Senior Software Engineer (Frontend / UI Focus)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Software Engineer (Frontend / UI Focus)

Company: CTI (A Parsons Company)

Location: Tampa, FL

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Software Engineering / Frontend Development

Date Posted: 2026-01-22

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (7+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (Onsite up to 70% at USSOCOM facilities)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the design, implementation, and maintenance of a critical USSOCOM mission control software solution, focusing on intuitive and efficient user interfaces for operators and analysts.

• Drive the evolution of the frontend architecture for a large-scale React-based application, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and optimal performance.

• Provide strong technical leadership and mentorship to a team of frontend and full-stack engineers, fostering a culture of UI quality and best practices.

• Collaborate deeply with UX/design, backend, and systems engineers to translate complex mission workflows into actionable, user-friendly interfaces.

• Champion the adoption of modern frontend development patterns and technologies to enhance development efficiency and product capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a Senior Software Engineer with a distinct Frontend/UI focus, indicating a need for deep expertise in user interface development and architecture. The emphasis on USSOCOM and mission-critical data suggests a demanding environment requiring robust, reliable, and performant solutions. The hybrid work arrangement with significant onsite presence at military facilities is a key differentiator.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain the USSOCOM's MCS/COP government-owned software solution, with a primary focus on frontend components and user experience.

• Take ownership of the frontend architectural direction for a large-scale, React-based mission control application.

• Develop and maintain reusable UI components, established patterns, and comprehensive design systems to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficient development across the application.

• Lead and mentor a team of junior and senior software engineers, providing technical guidance with a strong emphasis on UI quality and maintainability.

• Actively collaborate with cross-functional teams, including UX/design, backend, and systems engineers, to define, design, and deliver new features that meet complex mission requirements.

• Integrate with external data sources and APIs to ensure seamless data flow and visualization within the user interface.

• Write robust unit tests for frontend code to ensure reliability, usability, and proper handling of edge cases.

• Implement comprehensive frontend testing strategies, including component testing, integration testing, and UI behavior testing, to maintain high code quality.

• Identify and resolve bugs, focusing on improving overall application performance and responsiveness.

• Optimize frontend performance, particularly for data-dense, real-time, or operationally constrained environments.

• Continuously evaluate and implement new technologies and development methodologies to maximize development efficiency and enhance product capabilities.

• Participate actively in the Agile development lifecycle, including Program Increment (PI) planning, sprint task definition, and all Agile ceremonies, ensuring timely resolution of development blockers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on development, architectural leadership, and team mentorship. The emphasis on "government-owned software solution," "mission-critical data," and "real-world operational environments" suggests the need for a pragmatic, security-conscious, and highly reliable approach to frontend development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Software Development, Computer Science, or a closely related technical field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional software development experience, with a significant portion dedicated to ownership and advanced development of frontend or UI-heavy applications.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in building large-scale React applications, utilizing modern patterns such as functional components, hooks, context API, Redux Toolkit, and TypeScript.

• Strong understanding of frontend architecture principles, effective state management strategies, and robust component-based design.

• Demonstrated leadership abilities in a software engineering context.

• Experience in technical decision-making, problem decomposition, solution identification, and clear communication of technical processes and conclusions to engineering teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Effective communication skills across various mediums, with the ability to engage with technical and non-technical management, colleagues, and customers.

• Ability to write clean, maintainable code and leverage best practices for implementation, documentation, and testing.

• Solid foundation in algorithms and data structures, with practical understanding of their real-world application.

• A passion for developing customer-focused solutions and delivering high-quality user experiences.

• Experience designing or contributing to shared UI component libraries or design systems.

• Proficiency with container-based software solutions like Docker and Kubernetes.

• Experience with gateway managers such as Envoy/Nginx and security authentication systems like Active Directory and Keycloak.

• Microservices and/or distributed computing development experience.

• Experience with monorepo and microfrontend architectures.

• Experience visualizing complex data sets or operational workflows within web-based user interfaces.

