Mechanical Engineer - Hydronics

About the Company Armada is a full-stack edge infrastructure company delivering compute, connectivity, and sovereign AI/ML to some of the world’s most remote places. Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, Armada’s solutions are deployed in over 60 countries globally for organizations ranging from energy to defense.    With over $200 million in funding, Armada is backed by top investors such as Microsoft (M12), Founders Fund, and has strategic partnerships including Starlink, Skydio, and NVIDIA. We are looking for the most brilliant minds in the world to join us.    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 We are looking for a Mechanical Engineer - Hydronics (Distribution Focus) to own the mechanical distribution architecture for our modular liquid-cooled data center platform. This role is responsible for the piping, valves, instrumentation, module interconnects, and serviceability strategy across both the primary water loop and secondary PG25 loop.  This is a hands-on architecture and execution role focused on building a system that is repeatable, commissionable, maintainable, and scalable across multiple deployments. The right candidate will bring deep hydronic distribution expertise and a practical understanding of what it takes to move a design from concept into manufacturing, field installation, startup, and long-term operation.  You will work closely with internal engineering teams, OEMs, fabricators, controls, manufacturing, and commissioning leads to ensure the mechanical distribution layer is robust, standardized, and ready for real-world deployment.      Location. This role is remote.     What You'll Do (Key Responsibilities)   Hydronic Architecture Ownership  Own the hydronic distribution architecture across:  Primary water/PG25 loop  Secondary water/PG25 loop  Define and standardize system design rules for flow, pressure drop, balancing, and measurement  Establish practical design approaches for PG25 and water-based systems, including pipe sizing, fluid behavior, and maintainability considerations  Support system-level alignment between plant, distribution, and rack cooling interfaces  Distribution Design and Interface Control  Own distribution P&IDs, valve schedules, and instrumentation schedules  Maintain revision discipline, tagging standards, and interface clarity across the mechanical distribution package  Define boundaries and interfaces between plant equipment, CDUs, rack cooling components, and module-to-module interconnects  Develop and maintain interface control documentation for hydronic system boundaries  Commissioning-First Design  Design for startup, commissioning, and long-term operation  Define fill, flush, vent, drain, isolation, bypass, and strainer strategies  Establish measurement points for flow, differential pressure, and temperature  Partner with commissioning and controls teams to define what must be measured, how it will be measured, and what acceptable startup performance looks like  Pipe Sizing and Pressure Drop Management  Own pipe sizing methodology and pressure drop strategy for both PG25 and water loops  Define practical approaches to balancing and instrumentation placement  Ensure real-world field performance aligns with design intent  Help establish repeatable standards for distribution performance across product variants  Layout, Serviceability, and Buildability  Own mechanical distribution layout packages and service clearance requirements  Ensure systems are designed for safe access, maintenance, replacement, and long-term serviceability  Support design for manufacturing by standardizing routing approaches, fittings strategy, tolerances, and assembly expectations  Help define clear factory-built versus field-installed scope boundaries  Modular Interconnect Strategy  Define standard module interconnect approaches, including manifolds, quick connects, labeling, boundary isolation, and leak detection interfaces as applicable  Ensure interconnect designs support rapid deployment while preserving reliability and maintainability  Drive consistency across builds to reduce site variability and improve product repeatability  Cross-Functional Integration  Partner with mechanical plant, thermal, electrical, controls, manufacturing, and commissioning teams  Coordinate system interfaces without losing baseline discipline  Work with OEMs and fabricators while maintaining ownership of the internal distribution architecture and standards  Support factory builds, field feedback collection, and lessons-learned incorporation into future revisions    Required Qualifications 7+ years of experience in hydronic distribution design for data centers, industrial systems, mission-critical HVAC, or comparable thermal infrastructure  Strong experience owning P&IDs, valve strategies, and instrumentation design  Practical field knowledge of commissioning, startup, and serviceability constraints  Experience with glycol-based cooling systems such as PG25 or equivalent  Strong understanding of pipe sizing, flow management, pressure drop, balancing, and measurement strategies  Proven ability to maintain documentation discipline, revision control, and interface clarity  Strong cross-functional collaboration skills across mechanical, controls, manufacturing, and field teams    Preferred Experience and Skills Experience with liquid-to-liquid and liquid-to-air cooling systems for high-density compute or AI/HPC environments  Familiarity with modular or prefabricated infrastructure systems  Understanding and experience in AFT Fathom, Pipeflo and CFD Products   CAD or BIM fluency sufficient for 3D coordination, clash avoidance, and clearance validation  PE license in Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent depth of experience    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). We use a geographic pay structure based on cost-of-labor markets.   Tier 1 (e.g., SF Bay Area, NYC, Seattle): $157,600 – $197,000  Tier 2 (most U.S. metro areas): $137,040 – $171,300  Final compensation will be determined by experience, scope, and level, and may vary from the posted range.      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) 14 paid company holidays per year #LI-AB1 #LI-Remote   Compensation$154,560—$193,200 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.   Offices: California, United States (United States (Remote));