Principal Front End Engineer

Software Developer SeniorWhat You'll DoDefine and drive the strategic direction for frontend engineering practices, tooling, and skillset across the organizationLead the development of accessible, performant, and user-centered web applications that serve government customersServe as the technical authority and thought leader for frontend architecture and engineering excellenceDesign and implement modern frontend architectures, development pipelines, and deployment infrastructureDeliver new features and improvements to our customer-facing applications with a strong focus on user experience and accessibility compliance (Section 508, WCAG)Collaborate with product managers to ideate and balance optimal UI/UX experience with implementation effort, making pragmatic trade-offs that deliver valueBuild and maintain component libraries, design systems, and shared frontend infrastructure that enable team velocity and consistencyIdentify opportunities to modernize our frontend stack and take ownership of technical initiatives that improve developer experience and application qualityEstablish and champion frontend best practices including mobile-first development, testing strategies, performance optimization, accessibility standards, and code quality patternsMentor and coach engineers at all levels on frontend technologies and establish career development pathways for frontend specializationInfluence technical decisions across teams and serve as a strategic advisor on frontend initiativesWork across the full stack when needed to solve problems end-to-end - backend experience is valuable but frontend is your primary focusWhat We're Looking ForEvidence of frontend engineering accomplishmentDemonstrated track record of leading and delivering multiple production-ready, accessible, proven experience architecting and implementing modern frontend applications at scale using React and/or AngularTrack record of establishing frontend engineering standards, practices, and tooling that improve team productivity and code qualityWorking experience with frontend build tooling, bundling strategies, and deployment pipelines (Webpack, Vite, pnpm, npm, or similar)Strong understanding of web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA minimum, Section 508 compliance) with practical implementation experience including accessibility linting (axe-core, eslint-pluginjsx-a11y) and automated accessibility testing in CI/CD pipelinesExperience with automated frontend testing strategies including unit testing, component testing, and end-to-end UI testing with tools like Playwright, Cypress, or similarFamiliarity with frontend infrastructure, CDN strategies, asset optimization, and progressive enhancement patternsExperience with design systems, component libraries, and maintaining consistency across multiple applicationsTechnical ExcellenceStrong proficiency in modern JavaScript/TypeScript and deep understanding of web platform APIsSolid understanding of CSS architecture, mobile-first responsive design, and cross-browser compatibilityWorking knowledge of automated testing strategies including unit testing (Jest, Vitest), component testing (React Testing Library, Angular Testing Library), and end-to-end UI testing (Playwright)Experience integrating accessibility validation into testing pipelines using axe-core or similar toolsExperience with state management patterns and asynchronous data handling in frontend applicationsPractical knowledge of web performance optimization, Core Web Vitals, and frontend monitoringUnderstanding of API integration patterns, GraphQL or REST, and working with backend servicesFamiliarity with cloud deployment patterns for frontend applications (CDN, static hosting)Experience establishing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines with automated accessibility checks, linting, and testingProduct Mindset & User ExperienceStrong product thinking with ability to balance user needs, business requirements, and technical constraintsWillingness to work closely with product managers to ideate on best UI/UX experiences, making pragmatic trade-offs between optimal user experience and implementation effortWorking knowledge of modern UI/UX principles, design patterns, and user-centered design methodologiesExperience collaborating with product managers and designers throughout the development lifecycle on customer-facing applicationsAbility to provide technical input during design discussions and advocate for feasible, accessible solutionsData-driven approach to measuring and improving user experience through analytics and user feedbackLeadership, Ownership, & CommunicationDemonstrated ability to lead large-scale technical initiatives from vision to production, influencing outcomes across multiple teamsQuality driven, sets the standard for excellence in communication, code, and documentationAbility to communicate complex technical concepts and strategic vision clearly to engineers, designers, product managers, executives, and external stakeholdersProven track record of mentoring and developing engineers at all levels, building organizational frontend capabilityRecognized advocate for sound engineering practices who establishes patterns and influences engineering cultureComfort leading cross-functional initiatives, making architectural decisions with organizational impact, and navigating technical/business trade-offs at the principal levelRequiredMust be a US Citizen and able to obtain and maintain Public TrustPosition is remote, with approximately 0-10% business travel