Senior Frontend UX Engineer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Frontend UX Engineer Company: Katana Network Location: USA (Remote) Job Type: Full-Time Category: Frontend Engineering / UX Design / DeFi Date Posted: 2025-09-17 Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years implied) Remote Status: Fully Remote (Global Workforce)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the enhancement of user experience and interface polish for the Katana Network's DeFi application, focusing on intuitive onboarding and engaging user journeys.
• Drive the development and maintenance of a scalable design system and a reusable frontend component library to ensure consistency and efficiency across all user-facing features.
• Implement sophisticated animations, transitions, and micro-interactions to reduce user friction, improve comprehension, and elevate the overall aesthetic and functional quality of the platform.
• Tackle complex information hierarchies within DeFi workflows such as yield tracking, portfolio management, and bridging, transforming them into user-friendly and easily navigable experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is "Senior Frontend UX Engineer," the core responsibilities and required/preferred skills strongly indicate a focus on the frontend engineering execution of UX vision, rather than pure UX research or design. The emphasis on "making things sing," "crafting cohesion," and "delighting through detail" suggests a need for a highly skilled engineer who can translate design concepts into performant, beautiful, and functional code with a strong understanding of UX principles. The "DeFi product interfaces" experience is critical, highlighting the need for specialized knowledge in this domain.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and implement seamless, intuitive onboarding processes with robust loading states, clear error handling, and effective user feedback mechanisms to onboard new users smoothly.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive, scalable design system and a library of reusable frontend components, ensuring consistency, maintainability, and rapid development of new features.
• Integrate sophisticated animations, transitions, and micro-interactions to enhance usability, guide user attention, and create a delightful, engaging user experience within complex DeFi functionalities.
• Restructure and optimize information architecture for intricate DeFi workflows, including yield tracking, portfolio management, bridging, and other financial operations, to improve clarity and user efficiency.
• Refine, integrate, and ensure the seamless embedding of externally developed modules, such as gamified elements (quests, leaderboards), into the main application, maintaining a cohesive and high-quality user experience.
• Champion accessibility standards, ensuring all developed interfaces are responsive, inclusive, mobile-friendly, and adhere to WCAG guidelines to welcome a diverse user base.
• Collaborate closely with product designers, backend engineers, and product managers to conceptualize, build, and iterate on frontend features that align with the Katana Network's vision for superior capital efficiency and user experience.
• Optimize frontend performance, particularly in data-heavy environments, ensuring fast load times, smooth interactions, and efficient handling of real-time data streams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed are a direct expansion of the core duties mentioned in the job description, tailored to emphasize the "UX Engineer" aspect. The focus is on translating abstract UX goals into concrete engineering tasks, highlighting the blend of coding prowess and user-centric thinking required. Specific DeFi functionalities are called out to stress domain expertise.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is highly beneficial for understanding foundational principles.

Experience:

