Senior UX Engineer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Engineer

Company: ATPCO

Location: Herndon, Virginia, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX Engineering / Front-End Development

Date Posted: April 29, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Remote OK (Primary location Herndon, VA, but remote-first culture allows work from country of hire)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the creation of intuitive, user-centered digital experiences by bridging the gap between UX design and front-end development.

• Develop and maintain interactive prototypes, user-facing interfaces, and reusable components for a robust design system.

• Integrate REST APIs into front-end applications, ensuring seamless data flow and efficient state management.

• Leverage AI-assisted development tools to accelerate workflows, enhance code quality, and automate repetitive tasks.

• Collaborate effectively with product managers, designers, and fellow engineers to align UX/UI initiatives with business objectives and ensure high-quality deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Engineer, indicating a need for strong technical proficiency in front-end development combined with a deep understanding of user experience principles and design system contribution. The "remote-first" culture with the primary location in Herndon, VA, offers significant flexibility for candidates within the United States. The emphasis on AI-assisted development suggests a forward-thinking approach to engineering practices.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the development and ongoing maintenance of interactive prototypes and production-ready user interfaces using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and modern front-end frameworks (Angular, React, Vue).

• Implement robust automated testing strategies for front-end components and interfaces to ensure reliability and maintainability.

• Design and develop responsive user interfaces that ensure a consistent and optimal experience across various devices and screen resolutions.

• Collaborate closely with UX designers to translate wireframes and mockups into functional, user-friendly digital experiences, adhering strictly to HCI principles.

• Serve as a key liaison between design and engineering teams, facilitating clear communication and ensuring alignment on project goals and technical feasibility.

• Integrate RESTful APIs into front-end applications, managing API consumption, data synchronization, and error handling effectively to support dynamic content delivery.

• Champion the ATPCO design system by contributing to its evolution, developing new reusable components, and ensuring consistent application across all products.

• Actively utilize AI development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex, Anthropic Claude Code) to boost development velocity, improve code quality, and automate routine coding tasks.

• Conduct thorough performance optimization of front-end code, identifying and resolving bottlenecks to ensure fast load times and smooth user interactions.

• Ensure all developed interfaces comply with established accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG), promoting inclusivity and broad user access.

• Analyze user metrics and feedback to identify areas for UX improvement and drive data-informed design and development decisions.

• Maintain comprehensive documentation for all design and technical artifacts, ensuring adherence to ATPCO's development standards and quality protocols.

• Mentor junior engineers, sharing expertise in UX engineering, front-end development, and design system best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on coding, design collaboration, and strategic contribution to the design system. The emphasis on AI tools, performance optimization, and accessibility indicates a focus on modern, efficient, and inclusive development practices. Mentorship duties suggest leadership potential within the team.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 5-10 years of professional experience in UX engineering, front-end development, or a closely related role, with a proven track record of delivering high-quality user interfaces.

Required Skills:

• Front-End Development Expertise: Proficient in modern web technologies including HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript (ES6+).

• Framework Proficiency: Strong experience with at least one major JavaScript framework such as Angular, React, or Vue.js.

• API Integration: Solid understanding and practical experience integrating with RESTful APIs, including handling asynchronous operations and data management.

• UX/UI Principles: Deep knowledge of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) principles, user-centered design methodologies, and best practices for creating intuitive interfaces.

• Responsive & Accessible Design: Proven ability to develop responsive layouts and ensure compliance with web accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA).

• Design Systems: Experience contributing to or building design systems, including creating reusable UI components and style guides.

• Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with prototyping and wireframing tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) for translating designs into functional code.

• Version Control: Proficiency with Git for version control and collaborative development workflows.

• AI-Assisted Development Tools: Experience or strong aptitude for using AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Codex, Claude Code) to enhance productivity.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with automated testing frameworks (e.g., Jest, Cypress, Selenium) for front-end applications.

• Knowledge of state management libraries (e.g., Redux, Zustand, Vuex) for complex applications.

• Familiarity with build tools and bundlers (e.g., Webpack, Vite, Parcel).

• Experience with performance monitoring and optimization tools.

• Understanding of CI/CD pipelines for front-end development.

• Prior experience in the travel industry or with large-scale data platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level requirement of 5-10 years, combined with the "Senior" title, necessitates a candidate who can not only execute but also lead, mentor, and contribute strategically. The emphasis on specific frameworks (Angular, React, Vue) and AI tools points to the need for up-to-date technical skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated UX Engineering Projects: Showcase 2-3 significant projects that highlight your ability to translate complex design concepts into functional, high-quality front-end code and interactive experiences.

• Design System Contributions: Include examples of components or patterns you've developed for a design system, detailing the process, reusability, and impact.

• API Integration Examples: Present a project where you successfully integrated REST APIs, illustrating data flow management and dynamic content rendering.

