Senior Hardware Engineer, Orbital Infrastructure
armada • San Francisco, California Office (HQ)
No Relocation
Posted: January 12, 2026
Job Description
The Mission
At Armada, we are building the infrastructure for the next industrial frontier. Our Galleon data centers have already brought AI-grade compute to the world’s most rugged terrestrial environments—from remote mines to offshore platforms. Now, we are looking up. We are building the Orbital Galleon: a modular, high-compute orbital data center designed to process massive data loads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond.
We are seeking a Senior Hardware Engineer with over a decade of experience in server-level hardware and data center components to lead the physical design and component strategy of our orbital compute nodes.
About the role
This is a veteran role focused on the physical architecture of our space-based servers. You won't just be buying servers; you will be designing the "guts" of our orbital assets. You will be responsible for choosing the silicon, designing custom PCBAs for power delivery, and working directly with global component manufacturers to modify terrestrial data center hardware for the rigors of space.
You will bridge the gap between high-performance "COTS" (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) hardware and the extreme reliability required for an unserviceable orbital environment.
Location. San Francisco, CA, Bellevue, WA, or Remote (USA)
What You'll Do (Key Responsibilities)
- Component Strategy & Architecture: Lead the selection of CPUs, GPUs, and high-density NVMe storage. Evaluate silicon based on performance-per-watt and inherent radiation susceptibility (TID/SEE).
- Custom Server Design: Architect custom server sleds and high-speed backplanes. Ensure signal integrity for PCIe Gen 5/6 and CXL links in a compact form factor optimized for a satellite bus.
- Manufacturer Collaboration: Act as the primary technical point of contact for Tier 1 component vendors. Work with their engineering teams to deep-dive into firmware and hardware-level modifications for orbital stability.
- Thermal & Mechanical Integration: Design conduction-based cooling solutions and the use of Phase Change Materials (PCM) or advanced heat pipes for heat dissipation in the absence of air.
- Hardware Hardening: Lead the "Space-Adaptation" of terrestrial hardware, implementing shielding, structural reinforcements, and conductive cooling paths.
- Validation & Qualification: Oversee the hardware testing lifecycle, from initial breadboarding to Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) and Vibration (Shock/Vibe) qualification.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ Years of Experience: Deep hands-on hardware engineering with a focus on server-class hardware, high-performance computing (HPC), or ruggedized electronics
- Industry Networks: Existing, strong relationships with major semiconductor and data center component vendors.
- Server Design Mastery: Expert knowledge of x86/ARM architectures, memory hierarchies, and high-speed interconnects (PCIe, NVMe, Ethernet).
- PCBA Design: Proficiency in high-speed PCB design (Altium, Cadence, or Allegro) for power-dense environments.
- Education: BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Spaceflight Heritage: Proven experience designing hardware that has successfully flown and operated in LEO/GEO environments.
- Radiation Effects: Expertise in mitigating Single Event Effects (SEE) and Total Ionizing Dose (TID) through hardware-level redundancy and shielding.
- Aerospace Integration: Experience interfacing high-compute payloads with standard satellite buses and power systems.
- Environmental Standards: Familiarity with rigorous testing standards for vacuum, thermal, and high-vibration environments (e.g., MIL-STD or equivalent aerospace protocols).
Compensation
For U.S. Based candidates: To ensure fairness and transparency, the starting base salary range for this role for candidates in the U.S. are listed below, varying based on location experience, skills, and qualifications.
In addition to base salary, this role will also be offered equity and subsidized benefits (details available upon request).
Benefits
- Competitive base salary and equity
- Medical, dental, and vision (subsidized cost)
- Health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), and dependent care FSAs (DCFSA)
- Retirement plan options, including 401(k) and Roth 401(k)
- Unlimited paid time off (PTO)
- 15 paid company holidays per year
#LI-ST1
#LI-Hybrid
Additional Content
The Mission
At Armada, we are building the infrastructure for the next industrial frontier. Our Galleon data centers have already brought AI-grade compute to the world’s most rugged terrestrial environments—from remote mines to offshore platforms. Now, we are looking up. We are building the Orbital Galleon: a modular, high-compute orbital data center designed to process massive data loads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond.
We are seeking a Senior Hardware Engineer with over a decade of experience in server-level hardware and data center components to lead the physical design and component strategy of our orbital compute nodes.
About the role
This is a veteran role focused on the physical architecture of our space-based servers. You won't just be buying servers; you will be designing the "guts" of our orbital assets. You will be responsible for choosing the silicon, designing custom PCBAs for power delivery, and working directly with global component manufacturers to modify terrestrial data center hardware for the rigors of space.
You will bridge the gap between high-performance "COTS" (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) hardware and the extreme reliability required for an unserviceable orbital environment.
Location. San Francisco, CA, Bellevue, WA, or Remote (USA)
What You'll Do (Key Responsibilities)
- Component Strategy & Architecture: Lead the selection of CPUs, GPUs, and high-density NVMe storage. Evaluate silicon based on performance-per-watt and inherent radiation susceptibility (TID/SEE).
- Custom Server Design: Architect custom server sleds and high-speed backplanes. Ensure signal integrity for PCIe Gen 5/6 and CXL links in a compact form factor optimized for a satellite bus.
- Manufacturer Collaboration: Act as the primary technical point of contact for Tier 1 component vendors. Work with their engineering teams to deep-dive into firmware and hardware-level modifications for orbital stability.
- Thermal & Mechanical Integration: Design conduction-based cooling solutions and the use of Phase Change Materials (PCM) or advanced heat pipes for heat dissipation in the absence of air.
- Hardware Hardening: Lead the "Space-Adaptation" of terrestrial hardware, implementing shielding, structural reinforcements, and conductive cooling paths.
- Validation & Qualification: Oversee the hardware testing lifecycle, from initial breadboarding to Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) and Vibration (Shock/Vibe) qualification.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ Years of Experience: Deep hands-on hardware engineering with a focus on server-class hardware, high-performance computing (HPC), or ruggedized electronics
- Industry Networks: Existing, strong relationships with major semiconductor and data center component vendors.
- Server Design Mastery: Expert knowledge of x86/ARM architectures, memory hierarchies, and high-speed interconnects (PCIe, NVMe, Ethernet).
- PCBA Design: Proficiency in high-speed PCB design (Altium, Cadence, or Allegro) for power-dense environments.
- Education: BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Spaceflight Heritage: Proven experience designing hardware that has successfully flown and operated in LEO/GEO environments.
- Radiation Effects: Expertise in mitigating Single Event Effects (SEE) and Total Ionizing Dose (TID) through hardware-level redundancy and shielding.
- Aerospace Integration: Experience interfacing high-compute payloads with standard satellite buses and power systems.
- Environmental Standards: Familiarity with rigorous testing standards for vacuum, thermal, and high-vibration environments (e.g., MIL-STD or equivalent aerospace protocols).
Compensation
For U.S. Based candidates: To ensure fairness and transparency, the starting base salary range for this role for candidates in the U.S. are listed below, varying based on location experience, skills, and qualifications.
In addition to base salary, this role will also be offered equity and subsidized benefits (details available upon request).
Benefits
- Competitive base salary and equity
- Medical, dental, and vision (subsidized cost)
- Health savings accounts (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), and dependent care FSAs (DCFSA)
- Retirement plan options, including 401(k) and Roth 401(k)
- Unlimited paid time off (PTO)
- 15 paid company holidays per year
#LI-ST1
#LI-Hybrid