Principal Frontend Engineer

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Raft () 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.

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.

• 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 Dev Sec Ops  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.
• 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.

• 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.

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

• 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.

• Highly competitive salary.
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) and company match.
• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays.
• And More!

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

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.

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're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.