Senior Full-Stack Engineer (Frontend-Leaning)
Department: Engineering
Reports To: Senior Engineering Manager / Director of Engineering
Location: Hybrid: MA, NC, NY
Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
Estimated Compensation: $145-170k
Focus: Own Frontend (Admin + App), Support Backend When Needed
About Knox
Knox runs the largest Federal managed cloud, building and operating secure cloud and AI environments that support the U.S. governmentâs most critical missions â from national security and public safety to essential public services. Our customers rely on Knox to deploy production systems that meet the highest standards for security, reliability, and compliance.
Work at Knox is high-impact and purpose-driven. The problems we solve are high-stakes, the expectations are high, and the results are visible. Speed, rigor, and trust matter here - because the environments we secure cannot fail. Your contributions are visible, your expertise is relied upon, and the impact of your work is immediate and measurable. We operate at federal scale, securing some of the most sensitive government environments in the country - because the systems we build must perform without fail.
The Role
You'll own KnoxAI's entire frontend experience across two Nuxt 3 applications: the Admin interface (for Knox employees managing customer assessments) and the App interface (for customers and federal agencies reviewing findings and compliance posture). Your work will transform complex compliance data into intuitive, actionable interfaces that guide users through the FedRAMP authorization process.
This role is perfect for a frontend specialist who wants full ownership of the user experience while occasionally diving into backend work to unblock features or improve API design. You'll work closely with the backend engineer and engineering manager to deliver a cohesive, polished product.
Responsibilities
Frontend Ownership
Admin Application: Build and maintain administrative workflows for Knox employees:
Customer/boundary management, team administration, user roles/permissions
Agent configuration (AI models, knowledge bases, MCP tools)
Compliance job orchestration, KSI evaluation dashboards
Repository analysis results, findings management, POA&M tracking
Settings, notifications, file management
App Application: Build and maintain customer-facing interfaces:
Compliance calendar (monthly reviews, CAB meetings, annual exercises)
Real-time findings, resources, POA&Ms with search/filter/export
Risk posture dashboards, KSI status visualizations
Chat interface for AI-assisted compliance questions
Demo mode (styled components matching _fe design system)
Component Library: Build reusable shadcn-based components following design system patterns from _fe project (Next.js/React reference implementation)
State Management: Architect Pinia stores for complex state (users, teams, findings, compliance data, chat threads)
Forms & Validation: Implement VeeValidate + Zod schemas for all data entry with clear error messaging
Data Tables: Build TanStack Table implementations with filtering, sorting, pagination, bulk actions, and Excel export
API Integration & Backend Support
TypeScript Client Generation: Maintain OpenAPI-to-TypeScript pipeline using @hey-api/openapi-ts; provide feedback to backend on API usability
Backend Collaboration: Propose API changes to improve frontend performance (e.g., aggregated endpoints, GraphQL consideration)
NestJS Contributions (20-30%): Implement simple CRUD endpoints, add DTOs, extend controllers when unblocking frontend features
Authentication Flows: Maintain AWS ALB + Cognito integration, Okta SAML flows, JWT parsing and user context management
UX & Performance
Responsive Design: Ensure all interfaces work seamlessly on desktop, tablet, and mobile
Performance Optimization: Lazy loading, code splitting, image optimization, debouncing, virtual scrolling for large lists
Accessibility: Follow WCAG 2.1 AA standards (keyboard navigation, ARIA labels, color contrast)
Error Handling: Graceful error states, retry mechanisms, offline indicators, loading skeletons
Real-Time Updates: WebSocket integration for live compliance job progress and chat streaming
Testing & Documentation
Component Testing: Vitest tests for all critical components, composables, and stores (>80% coverage)
Integration Testing: Test user flows end-to-end with @nuxt/test-utils
Visual Regression: Maintain screenshot tests for critical UI states
Documentation: Write clear component usage docs, maintain Storybook (if adopted), document complex state flows
Required Qualifications
Frontend Expertise
5+ years frontend development with modern JavaScript frameworks (Vue 3, React, or Angular)
Vue 3 Composition API + Nuxt 3 experience strongly preferred; must be comfortable with script setup, reactivity, and auto-imports
TypeScript proficiency: Advanced types, generics, utility types, strict mode
CSS mastery: Tailwind CSS, responsive design, Flexbox/Grid, animations, dark mode
Component libraries: shadcn/ui, Radix UI, Headless UI, or similar design system implementations
State management: Pinia, Vuex, Redux, Zustandâexperience with complex state architectures
Form libraries: VeeValidate, Formik, React Hook Form with schema validation (Zod, Yup)
Backend Familiarity
Basic NestJS or Express knowledge: Comfortable adding controllers, DTOs, and simple CRUD logic
REST API understanding: HTTP methods, status codes, request/response patterns, pagination strategies
Database basics: SQL queries, Prisma schema comprehension, understanding of joins and indexes
Authentication patterns: JWT, OAuth2, SAML flows, session management
Soft Skills & Mindset
User empathy: Passionate about UX; understands how design decisions impact user workflows
Ownership: Treats frontend as your domainâproactively identifies UI/UX issues and proposes solutions
Collaborative: Works closely with backend engineer to influence API design; provides thoughtful code review feedback
Pragmatic: Balances pixel-perfect design with "ship it" mentality; knows when good eno
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