• Familiarity with Tactical Assault Kit, Common Operational Picture (COP) platforms, and experience working directly with government teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a Top Secret clearance is a critical gatekeeper for this role. The emphasis on React, TypeScript, and modern patterns indicates a contemporary frontend stack. Beneficial skills like Docker, Kubernetes, and microservices suggest an understanding of modern deployment and architectural patterns.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrations of frontend architecture decisions for complex, large-scale applications, highlighting scalability and maintainability.

• Case studies showcasing the design and implementation of reusable UI components, patterns, and design systems, with emphasis on consistency and efficient development.

• Examples of state management strategies implemented in React applications, particularly for data-dense or real-time scenarios.

• Evidence of performance optimization techniques applied to frontend applications, with measurable results.

Process Documentation:

• Detailed explanations of your approach to frontend testing strategies, including unit, integration, and UI behavior testing.

• Workflow diagrams or descriptions of how you collaborate with UX/design and backend teams to translate requirements into functional user interfaces.

• Examples of how you've contributed to or led the adoption of new technologies and development methodologies to improve efficiency.

• Documentation of your experience participating in Agile ceremonies and managing development blockers within a sprint or PI cycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of discussing "prior frontend architecture decisions, UI tradeoffs, and examples of complex React applications" implies a strong need for candidates to have a well-documented portfolio or be prepared to articulate these experiences clearly. This is crucial for demonstrating leadership and technical depth.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: $140,000 - $180,000 annually.

• Methodology: This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Senior Software Engineers with 7+ years of experience, specializing in frontend/UI development, and requiring a Top Secret clearance in the Tampa, FL area. Factors include the specialized nature of defense contracting, the need for security clearance, and the hybrid work model. Specific compensation will be determined by experience, qualifications, and exact role responsibilities.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.

• Health Savings Account (HSA) with partial CTI funding, and Flexible Spending Accounts.

• Company-paid Life Insurance/AD&D and Disability Insurance.

• Optional supplemental insurance policies including Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Accident coverage.

• Generous Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, and Holidays.

• 401k Retirement Plan with a Safe Harbor contribution.

• Tuition Reimbursement and Professional Training opportunities.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Travel Assistance services.

• Financial Planning Assistance.

• Voluntary Pre-Paid Legal services.

• Flexible scheduling options, including telecommuting opportunities (within the hybrid requirement).

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, estimated at 40 hours per week.

• The role requires onsite presence at USSOCOM facilities up to 70% of the time, with flexibility in scheduling for the remaining 30% and for tasks that can be performed remotely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The benefits package is robust, typical of established companies in the defense and technology sectors. The inclusion of tuition reimbursement and professional training options is particularly relevant for a senior technical role. The mention of "Flexible schedules with telecommuting options" should be interpreted within the context of the 70% onsite requirement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Software Development, Systems Engineering, Defense Contracting. CTI, a Parsons Company, operates at the intersection of advanced technology and national security, providing sophisticated solutions for military and security applications, particularly focusing on data aggregation, transport, and visualization for warfighters.

Company Size: CTI is part of Parsons, a large, global company. While CTI's specific size isn't detailed, Parsons has thousands of employees, indicating a large-scale organizational structure with significant resources and established processes. This means opportunities for growth and exposure to diverse projects.

Founded: CTI is a veteran-owned company. While the founding date isn't specified, its acquisition by Parsons suggests a history of established operations and expertise in its niche.

Team Structure:

• The role involves leading a team of junior and senior software engineers, indicating a direct management or technical lead capacity.

• Collaboration is expected with cross-functional teams, including UX/Design, Backend Engineers, and Systems Engineers, suggesting a matrixed or project-based team environment common in software development.

Methodology:

• Agile development methodologies are explicitly mentioned, including participation in Program Increments (PI) and sprint planning.

• A strong emphasis is placed on data-driven solutions, with the company specializing in the "collection, aggregation, transport, and visualization of highly complex data sets in a meaningful context."

• The company fosters a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, aiming to "develop the next generation of advanced technologies."

