Lead Software Engineer - Frontend

Faros; Redwood City (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Faros is seeking a Lead Front-End Developer to drive the frontend of our SaaS product, mentor the team, and expand our tech with modern web practices. You will collaborate with design and backend teams, ensuring fast, accessible UI and reliable delivery.

The role emphasizes leadership, hands-on frontend development, and a holistic understanding of the stack to push high-quality software in a fast-moving AI era.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience as a front-end developer.
• Strong experience with Next.js and React.
• Strong understanding of CSS.
• Strong JavaScript or TypeScript (TypeScript preferred).
• Experience architecting scalable, performant front-end solutions.
• Experience with testing and debugging tools (Jest, Cypress).
• Knowledge of software development methodologies and best practices.
• Strong problem-solving skills with emphasis on product development.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of front-end solutions for our SaaS product using modern web technologies.
• Collaborate with designers and back-end developers to ensure a seamless UX.
• Optimize the front-end for performance and accessibility.
• Integrate with open-source solutions.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and upgrade components as needed.
• Conduct testing and validation for performance and reliability.
• Stay current with front-end trends and technologies.
• Mentor junior front-end developers.
• Review code contributions from external contractors.

Skills

React.js

Next.js

JavaScript/TypeScript

CSS

Leadership

Mentoring

Problem-solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related

Tools

Jest

Cypress

CI/CD

Job description

Mission

At Faros, we are building the engineering intelligence platform for the AI era. We help engineering organizations understand the impact of AI on software delivery while providing the operational context that enables AI agents to operate with greater accuracy, relevance, and trust in complex enterprise environments. Our platform is used by some of the most sophisticated engineering teams in the world, ranging from fast-growing technology companies to F500 enterprises. We believe the future of software development will be built by humans and AI working together, and we're building the foundation that makes that possible.

About the Role

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced Lead Front-End Developer to join our team. Your primary responsibility will be the development and maintenance of the frontend of our SaaS product, utilizing modern web development technologies and best practices. However, we highly value candidates who are able to learn about other parts of the stack to gain a holistic understanding of our system. You will also be responsible for mentoring and coaching your team members, and for helping to ensure that our team is using the latest and greatest technologies and best practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of front-end solutions for our SaaS product, using modern web development technologies and best practices.

• Work with designers and back-end developers to create a seamless user experience.

• Optimize the front-end for performance and accessibility.

• Integrate with open-source solutions.

• Troubleshoot, debug, and upgrade software components as necessary.

• Conduct testing and validation to ensure software performance and reliability.

• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in front-end development.

• Mentor junior front-end developers.

• Review code contributions from external contractors.

What We Value

• Living by our values over avoiding conflict. We favor transparency and honest debate because strong decisions depend on saying the hard things out loud.

• Transformation over predictability. We dedicate our efforts to work that produces monumental outcomes for our customers, even if it means trading short-term predictability for long-term impact.

• Intensity over comfort. We move with urgency and focus, especially when the work is messy or unstructured.

• Craftsmanship over throughput. We take pride in how things are built. Quality, coherence, and care matter. We would rather ship fewer things done right than many things done carelessly.

• Ownership over process. We act like founders. If we see something broken, we fix it. We don’t wait for permission, committees, or perfect instructions. Process exists to help us move faster, not to give us an excuse to stand still.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field

• Proven 5+ years of experience as a front-end developer

• Strong experience with modern web development frameworks (Next.js & React preferred)

• Strong understanding of CSS

• Strong understanding of JavaScript or TypeScript (Typescript preferred)

• Experience with architecting and designing scalable and performant front-end solutions

• Experience with testing and debugging tools (Jest, Cypress preferred)

• Knowledge of software development methodologies and best practices

• Strong problem-solving skills, with an emphasis on product development

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cloud computing platforms, such as AWS

• Experience with continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines

• Experience with enterprise authentication/authorization workflows

• Experience with microservices architecture

• Experience interacting with customers (showcasing work, help debugging, etc)

Work Details

Our team meets in-person several days a week in San Mateo, CA.