Founding Frontend Software Engineer – VC Backed Startups (Senior/Staff)

At SignalFire, we partner with top early-stage startups that are shaping the future of technology. Our portfolio spans 200+ innovative companies across AI, cybersecurity, healthtech, fintech, developer tools, and enterprise SaaS.

We’re looking to connect with exceptional Founding Front-End Engineers who are excited about building and scaling user-centric applications at early-stage startups. By joining SignalFire’s Talent Network, your profile will be shared with our portfolio companies, giving you visibility into exclusive early-stage opportunities that may not be publicly listed.

? This is not an application for a specific job. Instead, this is a way to get on the radar of VC-backed startups that are actively hiring front-end engineering talent. If a company is interested in your background, they may reach out directly.

Who Should Join?

We’re looking for engineers who are:

? Passionate about building exceptional user experiences and modern web applications

? Excited about joining early-stage startups and working directly with founders

? Interested in shaping front-end architecture, performance, and design systems

Typical Roles & Responsibilities

• Design and develop scalable, high-performance front-end applications
• Build intuitive, responsive, and visually engaging UI/UX experiences
• Optimize front-end performance, accessibility, and responsiveness
• Collaborate with product designers, backend engineers, and founders to align on vision and execution
• Develop component libraries and reusable front-end architecture for scalable applications
• Implement and maintain state management, API integrations, and client-side logic
• Define best practices for front-end development, code quality, and UI testing

Common Qualifications

While each startup has its own hiring criteria, many founding front-end engineering roles in our network look for:

• 3+ years of experience in front-end development, with a strong track record of shipping user-facing products
• Expertise in modern JavaScript frameworks (React, Vue.js, Angular, Svelte)
• Strong proficiency in HTML, CSS, TypeScript, and JavaScript (ES6+)
• Experience integrating with RESTful APIs, GraphQL, and WebSockets
• Knowledge of state management libraries (Redux, Zustand, Recoil, Vuex)
• Familiarity with server-side rendering (Next.js, Nuxt.js) and static site generation
• Strong understanding of web performance optimization, accessibility (a11y), and security best practices
• Proficiency with version control (Git), CI/CD workflows, and front-end testing frameworks (Jest, Cypress, Playwright)
• Experience working in early-stage startup environments or small, fast-moving teams is a plus

? Technologies You Might Work With:

• Languages & Frameworks: JavaScript (ES6+), TypeScript, React, Vue.js, Angular, Svelte, Next.js, Nuxt.js
• Styling & UI: CSS, SCSS, Tailwind CSS, Styled Components, Material UI, Chakra UI
• State Management: Redux, Zustand, Recoil, Vuex, MobX
• APIs & Data Handling: REST APIs, GraphQL, WebSockets, Firebase, Apollo Client
• Tooling & Performance: Vite, Webpack, Babel, ESLint, Prettier, Lighthouse
• Testing & Deployment: Jest, Cypress, Playwright, Storybook, GitHub Actions, Netlify, Vercel
• Cloud & DevOps: AWS Amplify, Firebase, GCP, Docker, Kubernetes

What Happens Next?

• Submit your application to join SignalFire’s Talent Ecosystem.
• We review applications on an ongoing basis to identify strong candidates.
• If there’s a match, a SignalFire talent partner or a leader from one of our startups may reach out directly.
• No match yet? We’ll keep your profile on file for future front-end engineering roles in our portfolio.

Compensation Range: $170K – $250K