Distinguished Engineer / Technical Fellow

Armada; Bellevue (WA); Remote; USD 232,000 - 290,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision

401(k) & Roth 401(k)

Unlimited PTO

14 paid holidays

Job summary

Armada is seeking a Distinguished Engineer / Technical Fellow to shape Armada’s long‑term technical vision. You will be the primary architect of data center architecture, high‑density compute, and massive‑scale AI infrastructure, solving the most difficult architectural hurdles across our core product suite.

In this builder‑leader role, you’ll lead Next Horizon projects (including orbital data centers), partner with strategic industry players, and mentor Senior engineers to raise architectural

Qualifications

• 15+ years of software engineering experience with senior technical leadership.
• Deep understanding of data center operations and AI infrastructure at scale.
• Experience coordinating with partners to set standards and drive adoption.

Responsibilities

• Architect Armada Edge Platform and orchestrate compute/AI across distributed, high-latency environments.
• Drive architectural roadmap for Next Horizon projects including orbital data centers.
• Collaborate with industry partners to design deep-tech solutions and extend platform adoption.
• Define 3–5 year technical strategy in high-density GPU orchestration and orbital data processing.
• Lead and mentor staff/principal engineers to raise architectural rigor.

Skills

Core infra mastery

Distributed systems

Systems programming

Ecosystem influence

Job description

Armada is thehyperscalerfor the edge, delivering modular AI infrastructure from first deployment to AI factory with speed,scaleand sovereignty. Namedone of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companiesandtothe CNBC Disruptor 50, Armada’s solutions are deployed in over 60 countries globally for organizations ranging from energy to defense.

With nearly $500 million in funding to date, Armada is backed by leading investors including FoundersFund, Lux, BlackRock and Microsoft (M12), alongside strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Dell,Palantir, NVIDIA, SpaceX, and Skydio. We are building the infrastructure layer for sovereign and edgeAI - rugged, deployable compute for customers that cannot rely on centralized cloud.

Working at Armada means taking ownership, driving autonomy, and delivering impact. You’ll tackle challenges that haven’t been solved before and help build something transformative from the ground up. What you do here will not only define your career but help further Armada’s mission to bridge the digital divide for customers around the world.

About the Role

As a Distinguished Engineer / Technical Fellow, you will be the primary architect of Armada’s long-term technical vision. This is a "builder-leader" role for a world-class technologist who possesses a deep, fundamental understanding of data center architecture, high-density compute, and massive-scale AI infrastructure. You will solve the most difficult technical hurdles across our core product suite while leading the R&D for "Next Horizon" projects, such as Data Centers in Space. Beyond internal development, you will act as a key technical diplomat, collaborating with our most strategic industry partners to design deep-tech solutions that deepen Armada’s product adoption and expand our reach into entirely new frontiers.

Location: Bellevue, WA, San Francisco, CA , or Remote

What You'll Do (Key Responsibilities)

• Architecting the Universal Edge: Lead the evolution of the Armada Edge Platform (AEP), ensuring seamless orchestration of compute and AI workloads across globally distributed, high-latency, and disconnected environments.
• Next Horizon Projects: Drive the architectural roadmap for visionary initiatives, including Data Centers in Space. This involves adapting the Armada stack for orbital compute modules and solving for the unique challenges of Low Earth Orbit (LEO)—including radiation-tolerant software, thermal management, and power-constrained AI processing.
• Strategic Partner Engineering: Work directly with elite industry partners to co-design solutions that integrate Armada’s technology deeper into their global ecosystems. You will ensure our platform becomes the standard infrastructure for compute, whether terrestrial or orbital.
• Technical Strategy: Partner with Company Leadership to define the 3–5 year technical roadmap, identifying emerging technologies in high-density GPU orchestration and orbital data processing that align with our long-term business goals.
• Hard-Problem Solver: Act as the final point of escalation for complex architectural challenges involving real-time data streaming, computer vision, and network-aware workload distribution.
• Innovation & R&D: Lead Proof-of-Concepts for next-generation capabilities, such as in-orbit inference, adaptive learning at the edge, and secure Earth-to-space data orchestration.
• Mentorship: Elevate the entire engineering organization by mentoring Staff and Principal engineers, fostering a culture of high-performance engineering and architectural rigor.

Required Qualifications:

• Core Infrastructure Mastery: Deep understanding of Data Center operations, Compute architectures (CPU/GPU/NPU), and AI Infrastructure at scale. You should understand the full stack from silicon to the orchestration layer.
• Experience: 15+ years of software engineering experience, with a proven track record as a Distinguished Engineer, Fellow, or equivalent senior technical leader at a major infrastructure or AI company.
• Distributed Systems Mastery: Expert-level knowledge of distributed systems and data storage in resource-constrained, remote, or "denied" environments.
• Systems Programming: Mastery of Go, C++, or Rust, with a deep understanding of how software interacts with physical compute hardware and non-terrestrial networking layers.
• Ecosystem Influence: Proven ability to work across company lines with partners to build "1+1=3" technical solutions that drive adoption and industry standards.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep understanding of networking stacks, specifically optimization for satellite and terrestrial mesh networks.
• Interest or experience in orbital mechanics, radiation-tolerant software design, or space-based communication protocols.
• Experience building "Day 2" operations for fleets of thousands of remote, distributed devices in harsh environments.

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).

• 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)
• 14 paid company holidays per year

Compensation: $231,600 USD - $289,500 USD

You're a Great Fit if You're

• A go-getter with a growth mindset.You're intellectually curious, have strong business acumen, and actively seek opportunities to build relevant skills and knowledge
• A detail-oriented problem-solver.You can independently gather information, solve problems efficiently, and deliver results with a "get-it-done" attitude
• Thrive in a fast-paced environment.You're energized by an entrepreneurial spirit, capable of working quickly, and excited to contribute to a growing company
• A collaborative team player.You focus on business success and are motivated by team accomplishment vs personal agenda
• Highly organized and results-driven.Strong prioritization skills and a dedicated work ethic are essential for you

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Armada, we are committed to fostering a work environment where everyone is given equal opportunities to thrive. As an equal opportunity employer, we strictly prohibit discrimination or harassment based on race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy applies to all employment decisions, including hiring, promotions, and compensation. Our hiring is guided by qualifications, merit, and the business needs at the time.

Unsolicited Resumes and Candidates

Armada does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from external agencies or recruiters. All candidates must apply directly through our careers page. Any resumes submitted by agencies without a prior signed agreement will be considered unsolicited and Armada will not be obligated to pay any fees.