Principal React Engineer

Ocho People; Londonderry; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology organisation in Londonderry seeks a Principal React Engineer to modernise front-end architecture and lead technical direction. This role involves creating scalable applications using React and TypeScript, mentoring teams, and collaborating cross-functionally. The position allows for hybrid working, requiring only 2 days on-site, and offers an exceptional salary package within a strong engineering culture.

Benefits

Exceptional salary package

Strong engineering culture

Collaborative environment

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience building complex front-end applications at scale.
• Advanced experience with React, including hooks and performance optimisation.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve front-end architecture for complex systems.
• Write clean, production-quality React and TypeScript code.
• Mentor junior engineers and set coding standards.

Skills

React 18+

TypeScript

Advanced hooks

Performance optimisation

Strong communication skills

Component-driven development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or similar

Tools

TanStack Query

Tailwind CSS

Cypress

Vite

Storybook 8

Job description

Principal React Engineer

We're partnering with a highly regarded technology organisation delivering enterprise-scale digital platforms used by some of the world's leading brands.

They are now seeking a Principal React Engineer to play a key role in modernising and evolving their front-end architecture as part of a major multi-year transformation programme.

In this role, you will act as the technical leader in the React space - shaping front-end architecture, improving performance, introducing best-practice engineering standards, and contributing significantly to shared codebases. You'll collaborate closely with product, UX, backend engineering, and data teams to deliver seamless, scalable, customer-facing applications used globally.

This is an opportunity to influence technical direction, set standards, and mentor others, while remaining deeply hands‑on in building world‑class front‑end solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Front‑End Engineering & Architecture (80%)

• Design and evolve front‑end architecture for complex, distributed systems.
• Ensure UI / UX designs are technically feasible, performant, and accessible.
• Implement information architecture and interaction design aligned with backend specifications.
• Develop new user‑facing features using modern, component‑driven development.
• Build and maintain internal design systems and reusable component libraries.
• Write clean, test‑driven, production‑quality React and TypeScript code.
• Optimise applications for speed, scalability, maintainability, and accessibility.
• Contribute regularly to shared codebases with minimal oversight.
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle and communicate progress to the Development Director.
• Update, maintain, and modernise existing front‑end applications.

Product Analysis & Support (15%)

• Work with Customer Support and Implementation teams to resolve issues and bugs.
• Support cross‑functional teams with technical insights, solutions, and guidance.
• Engage with customers and internal teams on technical requirements or project status.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement (5%)

• Stay ahead of front‑end trends and emerging technologies.
• Contribute ideas to improve processes, tools, and product capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to drive innovation across the engineering function.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or similar discipline (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years' experience building complex front‑end applications at scale.
• React 18+ & TypeScript expertise, including:
  • Advanced hooks
  • Strict typing, generics
  • Composition patterns
  • Performance optimisation
• Experience with:
  • TanStack Query, Router, Table, Virtual
  • Vite
  • React Hook Form & Zod
  • Nx Workspace
  • Tailwind CSS
  • Vitest, Cypress, MSW
  • Storybook 8
• Strong understanding of component‑driven development and design systems.
• Knowledge of micro‑frontend architecture, Nx monorepos, and domain‑driven design.
• Experience writing high‑quality unit, integration, and functional tests.
• Ability to break down complex problems and collaborate with cross‑functional teams.
• Strong communication, documentation, and mentoring skills.

Desirable Skills

• Experience working with large‑scale API‑driven platforms.
• Understanding of cloud‑native architecture (Azure, AWS, or GCP).
• Knowledge of CI / CD pipelines and modern DevOps practices.
• Exposure to back‑end or full‑stack environments.
• Experience working in fast‑moving or customer‑facing product environments.

Why Join?

• Play a pivotal role in a major front‑end platform modernisation.
• Lead technical direction in React while remaining fully hands‑on.
• Work across enterprise‑scale products used globally.
• Hybrid working with only 2 days on‑site in Derry
• Exceptional salary package
• Strong engineering culture, collaborative environment, and real autonomy.
• Opportunities to influence architecture, standards, and front‑end strategy.