Mechanical Engineer - Hydronics

About the Company

Armada is the hyperscaler for the edge, delivering modular AI infrastructure from first deployment to AI factory with speed, scale and sovereignty. Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and to the 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 Founders Fund, 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 edge AI - 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 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 – $185,000   Tier 2 (most U.S. metro areas): $137,040  – $171,300   Tier 3 (other cities):  $130,188 – $162,735

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 $137,040 — $171,300 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.