• A minimum of 4 years of dedicated frontend engineering experience.
• At least 2 years of this experience must be specifically focused on building interfaces for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) products.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in modern JavaScript frameworks, with a strong emphasis on React and Next.js, demonstrating a deep understanding of component-based architecture and server-side rendering.
• Mastery of CSS/SCSS for styling, layout, and creating visually appealing interfaces, coupled with hands-on experience using animation libraries such as Framer Motion, React Spring, or similar to implement dynamic and engaging UI elements.
• Proven ability to build, maintain, and evolve robust design systems and accessible component libraries, ensuring code reusability, scalability, and consistency across applications.
• Familiarity with key DeFi-specific patterns and workflows, including wallet connection and management (e.g., MetaMask integration), governance interfaces, cross-chain bridging mechanisms, and complex analytics dashboards.
• Strong command of responsive design principles and techniques to ensure optimal user experiences across various devices and screen sizes, coupled with expertise in performance tuning for data-intensive applications.
• Understanding of web accessibility standards (WCAG) and best practices for building inclusive digital products.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience in Fintech or Gaming industries, particularly in roles where gamification strategies were implemented to drive measurable user growth and engagement.
• A strong portfolio showcasing UX/UI craftsmanship, particularly featuring before-and-after examples of UI refinements and process improvements that led to tangible user experience enhancements.
• Hands-on experience with user testing methodologies and leveraging analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel) for data-informed iteration and product optimization.
• Comfort and experience designing and developing interfaces that handle real-time data streams and complex, dynamic loading states common in financial applications.
• A genuine passion for blending functional product utility with moments of delight and engaging user interactions.
• Practical experience integrating web3 functionality into frontend applications using libraries such as viem, wagmi, or similar, demonstrating an understanding of blockchain interactions from the client-side.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Preferred Qualifications" section is reframed as "Preferred Skills" to align with the overall job description's emphasis on technical capabilities. The inclusion of specific web3 libraries like viem and wagmi is crucial for a DeFi-focused role. The emphasis on a portfolio showcasing "UX/UI craftsmanship" and "before-and-after examples" is a key indicator of what the hiring team values.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 significant projects that demonstrate deep expertise in frontend engineering for complex web applications, ideally within the Fintech or DeFi space.
• Highlight at least one project that clearly illustrates a substantial improvement in user experience or interface design through specific engineering interventions, providing before-and-after comparisons.
• Include examples of building and maintaining reusable component libraries or contributing to design systems, demonstrating an understanding of scalable frontend architecture.
• Present projects that involve intricate data visualization or complex state management, showcasing proficiency in handling dynamic and real-time data.
• Demonstrate understanding of performance optimization techniques applied to frontend applications, backed by metrics or specific implementation details.

Process Documentation:

• Provide clear explanations of your development process for UI components, from initial concept and design translation to implementation, testing, and deployment.
• Detail your approach to integrating and refining third-party modules or complex features into a cohesive application architecture.
• Explain your methodology for ensuring responsiveness and accessibility across different devices and user needs.
• Illustrate your process for collaborating with designers and other engineers, including how feedback is incorporated and iterative improvements are made.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is tailored to a "Frontend UX Engineer" role, focusing on the output of their work (portfolio) and their development methodologies. It emphasizes demonstrating tangible impact through design system contributions, performance optimizations, and refined UX through code. The "process documentation" aspect focuses on how they approach building and integrating features, which is key for a senior role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the "Senior" title, 4+ years of specialized DeFi frontend experience, and a fully remote, global workforce, a competitive salary range in the US would typically fall between $150,000 - $220,000 USD annually, depending on experience level, specific location within the US (though remote, some companies adjust for major cost-of-living areas), and the candidate's demonstrated impact.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Industry-leading Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans. (Note: Specific coverage details, including whether it's fully covered for employees and dependents, are country and plan-specific).
• Retirement Savings: Company matching 401k with a 3% match (applicable to US employees).
• Home Office Setup: A one-time $1,500 allowance for setting up a home office, maximizing productivity and comfort.
• Professional Development: An annual $200 allowance for books, supporting continuous learning and skill enhancement.
• Connectivity Reimbursement: A monthly reimbursement of $75 for internet or phone expenses to ensure reliable remote work connectivity.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible Time Off policy, allowing employees to manage their personal time effectively.
• Wellness Initiatives: One company-wide wellness Friday off per quarter to promote employee well-being and prevent burnout.
• Technology Provision: A company-issued laptop to facilitate work.
• Holistic Wellness Support: Benefits extending to egg freezing, mental health support, and broader employee wellness programs.

Working Hours: While the standard full-time expectation is typically 40 hours per week, the "Remote first global workforce" and "Flexible Time Off" suggest a degree of flexibility in managing work hours, provided that responsibilities are met and collaboration with global teams is maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is estimated based on US market data for senior-level frontend engineers with specialized skills in a high-demand sector like DeFi, considering the fully remote nature. The benefits are detailed as provided, with notes clarifying country-specific applicability where mentioned. The "working hours" section infers flexibility based on company culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Decentralized Finance (DeFi) / Blockchain Technology / Web3 Infrastructure. Katana Network is a purpose-built DeFi chain incubated by Polygon Labs and GSR, aiming to align applications, users, and chain revenue for deep liquidity and sustainable high yields. Company Size: Not explicitly stated, but the incubation by Polygon Labs and GSR, and the hiring for a senior role, suggest a growing, well-funded startup environment, likely ranging from 50-200 employees. Founded: Katana Network's incubation implies a relatively recent founding, aligning with the rapid growth and evolution of the blockchain and DeFi space. The focus is on building innovative DeFi infrastructure.

