Principal Software Engineer - Data Infrastructure

At Array Labs, we are building the world's most advanced satellite radar constellation to create a high-resolution 3D digital twin of the Earth. Our mission is to provide "lidar-like" 3D data and imagery from space, serving critical applications for both commercial and defense customers.

This is a deep tech challenge in the truest sense. We're solving complex problems that span hardware, software, and data—from designing satellite systems for the harshness of space to building the massive "data factory" that turns raw sensor data into beautiful 3D products. We are looking for first-principles engineers who want to build, deploy, and scale a one-of-a-kind, vertically-integrated system from the ground up.

As Principal Software Engineer for data infrastructure, you will play a crucial role in designing and implementing the systems that process, analyze, and serve our satellite constellation’s data to end-users. You will have the opportunity to shape highly reliable backend infrastructure that handles petabytes of data annually. The position will work closely with frontend engineers, scientists, satellite systems engineers, and the product team.

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, and drive the backend roadmap in alignment with company goals.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of backend software engineering experience, including 4+ years building distributed systems and scalable APIs.
• Strong proficiency in backend languages (e.g., Python, C++, Java), experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and containerization technologies (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes).
• Deep understanding of distributed systems and cloud-native development practices.
• Experience with high-performance computing and optimization of large-scale data processing pipelines.
• Excellent communicator, with the ability to make high-quality technical decisions in a startup environment.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience building geospatial databases, mapping technologies, and 3D visualizations, including relevant front-end techniques.
• Familiarity with geospatial, remote sensing, 3D data, and/or digital signal processing techniques (e.g. SAR and optical satellite imagery, OpenStreetMap, LiDAR point clouds).

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.

$150,000 - $400,000 a year

Interview Process

We will conduct two virtual interviews followed by an onsite or virtual onsite. The typical process takes 2-4 weeks from start to finish.

Hiring and Compensation Strategy

Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple:

1) find uncommonly good people

2) pay them uncommonly well

You can anticipate competitive pay, with high flexibility between salary and equity-based compensation.

Why you should join Array Labs

Array Labs is launching a constellation of satellites to create the first high-resolution, real-time, three-dimensional model of Earth. Our next-generation satellite technology will offer image quality 60x greater than traditional techniques, profoundly expanding humanity’s ability to understand and respond to events on a global scale.

In forging an affordable, accessible, accurate representation of Earth, our work has the potential to transform the face of dozens of fields, including autonomy, telecommunications, disaster relief, gaming, climate science, defense and construction.