• Performance & Accessibility Case Studies: Detail a project where you specifically focused on optimizing front-end performance or ensuring accessibility compliance, outlining the challenges, methodologies, and achieved results.

• AI Tool Utilization: If possible, include a project or a specific feature where AI development tools were instrumental in accelerating your workflow or improving code quality, explaining the benefits realized.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide documentation or examples of how you've mapped out and optimized front-end development workflows, including collaboration with design and QA.

• Component Development Standards: Outline your approach to developing reusable, maintainable, and well-documented UI components within a design system context.

• Testing Methodologies: Document your strategy for implementing automated testing (unit, integration, end-to-end) for front-end applications to ensure robust quality assurance.

• Performance & Accessibility Audits: Demonstrate your process for conducting performance audits and accessibility checks, including tools used and reporting mechanisms.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, showcasing not just coding ability but also a deep understanding of UX principles, design systems, and modern development practices, including the emerging use of AI. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the "why" behind their technical and process decisions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $110,900 – $136,797 per year

Benefits:

• Remote-First Culture: Flexibility to work from home within your country of hire, promoting work-life balance.

• 401(k) with Generous Employer Match: Comprehensive retirement savings plan with significant employer contributions to help you invest in your future.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans to ensure your health and well-being.

• Inclusive, Collaborative Culture: Access to an environment where you are seen, heard, and valued, fostering a sense of belonging.

• Work-Life Balance Support: Policies and an environment that actively promote a healthy integration of work and personal life.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week. While the culture is remote-first and flexible, core hours for collaboration may be expected, aligning with business needs and team synchronicity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of $110,900 – $136,797 is noted as not adjusted for geographic differentials within the United States. For a Senior UX Engineer role in the Herndon, Virginia area, this range appears to be on the lower to mid-end for experienced professionals, especially considering the tech hub status of the Northern Virginia region. Candidates may wish to research local market rates for similar roles. The benefits package is strong, with a significant emphasis on flexibility and well-being.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Air Travel Technology / Data Solutions. ATPCO is a critical infrastructure provider for the global airline industry, managing and distributing fare content. This context means working with complex, high-stakes data that impacts millions of travelers daily.

Company Size: ATPCO has a substantial employee base, indicated by its significant role in the industry. While exact numbers aren't provided, its global reach and data management volume suggest a medium to large enterprise.

Founded: ATPCO has been in operation for a significant period, suggesting a stable company with established processes, but also one that needs to innovate to stay relevant in the rapidly evolving travel tech sector.

Team Structure:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The UX Engineer will work within cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, UX Designers, and Software Developers, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills.

• Design System Focus: There is likely a dedicated or semi-dedicated team focused on the design system, with the Senior UX Engineer playing a key role in its architecture, development, and maintenance.

• Reporting: The Senior UX Engineer will likely report into a management structure overseeing engineering or product development, with potential for direct mentorship of junior engineers.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A core tenet, emphasizing the importance of user needs, feedback, and iterative improvement in the development process.

• Agile Development: Given the tech industry context, it's highly probable that Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) are employed for iterative development, sprint planning, and continuous delivery.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The role involves analyzing user metrics, suggesting that data plays a significant role in prioritizing features and driving improvements.

Company Website: https://www.atpco.net/

📝 Enhancement Note: ATPCO's position as a foundational technology provider in the air travel industry means the work has significant impact. The company emphasizes a remote-first, inclusive culture with strong values like Collaboration, Empowerment, Innovation, Learning, Transparency, and Trust. This suggests an environment that values individual contribution within a supportive team structure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior UX Engineer. This level signifies a professional who is not only a skilled individual contributor but also expected to provide technical leadership, mentor junior team members, and influence architectural and process decisions within their domain. They are key players in translating strategic design goals into tangible, high-performance user experiences.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Engineer will likely report to an Engineering Manager, Director of Product Development, or a Lead UX Architect. They will collaborate closely with Product Managers and UX Designers, acting as a crucial bridge between these functions and the broader development team.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Engineer's work directly impacts the usability, efficiency, and adoption of ATPCO's digital products and platforms. By ensuring intuitive interfaces and a cohesive design system, they contribute to improved customer satisfaction, reduced support costs, and faster time-to-market for new features. Their focus on performance and accessibility broadens the reach and effectiveness of ATPCO's offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific front-end frameworks, advanced UI patterns, or emerging technologies like AI in development.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Transition into a Tech Lead role, managing small teams, or formalizing mentorship programs for junior UX Engineers and developers.

• Architectural Influence: Contribute to the strategic direction of ATPCO's front-end architecture and the evolution of its design system.