Company Website: [CTI Website - Not provided in input, but typically 'cti.com' or similar]

[Parsons Company Website: www.parsons.com]

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value technical excellence, a customer-focused approach (especially for military clients), and continuous innovation. As part of Parsons, CTI likely benefits from established corporate processes, resources, and a broad industry presence, while maintaining a specialized focus on defense technology.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Software Engineer with a significant leadership component ("Lead a team of junior and senior software engineers," "Provide technical leadership and mentorship"). It represents a mid-to-senior career stage, requiring a blend of deep technical expertise and the ability to guide and influence others. The focus on architecture and system design suggests a path towards Principal Engineer or an Architect role.

Reporting Structure:

• The Senior Software Engineer will likely report to a Software Engineering Manager, Director of Engineering, or a Program Manager, depending on the project structure within CTI/Parsons.

• They will directly lead a team of frontend and full-stack engineers, managing their technical contributions and professional development.

Operations Impact:

• The role's direct impact is on the functionality and user experience of a mission-critical software solution for USSOCOM.

• By leading frontend development and ensuring high-quality UI, the engineer directly influences the effectiveness of operators and analysts in visualizing, monitoring, and acting on critical data, thereby impacting mission success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in React, frontend architecture, design systems, and potentially related areas like web performance optimization or data visualization libraries.

• Leadership Development: Progress into roles with broader team leadership responsibilities, such as Engineering Lead, Technical Lead, or potentially management roles within the engineering department.

• Architectural Advancement: Move towards Principal Software Engineer or Software Architect roles, taking on responsibility for the technical direction of larger systems or multiple projects.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience in system design, backend integration, and understanding the full software development lifecycle for complex defense applications.

• Professional Development: Leverage tuition reimbursement and training opportunities to acquire new skills, certifications, or advanced degrees.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title combined with "Lead a team" suggests a dual track for growth: either deepening technical expertise as a principal engineer/architect or moving into formal management. The defense sector context implies a stable, long-term career path with opportunities to work on impactful and secure systems.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as hybrid, requiring onsite presence up to 70% of the time at USSOCOM facilities near MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL. This suggests a professional office environment, likely with secure access protocols and dedicated workspaces within government facilities. The remaining 30% allows for remote work, indicating a need for employees to have suitable home office setups.

Office Location(s):

• Primary onsite work location: USSOCOM facilities on and near MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect frequent collaboration with cross-functional teams (UX, backend, systems engineers) within the dedicated USSOCOM facilities. This may involve in-person meetings, whiteboarding sessions, and shared development spaces.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to modern development tools, workstations, and potentially specialized hardware or software required for defense applications will be provided. The company emphasizes a modern tech stack (React, TypeScript, etc.).

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with fellow engineers, designers, and potentially military end-users, fostering a direct connection between development efforts and mission impact.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid model allows for flexibility in scheduling, with a significant portion of the week dedicated to onsite work at USSOCOM facilities. This structure requires careful time management to balance remote and in-office responsibilities effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid requirement with a strong onsite component is a critical aspect. Candidates must be comfortable working within a government/military facility environment, which may have different protocols and security measures compared to a typical corporate office.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and security clearance status.

• Technical Interview(s): This will likely involve multiple rounds focusing on:

  • Frontend Fundamentals: In-depth questions on JavaScript, React, state management (Redux Toolkit, Context), component design, and performance optimization.
  • Architecture & Design: Discussions around frontend architectural patterns, design systems, and how to scale complex applications. Candidates will be expected to discuss past decisions and trade-offs.
  • Problem-Solving/Coding Challenge: A live coding exercise or a take-home assignment focusing on building a component or solving a specific UI-related problem.

• Leadership/Mentorship Interview: Assessment of leadership capabilities, team collaboration, mentorship experience, and ability to guide junior engineers.

• Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: Deeper dive into experience, cultural fit, and alignment with the team's goals and CTI's mission.

• Security Clearance Verification: Formal verification of the active TS/SCI clearance will be part of the process.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight React Expertise: Showcase complex React applications you've built or led. Prioritize projects demonstrating advanced use of hooks, context, Redux Toolkit, and TypeScript.

