over $198,360 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire design managers in Georgia?
Employers hiring design managers in Georgia right now include AECOM, Jacobs, and IHG Hotels & Resorts, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Georgia's concentration of large consumer-facing corporations and growing technology companies keeps steady demand for experienced design leadership across both in-house brand teams and product organizations.
Which Georgia cities have the most design manager jobs?
Atlanta, Duluth, and Georgia account for the largest share of design manager openings in Georgia. Atlanta dominates because it is home to major corporate headquarters in retail, media, and technology, while Savannah's strength in industrial and product design reflects its manufacturing base and the influence of the Savannah College of Art and Design, which draws employers seeking design talent to the region.
Are there remote design manager jobs in Georgia?
Yes, and more than many comparable leadership roles, because design manager work centers on digital collaboration, critique sessions, and cross-functional communication that translate well to remote environments. About 73% of design manager openings tied to Georgia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how broadly tech-forward Georgia employers have adopted flexible work models. Strategic and UX-focused design management roles tend to be the most remote-accessible.
How can I get hired as a design manager in Georgia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving up from a senior individual contributor role into a team lead or principal designer position before pursuing a formal design manager title. Large Georgia employers like The Home Depot and Cox Enterprises regularly bring on associate or staff-level designers who grow into management through internal rotations and mentorship programs. Building a portfolio that shows project ownership, stakeholder communication, and mentoring contributions, even informally, carries more weight in Georgia hiring conversations than any single credential.
Where can I find and apply to design manager jobs in Georgia?
You can find and apply to design manager jobs in Georgia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Georgia openings from employers across Atlanta, Savannah, and beyond. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and specialization, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 55 Design Manager Jobs in Georgia
Find roles in Georgia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Manager Jobs