Front-End Solutions Architect (AWS)

Job Description

Position Summary 

The Front-End Solutions Architect is responsible for designing and leading the development of modern, intuitive, and accessible user experiences for mission-critical cloud applications hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS). This role bridges user-centered design with cloud architecture, ensuring that front-end applications seamlessly integrate with secure, scalable AWS backend services. 

Working within an Agile DevSecOps environment, the Front-End Solutions Architect serves as the technical lead for front-end architecture, establishes development standards, and collaborates closely with cloud engineers, UX designers, cybersecurity specialists, product owners, and government stakeholders to deliver secure, high-performing web applications that support Department of Defense (DoD) missions. 

The ideal candidate combines expertise in modern JavaScript frameworks, responsive application design, cloud-native development, and AWS services with a passion for creating intuitive digital experiences that simplify complex workflows for end users. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Front-End Architecture 

• Lead the architecture and design of modern, responsive web applications using contemporary front-end frameworks. 

• Develop scalable, reusable component libraries and application design patterns. 

• Define front-end architecture standards, coding conventions, and development best practices. 

• Ensure applications are optimized for usability, accessibility, responsiveness, and performance. 

• Establish UI governance and promote consistency across enterprise applications. 

User Experience & Application Design 

• Partner with UX/UI designers to translate user research and wireframes into intuitive digital experiences. 

• Develop user interfaces that support complex mission workflows while minimizing user effort. 

• Advocate for user-centered design principles throughout the software development lifecycle. 

• Conduct usability reviews and recommend improvements to increase user adoption and productivity. 

• Ensure compliance with Section 508 accessibility requirements and responsive design standards. 

AWS Integration 

• Architect secure integrations between front-end applications and AWS cloud services. 

• Develop applications that leverage services such as: 

• API Gateway 

• Lambda 

• Cognito 

• S3 

• CloudFront 

• DynamoDB 

• RDS 

• EventBridge 

• SNS/SQS 

• Optimize application performance through caching, content delivery, and efficient API design. 

• Collaborate with backend engineers to define scalable APIs and data exchange patterns. 

Technical Leadership 

• Serve as technical lead for front-end development teams. 

• Mentor developers on architecture, coding standards, testing, and modern engineering practices. 

• Conduct architecture reviews, code reviews, and technical design sessions. 

• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend improvements to the application platform. 

• Support technical planning, estimation, and roadmap development. 

DevSecOps & Quality 

• Integrate front-end applications into automated CI/CD pipelines. 

• Implement automated testing strategies, including unit, integration, and end-to-end testing. 

• Ensure secure coding practices are embedded throughout the development lifecycle. 

• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to remediate vulnerabilities and maintain compliance with DoD security standards. 

• Monitor application health using cloud-native observability tools. 

Collaboration 

• Work closely with cloud architects, backend developers, DevSecOps engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and product owners. 

• Participate in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, backlog refinement, and retrospectives. 

• Present architectural recommendations and technical solutions to government stakeholders and program leadership. 

• Support cross-functional teams throughout the system development lifecycle. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field. 

• Minimum of 8 years of software development experience. 

• Minimum of 5 years designing and developing enterprise web applications. 

• Minimum of 3 years architecting cloud-native applications on AWS. 

• Experience leading technical teams and mentoring software developers. 

• Active Secret Security Clearance. 

• U.S. Citizenship required. 

Required Technical Skills 

Front-End Technologies 

• React 

• Angular or Vue.js 

• TypeScript 

• JavaScript (ES6+) 

• HTML5 

• CSS3 

• Responsive Web Design 

• Progressive Web Applications (PWA) 

UI Development 

• Component-based architecture 

• State management (Redux, Context API, NgRx, etc.) 

• Design systems 

• Accessibility (WCAG and Section 508) 

• Cross-browser compatibility 

• Performance optimization 

AWS Services 

Experience designing applications utilizing: 

• API Gateway 

• Lambda 

• Cognito 

• CloudFront 

• S3 

• DynamoDB 

• RDS 

• ECS/EKS 

• IAM 

• Secrets Manager 

• CloudWatch 

DevOps & Development Tools 

• Git 

• GitHub Actions 

• Jenkins 

• Docker 

• Kubernetes 

• Terraform or CloudFormation 

• Jest 

• Cypress 

• Playwright 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience developing applications within AWS GovCloud. 

• Experience supporting Department of Defense or Federal civilian agencies. 

• Experience implementing Zero Trust principles in cloud applications. 

• Familiarity with AI-enabled user interfaces and intelligent search capabilities. 

• Experience with geospatial visualization, dashboards, or operational common operating pictures. 

• Knowledge of event-driven architectures and microservices. 

• Experience integrating identity providers using OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, and SAML. 

Preferred Certifications 

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate or Professional 

• AWS Certified Developer – Associate 

• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional 

• AWS Certified Security – Specialty 

• Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) 

• Security+ 

• Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or SAFe Agilist 

Core Competencies 

• Cloud-native application architecture 

• User-centered design 

• Front-end engineering leadership 

• Systems thinking 

• Technical mentorship 

• Agile software development 

• DevSecOps practices 

• Communication and stakeholder engagement 

• Problem-solving and innovation 

Success Measures 

Success in this role will be demonstrated by: 

• Delivering intuitive, high-quality user interfaces that improve mission effectiveness and user satisfaction. 

• Establishing scalable front-end architecture standards adopted across AWS platform applications. 

• Improving application performance, accessibility, and responsiveness. 

• Successfully integrating front-end applications with secure AWS cloud services. 

• Reducing development time through reusable components and design systems. 

• Maintaining compliance with DoD cybersecurity, accessibility, and cloud governance requirements. 

• Mentoring development teams and fostering engineering excellence. 

• Supporting rapid, secure deployment through automated DevSecOps pipelines. 

Work Environment 

The Front-End Solutions Architect operates in a collaborative Agile environment supporting secure cloud solutions for the Department of Defense. The role requires balancing technical innovation with security, compliance, and mission assurance while delivering modern digital experiences that enhance operational effectiveness for defense personnel and mission partners.