Team Structure:

• The Frontend Engineering team likely operates within a broader Engineering or Product department.
• Reporting structure would typically be to a Frontend Lead, Engineering Manager, or Head of Engineering.
• Cross-functional collaboration is essential, involving close partnerships with UX Designers, Backend Engineers, Product Managers, and potentially DeFi Protocol specialists.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Data-driven decision-making is paramount, utilizing user analytics, performance metrics, and DeFi-specific data to inform UX improvements and feature development.
• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Emphasis on agile methodologies, iterative development, and continuous improvement of user workflows to enhance efficiency and user satisfaction.
• Automation & Efficiency Practices: Leveraging frontend architecture (component libraries, design systems) and potentially automated testing to maximize development efficiency and ensure code quality.

Company Website: https://katana.network/

📝 Enhancement Note: Inferred company size and founding context are based on the industry and incubation details. The team structure and methodologies are standard for tech startups focused on product development in specialized industries like DeFi.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Frontend UX Engineer. It signifies a mid-to-late career stage, requiring significant autonomy, technical leadership within the frontend domain, and the ability to mentor junior team members. The expectation is for the individual to own critical user-facing components and workflows, contributing significantly to the product's success.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Frontend UX Engineer will typically report to a Frontend Engineering Manager or a Head of Engineering. They will likely work closely with Product Managers and UX/UI Designers, acting as a key technical liaison between design and backend development.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on user acquisition, retention, and overall platform engagement within the DeFi ecosystem. By crafting intuitive, delightful, and performant user experiences, this engineer will influence user adoption of the Katana Network, contribute to its perceived professionalism and trustworthiness, and directly support the network's goal of delivering superior capital efficiency and user satisfaction. This role is critical in translating the complex technical capabilities of DeFi into accessible and engaging experiences for a broad user base.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in DeFi frontend development, Web3 integration, advanced animation techniques, and performance optimization for blockchain applications.
• Team Leadership: Potential to grow into a Frontend Tech Lead role, guiding architectural decisions, mentoring junior engineers, and taking ownership of larger feature sets or entire product areas.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Gain broader product management and strategy experience by closely collaborating with product teams, contributing to roadmap planning, and influencing product direction based on UX insights.
• Industry Expertise: Become a recognized expert in building user-centric interfaces within the rapidly evolving blockchain and DeFi space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations Career Level" is interpreted through the lens of a "Frontend UX Engineer" role within a tech company, focusing on the impact and seniority expected. "Operations Impact" is framed in terms of how the engineering contributions directly affect business outcomes in the DeFi context.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates on a "Remote first global workforce" model. This implies a distributed team with no central physical office requirement, although some employees might choose to work from co-working spaces or home offices. Office Location(s): While the job is posted for "USA" and the company is global, the remote-first approach means employees can be located anywhere within approved regions (likely primarily North America for this posting, given the 401k benefit).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a highly collaborative virtual environment, utilizing tools like Slack, Zoom, and shared project management platforms to maintain team cohesion and facilitate communication.
• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to modern development tools, cloud-based collaboration platforms, and potentially specialized DeFi-related software or APIs.
• Team Interaction: Regular virtual stand-ups, team meetings, design reviews, and code reviews to foster interaction and knowledge sharing among distributed team members.

