Principal Frontend Engineer

Who we are:

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional small business with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development, with headquarters in McLean, VA. Our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

We’re looking for an experienced Principal Backend Engineer to support our customers and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers.

About the role:

In your role as a Principal Frontend Engineer, you will lead the design and development of scalable, user-centric frontend systems that power Raft's flagship products. You'll architect and implement robust solutions using React, Vue, and/or Angular while ensuring security, performance, and reliability across mission-critical applications. As a hands-on technical leader, you'll mentor engineers while spending significant time writing code and solving complex technical challenges. You'll work closely with customers at deployment sites, gathering feedback and implementing improvements.

What we are looking for: 

• 8+ years of frontend software engineering experience using modern, component-based UI frameworks.
• Proven experience building and scaling complex user interfaces and component architectures
• Deep understanding of DevSecOps principles and practices, including ICAM
• Experience with containerized frontend deployments and CI/CD pipelines
• Strong experience with modern frontend architectures and design systems
• Experience with real-time data visualization and high-performance rendering
• Knowledge of security best practices for enterprise and government systems
• Proven track record of mentoring engineering talent
• Experience designing modular, extensible component systems
• Proficiency with Agentic AI coding tools (such as Claude Code)
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills
• Fast learner, analytical thinker, hands-on approach to technical leadership

Highly preferred:

• Experience with highly regulated industries or stringent security/compliance standards
• Familiarity with classification levels and secure development practices
• Experience with edge computing and tactical deployments
• Knowledge of AI/ML interface design and data visualization
• Experience with progressive web apps in air-gapped environments
• Background in accessible design (WCAG) and real-time data rendering
• Contributions to open-source projects or technical publications
• Experience with browser-based geospatial visualization libraries (e.g., Leaflet, OpenLayers, Mapbox).

Clearance Requirements:

• Ability to obtain and maintain an active TS SCI security clearance
• Preference for candidates with an active clearance

Work Type:

• Remote with a preference for candidates based in Hawaii, DMV/NCR, Tampa, FL or Hanscom AFB, MA
• Foreign and domestic travel up to 35% to customer sites

What we will offer you: 

• Highly competitive salary
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) and company match
• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays
• Education & training benefits
• Generous Referral Bonuses
• And More!

Our Vision Statement: 

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession: 

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there? 

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.