Frontend Architect – Next.js & React - - Onsite - San Ramon, CA

Architect, Front-End - Next.js & React 

About the Role 

We are seeking a seasoned Architect with hands-on expertise in Next.js and React to lead the design and delivery of high-performance, scalable web applications. This is a hands-on technical role for someone who combines strong front-end engineering fundamentals with the ability to develop solutions on headless platforms and optimise digital experiences f 

The developer will work closely with design, product, and content teams to build fast, accessible, and discoverable web experiences, while mentoring junior developers and championing engineering best practices across the team. 

Key Responsibilities 

1.  Front-End Development 

• Design, build, and maintain scalable web applications using Next.js and React, following modern best practices (App Router, server components, incremental static regeneration, etc.). 

• Write clean, semantic, and accessible HTML and CSS, ensuring pixel-perfect, responsive implementations across devices and browsers. 

• Develop robust, well-tested JavaScript/TypeScript code, adhering to performance, security, and maintainability standards. 

• Optimise application performance — page load speed, Core Web Vitals, bundle size, and rendering strategy (SSR/SSG/ISR/CSR). 

2.  Headless Architecture & Integration 

• Architect and integrate front-end applications with headless CMS platforms (e.g.,Builder.IO Contentful or similar) and headless commerce/API-driven backends. 

• Design content models and API integration patterns that support flexible, reusable, and scalable front-end components. 

• Collaborate with backend and platform teams to define clean API contracts and data-fetching strategies for headless environments. 

• Working knowledge of Shopify (core Shopify experience is a plus). 

3.  SEO & AEO Optimisation 

• Implement technical SEO best practices — metadata, structured data (schema.org), sitemaps, canonical tags, and crawlability — within Next.js applications. 

• Apply emerging Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) practices to structure content and markup for discoverability and accurate representation in AI-driven answer engines and conversational search. 

• Partner with content and marketing teams to translate SEO/AEO requirements into technical implementation. 

• Monitor and improve search visibility, Core Web Vitals, and answer-engine readiness through ongoing audits and iteration. 

4.  Engineering Leadership & Collaboration 

• Participate in architecture discussions, code reviews, and technical design decisions, raising the overall engineering bar. 

• Owns architectural decisions end-to-end: identifies flawed approaches early, argues the case directly with the team, and drives adoption of the technically sound path even under delivery pressure. 

• Owns the handoff of requirements and solutions across offshore and onshore teams, catching misalignment early rather than after code is written. 

• Mentor junior and mid-level developers, fostering strong front-end engineering practices across the team. 

• Collaborate closely with UX/UI designers, product managers, and backend engineers to deliver cohesive, high-quality product experiences. 

• Champion engineering best practices - testing, CI/CD, code quality, and documentation. 

Competency Profile 

Qualifications & Experience 

Mandatory Requirements 

• Minimum 15+ years of professional front-end development experience, with at least 3 years working extensively with React and Next.js in production environments. 

• Strong, demonstrable expertise in HTML, CSS, and modern JavaScript/TypeScript. 

• Hands-on experience building applications on headless architectures (headless CMS and/or headless commerce platforms). 

• Solid working knowledge of technical SEO, and familiarity with (or strong interest in) Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and how AI-driven search/answer engines consume web content. 

• Experience with performance optimisation, Core Web Vitals, and modern build/deployment tooling. 

Educational Background 

• Bachelor''''s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Equivalent demonstrated experience and a strong portfolio will be given equal weight. 

Presentation & Communication Expectations 

Given the cross-functional nature of this role, the candidate must demonstrate the following: 

• Ability to clearly articulate technical decisions and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

• Confidence presenting architecture proposals, performance audits, and SEO/AEO strategy in design and planning sessions. 

• Strong written communication for technical documentation, code reviews, and knowledge-sharing. 

• Collaborative mindset when working with designers, content teams, and product managers to align technical implementation with business goals.