Work Schedule: The "Remote first" and "Flexible Time Off" policies suggest a work environment that values output and results over strict adherence to traditional office hours. While core collaboration hours might exist to facilitate team synchronization, there's likely flexibility for individuals to structure their workday around personal needs and peak productivity times, provided project deadlines and team commitments are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Work Environment" is described based on the explicit "remote-first global workforce" statement and common practices in distributed tech companies. The focus is on the virtual nature of collaboration and the tools used.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review your resume and portfolio, followed by a brief introductory call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
• Technical Interview(s): Expect one or more technical interviews focusing on frontend development skills, React/Next.js proficiency, CSS/animation expertise, and problem-solving abilities. These might include live coding sessions or discussions of technical challenges.
• UX/Design Collaboration Interview: An interview focused on your understanding of UX principles, your ability to translate design into code, and how you approach user-centric development. This may involve discussing your portfolio projects in detail.
• System Design/Architecture Discussion: A discussion around how you would approach building scalable frontend systems, component libraries, and integrating complex features, particularly within the DeFi context.
• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: A session with potential team members or leadership to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with Katana Network's values.
• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss overall fit, strategic thinking, and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best highlight your frontend engineering skills, UX craftsmanship, and DeFi-specific experience. Prioritize projects with clear impact and demonstrable results.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each project, provide a concise overview, your specific role and contributions, the technical challenges you faced, and the solutions you implemented. Use before-and-after visuals or interactive demos where possible.
• Highlight UX Impact: Clearly articulate how your engineering efforts improved the user experience. Quantify improvements if possible (e.g., reduced load times, increased conversion rates, improved task completion rates).
• Demonstrate Process: Explain your development workflow, your approach to using design systems and component libraries, and how you integrate feedback from designers and stakeholders.
• DeFi Relevance: Emphasize any projects directly related to DeFi, explaining your understanding of the domain and how you applied it to frontend development.

Challenge Preparation:

• Frontend Fundamentals: Refresh your knowledge of JavaScript, React, Next.js, CSS, and common state management patterns. Be prepared for coding challenges that test these skills.
• DeFi Concepts: Understand fundamental DeFi concepts such as yield farming, liquidity pools, bridging, governance, and common wallet interactions.
• Problem-Solving: Practice breaking down complex user interface problems into smaller, manageable parts and articulating your thought process clearly.
• Portfolio Walkthrough: Prepare a structured narrative for presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on impact, technical challenges, and your role.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides a comprehensive breakdown of a typical interview process for a senior engineering role, with specific advice tailored to a Frontend UX Engineer in the DeFi space. The portfolio review tips are crucial for demonstrating the required blend of technical skill and UX sensibility.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• JavaScript/TypeScript: The foundational language for frontend development.
• React: The primary JavaScript library for building user interfaces, likely used extensively for component-based architecture.
• Next.js: A React framework for server-side rendering, static site generation, and API routes, crucial for performance and SEO.
• CSS/SCSS: For styling and theming, with a strong emphasis on modern CSS practices and preprocessors.
• Animation Libraries: Framer Motion, React Spring, or similar for creating dynamic transitions and micro-interactions.
• Build Tools: Webpack, Vite, or similar for bundling and optimizing frontend assets.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar for tracking user behavior, engagement, and conversion funnels.
• Performance Monitoring Tools: Lighthouse, WebPageTest, or APM tools for identifying and resolving frontend performance bottlenecks.
• Data Visualization Libraries: Chart.js, D3.js, or Recharts for creating interactive dashboards and data representations within the application.

CRM & Automation:

• Version Control: Git, hosted on platforms like GitHub or GitLab, for code management and collaboration.
• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for task tracking and workflow management.
• Design Collaboration: Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD for design handoffs and collaboration with the design team.
• Web3 Integration Libraries: viem, wagmi, Ethers.js, or similar for interacting with blockchain networks and wallet providers.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section lists the essential technologies for a modern React/Next.js frontend role, with specific additions relevant to DeFi (Web3 libraries) and UX engineering (animation libraries, design tools).