• Architectural Decisions: Be prepared to articulate specific frontend architectural choices you've made, the reasoning behind them, and the outcomes (e.g., performance improvements, scalability enhancements, maintainability). Discuss UI tradeoffs you've navigated.

• Component Design & Systems: Include examples of reusable UI components, component libraries, or design system contributions. Explain how these improved consistency and development speed.

• Data Visualization: If possible, showcase projects involving the visualization of complex data sets or operational workflows, as this directly aligns with the company's specialization.

• Testing Strategy: Detail your approach to frontend testing, including unit, integration, and end-to-end testing strategies.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized and easy to navigate. Clearly label projects and explain your role and contributions.

Challenge Preparation:

• React Performance Optimization: Practice common performance bottlenecks in React (e.g., unnecessary re-renders, large lists) and how to resolve them using techniques like useMemo, useCallback, virtualization, and code splitting.

• State Management Scenarios: Be ready to implement state management solutions for various complex scenarios in React.

• Component Design Patterns: Understand and be able to implement common UI patterns (e.g., modal dialogs, data tables, form handling) efficiently and accessibly.

• TypeScript Proficiency: Ensure you are comfortable using TypeScript for robust type checking and improved code quality in React applications.

• Agile & Collaboration: Prepare to discuss how you collaborate with cross-functional teams and contribute within an Agile framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "discuss prior frontend architecture decisions, UI tradeoffs, and examples of complex React applications" strongly indicates that the interview process will heavily involve a deep dive into a candidate's practical experience and decision-making processes. A well-prepared portfolio or detailed project walk-through is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Frontend Framework: React (advanced proficiency required, including hooks, context, Redux Toolkit).

• Language: TypeScript (strong proficiency expected).

• State Management: Redux Toolkit, React Context API.

• Component Libraries/Design Systems: Experience with creating, maintaining, or utilizing these is highly beneficial.

• Build Tools: Webpack, Vite (or similar).

• Testing Frameworks: Jest, React Testing Library, Cypress (or similar for component, integration, and UI behavior testing).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated for frontend, understanding how frontend performance metrics are tracked and reported is crucial. Tools like Lighthouse, Web Vitals, and browser developer tools are essential.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the primary frontend role, but understanding how frontend applications integrate with backend services and APIs is critical.

• Knowledge of containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes) is beneficial for understanding deployment environments.

• Experience with gateway managers (Envoy/Nginx) and authentication systems (Active Directory, Keycloak) provides context for the broader system architecture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tech stack is clearly centered around modern JavaScript/TypeScript frontend development with React. The inclusion of containerization and gateway management tools in the beneficial skills indicates an awareness of the broader DevOps and cloud-native ecosystem that the frontend will interact with.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Technical Excellence & Innovation: A commitment to developing cutting-edge technologies and high-quality software solutions.

• Customer Focus: Dedication to providing operationally-focused technology solutions that meet the needs of military and security applications.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively with cross-functional teams and fostering a supportive environment for junior engineers.

• Integrity & Security: Adherence to strict security protocols and a commitment to building reliable, secure systems, especially given the defense contract nature.

• Continuous Improvement: An ongoing effort to discover, evaluate, and implement new technologies and processes to enhance efficiency and product capabilities.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close partnership with UX/Design, Backend, and Systems Engineering teams is paramount. This requires clear communication, a willingness to understand different perspectives, and a shared goal of delivering integrated solutions.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Senior engineers are expected to mentor junior team members, share best practices, and contribute to a culture of learning.

• Agile & Iterative: Collaboration will likely occur within an Agile framework, involving regular feedback loops, iterative development, and adaptive planning.

• Stakeholder Communication: Ability to communicate technical concepts and project status effectively to both technical peers and potentially non-technical stakeholders within USSOCOM.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values likely reflect a blend of a defense contractor's emphasis on security and mission success with a tech company's drive for innovation and collaboration. The "veteran-owned" aspect suggests a culture that may value discipline, teamwork, and a direct approach.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complex Mission Requirements: Translating intricate military operational workflows into intuitive and effective user interfaces for demanding environments.

