Lead Front End Engineer

Natural Habitat Adventures, a nature-focused global adventure travel company, is seeking an experienced and innovative Lead Front End Engineer to enhance and lead the website development initiatives of the company. This person has deep technical expertise in modern web development frameworks, proven experience leading and mentoring development teams, and a strong architectural mindset focused on building scalable, maintainable, and high-performance websites using Contentful, Astro, and React.  

This is a hands-on leadership role—the Lead Front End Engineer will spend a significant portion of their time writing, reviewing, and maintaining production code while also guiding technical direction and team execution.  

The successful candidate aligns with our mission and values, communicates clearly, and thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. The role is based in Louisville, Colorado and follows a hybrid work schedule, requiring in-office attendance 50% of the workweek. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead and shape the technical direction, architecture, and ongoing evolution of Nat Hab’s websites and web applications by hands-on designing, building, and maintaining scalable front-end systems using Astro, React, and Contentful.  

• Act as a hands-on developer by writing clean, efficient, and well-documented code, collaborating closely with designers, product managers, and engineers, and troubleshooting, debugging, and resolving complex front-end issues.  

• Provide technical leadership to the web development team through mentorship, hands-on support, and code reviews; setting clear standards and shared practices for code quality, performance, accessibility, security, testing, documentation, CI/CD pipelines, and production monitoring.  

• Drive website performance, scalability, and user experience by focusing on measurable outcomes and continuous improvement.  

• Serve as a strong technical project leader by helping plan and sequence work, manage technical debt, plan refactors, and partner closely with cross-functional teams to support predictable delivery, business priorities, and high-quality user experiences.  

Additional responsibilities and duties as assigned.  

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATION

• 5+ years (or equivalent experience) in professional web development, including team-lead responsibilities, with strong expertise in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and TypeScript, and deep experience with React and modern front-end development practices.  

• Experience building content-driven websites using Contentful or other headless CMS platforms, along with hands-on experience with Astro or similar modern static or hybrid site frameworks.  

• Demonstrated ability to design, build, and maintain scalable web architectures, with a strong understanding of performance optimization, accessibility, and SEO best practices.  

• Experience with, actively learning, or a strong interest in applying new and emerging technologies (including AI-powered tools, AI-enhanced SEO, and Generative Engine Optimization) to improve efficiency and discoverability, with demonstrated experience in rapid prototyping, iterative development, and working effectively in a fast-paced environment.  

• A proven track record of improving engineering velocity and delivery quality, supported by strong technical project management skills (planning, estimation, prioritization, stakeholder communication), familiarity with Asana or similar tools, and experience with version control, automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and modern deployment workflows.  

At the end of the day, we’re looking for someone who brings a growth mindset—someone who can lead with curiosity, collaborate effectively, continue learning, and make sound decisions in complex systems. If that sounds like you, we encourage you to apply—even if you don’t meet every qualification listed above.
 

COMPENSATION  

Starting salary range: $100,000 – $115,000 plus an annual bonus. Compensation will be commensurate with experience. (Per Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, employers must include compensation ranges in job postings.)  

This role includes a comprehensive benefits package with medical, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k)-retirement plan; generous paid time off; and paid holidays. Additional perks include annual opportunities for paid travel on Nat Hab adventures, complimentary stays at our Colorado mountain house, access to The Nest, significant discounts with partner travel companies, and pro-deal pricing on outdoor gear. Our Louisville, Colorado office also offers scenic trails, an on-site fitness facility, and a café serving daily breakfast, lunch, and locally roasted coffee. Benefits are subject to change at the company’s discretion. 

LOCATION AND TRAVEL 

This position currently offers a hybrid schedule and requires in-person attendance at our Louisville, Colorado office at least 50% of the time. This position may also require 1–2 weeks of travel annually to meet the needs of the role. This location and travel policy is subject to change at the company’s discretion.  

WORKING HOURS 

Our standard company hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT. On Saturdays, we operate from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with coverage provided by select members of our guest-facing teams. Additional hours may be required, as needed, to achieve your goals and support business needs.  

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT
At Natural Habitat Adventures, we believe that diversity enriches every journey. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where individuals from all backgrounds, identities, and life experiences are welcomed, respected, and valued. We encourage applicants from all walks of life to join us—even if you haven’t worked in the travel industry before. If you’re passionate about our mission and bring ideas, talents, or perspectives that can help make Nat Hab a more innovative and resilient company, we want to hear from you. 

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT
This job description is intended to outline the general nature and level of work performed in this role. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required of the position, and responsibilities may change at any time based on business needs.