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the user, ensuring that all product decisions and engineering implementations prioritize an exceptional user experience.
• Excellence & Polish: A dedication to high-quality code, meticulous attention to detail in UI implementation, and a drive to create polished, delightful user interactions.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open and communicative environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and team members work together towards common goals.
• Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new technologies and methodologies within the rapidly evolving DeFi and Web3 space, encouraging experimentation and continuous learning.
• Impact-Driven: Focusing efforts on initiatives that deliver tangible value to users and contribute directly to the success of the Katana Network.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Active participation in cross-functional teams, working closely with designers, product managers, and backend engineers to ensure seamless feature development from concept to deployment.
• Process Review Culture: Engaging in regular code reviews and design critiques to provide and receive constructive feedback, promoting continuous improvement and shared learning.
• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing insights, best practices, and learnings with the team through documentation, internal presentations, or informal discussions to foster a collective growth environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: These values and collaboration styles are inferred based on the company's mission, the role's emphasis on UX, and standard practices in high-performing tech teams, particularly those in innovative sectors.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of DeFi: Navigating and simplifying the inherently complex financial mechanisms and terminology of Decentralized Finance for a broad user base.
• Rapidly Evolving Landscape: Keeping pace with the constant innovation and regulatory changes within the blockchain and DeFi industries.
• Balancing Polish with Performance: Implementing sophisticated UX elements and animations without compromising frontend performance, especially in data-intensive applications.
• Distributed Team Collaboration: Maintaining seamless communication, alignment, and a strong team culture within a fully remote, global workforce.
• Onboarding and Integration: Effectively integrating and refining third-party modules or "gamified" elements into the core application while maintaining a consistent user experience.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• DeFi Specialization: Gaining deep expertise in the technical and user-facing aspects of Decentralized Finance.
• Advanced Frontend Techniques: Mastering cutting-edge frontend technologies, animation frameworks, and performance optimization strategies.
• Product Strategy Input: Contributing to product roadmaps and strategic decisions based on user research and UX insights.
• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior frontend engineers and contribute to building a high-performing engineering team.
• Industry Exposure: Participating in industry events, webinars, and community discussions related to DeFi and Web3 development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities are framed around the specific context of a Senior Frontend UX Engineer in the DeFi space, highlighting both the hurdles and the potential for professional advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Frontend Architecture: "How would you approach building a scalable, reusable component library for a complex DeFi platform like Katana Network? What key principles would you follow, and what challenges do you anticipate?" (Focus on design systems, state management, and maintainability).
• UX/Code Integration: "Describe a situation where you had to translate a complex design or user flow into an intuitive and performant frontend experience. What trade-offs did you make, and how did you measure success?" (Focus on your ability to bridge design and engineering, and your user-centric approach).
• DeFi User Experience: "What are the biggest UX challenges in DeFi today, and how can a frontend engineer help overcome them? Provide an example from your experience." (Focus on your domain knowledge and problem-solving skills in DeFi).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Katana's Mission: "What excites you about Katana Network's mission to create the best DeFi experience for all users, and how do you see your role contributing to that vision?" (Demonstrate research and alignment with company goals).
• Remote Collaboration: "How do you ensure effective communication and collaboration with a distributed team, especially when working with designers and backend engineers?" (Highlight your remote work best practices).
• Measuring Impact: "How do you measure the success of your frontend work, particularly in terms of user engagement and experience improvement?" (Focus on metrics and data-driven approaches).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Structure: For each project, start with the problem, present your solution (highlighting technical implementation and UX considerations), and conclude with the results and your learnings.
• Highlight Key Contributions: Clearly articulate your specific role and contributions, especially if it was a team project. Use "I" when discussing your individual work and "we" for team achievements.
• Focus on Impact: Quantify your achievements whenever possible (e.g., "improved page load speed by 30%," "reduced onboarding drop-off by 15%"). If exact numbers aren't available, describe the qualitative impact on user experience.
• Demonstrate Technical Depth: Be prepared to discuss the specific technologies, libraries, and architectural decisions made for each project, especially those related to React, Next.js, CSS, and animations.
• Showcase UX Sensibility: Emphasize how your engineering choices directly supported or enhanced the user experience, referencing design principles and user feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: These interview questions and preparation tips are tailored to the Senior Frontend UX Engineer role, covering technical skills, UX understanding, company fit, and portfolio presentation strategies specific to the DeFi industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate your expertise in React, Next.js, CSS/SCSS, animation libraries, design systems, and specifically, your experience with DeFi product interfaces. Prioritize examples that showcase UX improvements through engineering.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly states your years of frontend engineering experience, with a specific mention of your DeFi product interface experience. Use keywords from the job description and quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience with the technologies and responsibilities listed. Prepare to walk through your portfolio projects, focusing on your role, technical challenges, UX impact, and any DeFi-specific insights.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Katana Network's mission, its incubation by Polygon Labs and GSR, and its approach to DeFi infrastructure. Understand their commitment to user experience and how your skills align with their goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.