Principal Software Engineer - Data Infrastructure

Superorganism; Redwood City, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) match

Commuter benefits

Equity options

Job summary

Array Labs in Redwood City, CA is seeking a Staff Software Engineer for data infrastructure to own the design and implementation of systems that process, store, and serve our satellite data. You will build reliable backend infrastructure handling petabytes annually and collaborate with scientists, satellite engineers, and product teams.

You will design scalable distributed pipelines, optimize storage, and deliver high-performance APIs for geospatial data streaming and analysis, shaping a future

Qualifications

• 6+ years backend software engineering experience with large-scale pipelines.
• Proficient in Python, C++, Java; cloud and containerization stacks.
• Hands-on experience with real-world data systems (imagery, radar, etc.).
• Experience delivering data/services to external stakeholders.
• Excellent communication for startup environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable distributed systems for petabyte-scale data.
• Develop and optimize schemas and storage for 3D geospatial data.
• Architect APIs and services for streaming, querying, and analysis.
• Lead data ingestion, processing, and delivery pipelines.
• Implement monitoring, logging, and reliability systems.
• Collaborate with scientists, satellite engineers, and product teams.

Skills

6+ years backend experience

Python

C++

Java

AWS

GCP

Azure

Terraform

Docker

Kubernetes

Data systems design

External data delivery

Communication skills

Geospatial tech

Remote sensing

Robotics

Petabyte-scale storage

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

Terraform

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

About Us

Array Labs is building a new way to understand the physical world.

Today, most geospatial systems are built around flat imagery, incomplete elevation models, slow refresh cycles, or narrow-area surveys. The world increasingly needs something better: accurate, frequently updated 3D information about the places, infrastructure, terrain, and activity that shape human decisions.

Array is building that system. We are developing a coordinated fleet of radar satellites designed to create high-resolution 3D data products of the Earth at unprecedented scale, speed, and reliability. Our technology is built to work across wide areas, through clouds, day and night, and to support both commercial and government customers operating in environments where timely physical-world understanding matters.

We design and build our satellites, radar payloads, sensing systems, and data products end-to-end. Our goal is to make 3D geospatial intelligence dramatically more accessible, useful, and operationally relevant for customers in mapping, infrastructure, disaster response, defense, intelligence, energy, telecommunications, mining, and other industries that depend on understanding the changing Earth.

About the Job
As Staff Software Engineer for data infrastructure, you will own the design and implementation of the systems that process, store, and serve our satellite constellation’s data to end-users. You will build highly reliable backend infrastructure that handles petabytes of data annually. The position will work closely with scientists, satellite systems engineers, and the product team.

As part of our quickly growing engineering team, you will play a critical role in the design of the world’s most advanced radar satellite constellation—one that will significantly improve humanity’s ability to rapidly and comprehensively understand our changing planet.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable distributed systems for processing and analyzing massive datasets from our satellite constellation.
• Develop and optimize database schemas and storage solutions for managing petabyte-scale 3D geospatial data.
• Architect and maintain high-performance APIs and services for efficient geospatial data streaming, querying, and analysis.
• Lead the design and implementation of mechanisms for handling data ingestion, processing, and delivery pipelines.
• Implement robust monitoring, logging, and operational systems to ensure reliability and performance of backend services.
• Work with cross-functional teams to define technical requirements, architect solutions, set engineering standards, and drive the backend roadmap in alignment with company goals.

Basic Qualifications

• 6+ years of backend software engineering experience, including experience with optimization of large-scale data processing pipelines.
• Strong proficiency in backend languages (e.g., Python, C++, Java), experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure, Terraform) and containerization technologies (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes).
• Hands-on experience designing and building systems for real-world data (imagery, video, radar, LiDAR, telemetry, and/or other sensors).
• Experience delivering data and services to external stakeholders.
• Excellent communicator, with the ability to make high-quality technical decisions in a startup environment.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience with geospatial technologies: spatial databases, mapping services, 3D visualization techniques, etc.
• Background in physics, remote sensing, robotics, or digital signal processing.
• Direct experience operating reliable storage and compute resources at petabyte scale.
• Time spent building systems from scratch as an early or founding engineer.

Compensation & Benefits

Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple: find uncommonly good people and pay them uncommonly well.

We offer high flexibility between salary and equity-based compensation. Final candidates can choose from three compensation mixes: low, medium, or high equity. Equity is a significant component of total compensation, and we aim to provide meaningful ownership for this role.

• Full-time employees also enjoy a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, a 401(k) with company match, commuter benefits, and more.

Interview Process

We will conduct interviews via Google Meet with the potential for an onsite visit; the typical process takes around 3-5 weeks to complete from start to finish.

Why Join Array

At Array Labs, deep technical expertise meets relentless impact. We prioritize curiosity over hierarchy and bold engineering over incremental gains. Our world-class team across hardware engineering, software, and aerospace works collaboratively to push boundaries and move fast.

Our values

1. Build What Matters: Create technology that serves customers and advances humanity
2. Innovate Together: Stay curious, collaborate openly, push boundaries as one team
3. Employee Centric: Put our people first with a culture of trust, respect, and opportunity
4. Join industry-leading experts to deliver unprecedented insights about our planet and build the future of Earth observation.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please let us know.

150000 - 300000 USD a year