Principal Frontend Engineer

TL;DR

Principal Frontend Engineer (Next.js/TypeScript/React): Define and advance frontend architecture, standards, and technology direction for scalable, high-performance, user-friendly web applications with an accent on cross-team guardrails, performance/scalability improvements, and translating business problems into practical frontend solutions. Focus on architectural milestones, proofs of concept, and mentoring engineers to deliver consistently.

Company

Merchant of Record (MoR) platform provider simplifying global software sales with payments, subscriptions, taxes, and compliance.

What you will do

• Own frontend system architecture and define key architectural milestones and critical technical requirements.
• Drive improvements in scalability, performance, and cross-team code reuse across frontend solutions.
• Validate ideas through proofs of concept and turn business problems into practical frontend solutions.
• Partner with product managers, design leadership, engineering managers, and senior frontend engineers on solution direction and technical decisions.
• Set coding standards and promote best practices for code quality, maintainability, accessibility, and performance.
• Mentor engineers in architectural thinking and technical decision-making; communicate complex technical topics to non-technical stakeholders.

Requirements

• Strong proficiency in modern frontend development, including Next.js, TypeScript, React, and accessible, semantic HTML.
• Strong understanding of software design and engineering principles (SOLID, DRY, YAGNI, KISS).
• Experience leading complex frontend initiatives as a principal, technical lead, project lead, or senior engineer.
• Hands-on experience with CSS (pure CSS, preprocessors, and CSS-in-JS).
• Strong knowledge of API design and service communication, including REST and GraphQL.
• Experience leveraging AI to accelerate software development while adhering to engineering standards and technical guardrails.

Culture & Benefits

• Work hybrid or fully remote with flexible hours (varies by role and team).
• Modern offices in Cologne and Chicago.
• Gym reimbursement, wellness challenges, and health & well-being benefits.
• Structured learning programs and a personal L&D budget.
• 401(k), pension plans, volunteer time off, mentoring, and referral cash bonuses.

Hiring process

• Interviews include assessing engineering candidates and evaluating technical leadership and communication.

Location: Cologne/Remote (Germany)