• Product Strategy: Gain deeper involvement in product strategy, influencing the roadmap based on user experience insights and technical feasibility.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Explore opportunities in product management or dedicated design system roles within ATPCO.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Senior UX Engineer role is a critical mid-to-late-career position. Growth opportunities are geared towards increasing technical leadership, strategic influence, and potentially moving into management or specialized architectural roles, leveraging their deep understanding of user experience and front-end development within the specific context of ATPCO's industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: ATPCO operates a "Remote-First" culture. While the primary physical location is in Herndon, Virginia, the emphasis is on enabling employees to work effectively from their chosen location within their country of hire. This implies a highly distributed workforce.

Office Location(s): The primary physical office is located at 2340 Dulles Corner Boulevard, Herndon, VA 20171, United States. This location places the company within the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, a significant technology and government hub.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Expect extensive use of cloud-based collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom) for communication, meetings, and real-time interaction.

• Productivity Software: Access to industry-standard development tools, design software, and project management platforms will be provided.

• Virtual Team Engagement: The remote-first nature necessitates proactive engagement through virtual channels, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose despite physical distance. The company culture actively supports this through open communication and recognition.

Work Schedule: The standard is typically 40 hours per week. While not strictly tied to a physical office, the remote-first model often implies flexibility in when work is done, provided deliverables are met and collaborative windows are respected. This allows for better work-life integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote-First" designation is key here. Candidates should expect a work environment optimized for remote collaboration, with strong digital infrastructure and a culture that supports asynchronous and flexible work patterns. While a physical office exists, it's not the primary mode of operation for most employees.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and ATPCO.

• Technical Interview(s): Likely involves live coding exercises (e.g., building a component, solving a JavaScript problem) and discussions on front-end architecture, design patterns, and HCI principles. Be prepared to discuss your thought process and trade-offs.

• Portfolio Review & Deep Dive: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio. Expect in-depth questions about your projects, your role in them, technical decisions, challenges faced, and outcomes achieved. This is where your process and impact will be thoroughly examined.

• Cross-Functional/Behavioral Interview: Discussion with a Product Manager or UX Designer to assess collaboration skills, communication style, problem-solving approach, and alignment with ATPCO's cultural values (Collaboration, Empowerment, Innovation, Learning, Transparency, Trust).

• Hiring Manager Interview: Final conversation to discuss career aspirations, team dynamics, and ensure mutual fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-4 projects that best showcase your Senior UX Engineer capabilities, covering front-end development, UX integration, design system contributions, and ideally, performance or accessibility focus.

• Quantify Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific contributions, the technologies used, the challenges overcome, and the measurable results (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced load times, increased component reusability).

• Tell a Story: Frame your project presentations as narratives. Start with the business/user problem, explain your approach and solutions, and conclude with the impact and lessons learned.

• Highlight AI Usage: If applicable, clearly explain how AI tools were integrated into your workflow and the specific benefits they provided (e.g., faster iteration, improved code quality, reduced boilerplate).

• Be Ready for Technical Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your code, architectural choices, and problem-solving strategies.

Challenge Preparation:

• Coding Challenges: Practice common front-end coding problems focusing on JavaScript, DOM manipulation, and API integration. Be prepared for live coding scenarios.

• System Design Questions: Think about how you would approach building a new component for a design system, or how you would optimize a slow-loading page. Consider scalability, maintainability, and user experience.

• Behavioral Questions: Prepare STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) responses for questions related to collaboration, conflict resolution, handling feedback, and leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to rigorously assess technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, collaborative capabilities, and cultural alignment. A well-prepared portfolio that clearly articulates impact and process is paramount. The inclusion of AI tools in the job description suggests interviewers may probe your experience and perspective on leveraging these technologies.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Front-End Frameworks: Angular, React, or Vue.js (Proficiency in at least one is essential).

• Core Web Technologies: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (ES6+).

• AI Development Assistants: GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex, Anthropic Claude Code (or similar tools).

• Version Control: Git (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).

• Build Tools/Bundlers: Webpack, Vite, Parcel (familiarity is beneficial).

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Tools for tracking user behavior and engagement (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) – understanding how to interpret data for UX improvements is key.

• Performance Monitoring Tools: Browser developer tools, Lighthouse, WebPageTest for diagnosing and optimizing front-end performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Design Collaboration Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD for wireframing, prototyping, and design handoff.

• Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Trello (or similar) for workflow management and task tracking.

• Communication Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams for team communication and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong command of modern front-end development tools and frameworks. The explicit mention of AI-assisted development tools indicates a forward-looking technology stack and an expectation for candidates to be comfortable with or eager to adopt these tools. Familiarity with design system infrastructure and analytics for data-driven UX is also important.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Collaboration: Actively engage with designers, product managers, and engineers to achieve shared goals. Be a proactive communicator and team player.

• Empowerment: Take ownership of your work, make informed decisions, and contribute ideas that drive innovation and efficiency.

• Innovation: Embrace new technologies and methodologies (like AI-assisted development) to continuously improve development practices and user experiences.

