A valve assembly for a pump includes an electrical actuator having a stator and an armature, where the armature includes a top armature surface facing the stator and having an inwardly stepped-up profile that forms a raised surface at a radially inward location, and a lower, gap-forming surface at a radially outward location that forms a gap between the armature and the stator when the electrical actuator is activated to facilitate displacing fluid and avoiding production of high velocity, potentially damaging fluid flows.