• Security Constraints: Developing within a highly secure environment, adhering to strict government security protocols and clearance requirements.

• Real-time Data Handling: Optimizing frontend performance for data-dense, real-time, or operationally constrained environments where responsiveness is critical.

• Legacy System Integration (Potential): While modern technologies are used, there may be requirements to integrate with or support existing government systems.

• Balancing Onsite/Remote: Effectively managing the hybrid work model and ensuring seamless collaboration across different work locations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Frontend Technologies: Deepen expertise in React ecosystem, state management, performance tuning, and potentially explore related areas like WebGL or advanced data visualization libraries.

• System Architecture: Gain exposure to backend systems, APIs, microservices, and cloud-native technologies (Docker, Kubernetes) through cross-functional collaboration.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Develop strong leadership skills by guiding and mentoring a team of engineers, potentially leading to formal management or principal engineer roles.

• Defense Sector Domain Knowledge: Acquire specialized knowledge of military operational concepts, data types, and user needs relevant to USSOCOM applications.

• Industry Certifications & Training: Utilize tuition reimbursement and professional training options for relevant certifications or advanced courses.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the nature of the work: high-stakes defense applications requiring robust, secure, and performant interfaces. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering paths for both deep technical mastery and leadership development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Frontend Architecture: "Describe a time you designed or significantly influenced the frontend architecture for a large-scale React application. What were the key considerations, trade-offs, and outcomes?" (Focus on scalability, maintainability, performance, and component strategy).

• UI/UX Collaboration: "How do you collaborate with UX/design teams to translate complex requirements into user-friendly interfaces? Provide an example of a challenging collaboration and how you navigated it." (Highlight communication, iterative feedback, and problem-solving).

• Performance Optimization: "Walk me through your process for identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks in a React application. What tools and techniques do you use?" (Be ready to discuss specific metrics and optimization strategies).

• Leadership & Mentorship: "Describe your experience leading or mentoring other engineers. How do you approach technical decision-making and ensure code quality within a team?" (Focus on guidance, conflict resolution, and fostering best practices).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working on mission-critical software for USSOCOM, and specifically for CTI/Parsons?" (Research CTI's mission and Parsons' role in defense).

• "How do you stay updated with the latest frontend technologies and best practices?" (Showcase continuous learning and passion).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the technical challenges, the solutions implemented (especially architectural and UI-specific), and the measurable impact or outcomes.

• Focus on React & UI: Emphasize your expertise in React, TypeScript, state management, and component design. Use visual aids if possible to showcase UI elements and workflows.

• Demonstrate Leadership: If applicable, highlight instances where you led technical discussions, mentored junior developers, or influenced architectural decisions.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., "improved page load time by X%", "reduced bug reports by Y%", "increased component reusability by Z%").

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your code, design choices, and problem-solving approaches.

Challenge Preparation:

• Live Coding: Practice implementing common React components, handling state, and writing tests under time constraints.

• Architectural Design: Be ready to sketch out a high-level frontend architecture for a hypothetical system, explaining your choices.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Think about how you would approach debugging complex UI issues or refactoring challenging codebases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will undoubtedly require candidates to demonstrate deep technical proficiency in React and frontend architecture, coupled with strong leadership and communication skills. The portfolio presentation is a critical component for showcasing practical experience.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Software Engineer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Greenhouse job board.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your 7+ years of professional software development experience, specifically highlighting your work with large-scale React applications, TypeScript, Redux Toolkit, and frontend architecture. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate examples of complex React projects, focusing on your architectural contributions, UI component design, state management strategies, and performance optimizations. Be ready to discuss these in detail.

• Research CTI & Parsons: Understand the company's mission, its work with USSOCOM, and Parsons' broader role in the defense technology sector. Prepare to articulate why you are a good fit for this specific environment.

• Confirm Security Clearance: Ensure your active TS/SCI clearance is current and be prepared to discuss its status during the initial screening process.

⚠️ 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.