• Learning: Commit to ongoing professional development, staying updated on the latest trends in UX, front-end development, and AI. Share knowledge with the team.

• Transparency: Maintain open communication regarding project status, challenges, and decisions. Be honest and direct in your interactions.

• Trust: Operate with integrity and reliability, building trust with colleagues through consistent performance and open dialogue.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership with Design: Work hand-in-hand with UX designers, providing technical input early in the design process and ensuring designs are feasible and optimized for implementation.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamlessly integrate with product management to understand business requirements and with development teams to ensure cohesive product delivery.

• Feedback Culture: Participate actively in code reviews and design critiques, providing constructive feedback and being receptive to feedback from others.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively share insights, best practices, and learnings through documentation, internal presentations, or informal discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: ATPCO's stated cultural pillars provide a clear framework for how employees are expected to interact and contribute. For a Senior UX Engineer, demonstrating alignment with these values, particularly Collaboration, Innovation, and Learning, will be critical during the interview process.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Bridging Design & Development Gaps: Effectively translating nuanced UX designs into practical, performant code while managing technical constraints and stakeholder expectations.

• Maintaining Design System Integrity: Ensuring consistency and scalability of the design system across a potentially diverse product portfolio, requiring strong governance and component development practices.

• Integrating Emerging Technologies: Successfully adopting and integrating AI development tools into existing workflows without compromising code quality, security, or user experience standards.

• Driving Performance & Accessibility: Continuously optimizing complex front-end applications for speed and ensuring compliance with evolving accessibility standards in a fast-paced environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Front-End & UX Techniques: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specialized areas like complex state management, performance optimization strategies, or advanced accessibility implementations.

• AI in Development Workshops: Participate in or lead sessions focused on leveraging AI tools for coding, testing, and design exploration.

• Design System Architecture: Contribute to the strategic evolution and architectural planning of ATPCO's design system.

• Mentorship Programs: Formal or informal opportunities to mentor junior engineers, developing leadership and coaching skills.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Access to external training, workshops, and conferences related to UX engineering, front-end development, and AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers the chance to tackle complex technical challenges at the intersection of design and engineering, with a unique focus on AI integration. The growth opportunities are substantial for those looking to advance their technical leadership, strategic impact, and mentorship capabilities within a stable, industry-leading company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance a complex UX design with technical constraints. How did you approach the situation, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your problem-solving process, technical trade-offs, and collaborative negotiation.)

• "How would you approach building a new, reusable component for a design system that needs to be highly flexible and accessible?" (Prepare to discuss component architecture, state management, accessibility considerations, and documentation.)

• "Given a critical user flow that is experiencing performance issues, what steps would you take to diagnose and resolve the problem?" (Outline your debugging methodology, performance testing tools, and optimization strategies.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of ATPCO and its role in the air travel industry, what do you see as the biggest UX challenges for our users?" (Show research into ATPCO's business and user base, and connect it to UX principles.)

• "Our cultural pillars are Collaboration, Empowerment, Innovation, Learning, Transparency, and Trust. Can you provide an example of how you've embodied one or more of these values in a previous role?" (Prepare specific, concise examples using the STAR method.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly articulate the business problem or user need your project addressed.

• Define Your Role: Be specific about your contributions as a Senior UX Engineer, differentiating them from the work of designers or other developers.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use live demos or well-annotated screenshots/recordings to illustrate your work.

• Quantify Impact: Present metrics that demonstrate the success of your solutions (e.g., performance gains, usability improvements, adoption rates).

• Discuss Process & Tools: Explain the methodologies, tools (including AI tools), and decisions that led to the final outcome. Highlight any lessons learned.

• Be Prepared for Technical Questions: Anticipate detailed inquiries about your code, architecture, and problem-solving approach within your portfolio projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong technical foundation, a user-centric mindset, excellent collaboration skills, and a strategic understanding of how UX engineering contributes to business goals. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI tools and how you approach modern development challenges.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Engineer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.

• Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight keywords and responsibilities mentioned in this job description, emphasizing your experience in front-end frameworks (Angular, React, Vue), API integration, design systems, and AI-assisted development. Quantify your achievements with specific metrics.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features projects that best align with the Senior UX Engineer requirements, showcasing your ability to bridge design and development, contribute to design systems, and leverage modern tools.

• Prepare for Technical Assessments: Practice coding challenges and be ready to discuss your approach to front-end architecture, performance optimization, and accessibility.

• Research ATPCO: Understand ATPCO's business, its role in the air travel industry, and its company culture. Prepare to discuss how your skills and values align with their mission and cultural pillars.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions based on the provided data. All details should be verified directly with ATPCO or through their official application channels before making application decisions. The salary range provided may not reflect local market adjustments for the Herndon, Virginia area.