Lead Frontend Developer (React, AI)

Lead Frontend Developer (React AI) National Security Mission

Location: Hybrid McLean VA

Clearance: Active TS/SCI with Full Scope Polygraph Required

Citizenship: US Citizen Required

Are you a world-class front-end developer who wants to build something that truly matters

Are you ready to apply your skills to some of the most complex and critical challenges facing our nation

@Orchard LLC has been retained to assist a leader in AI/ML Software Development of products for the Intelligence and National Security Sector. A firm that operates at the unique intersection of advanced AI software development and vital national security missions. We are seeking an elite Lead Frontend Developer to join our clients product team. This isnt just another development job; its an opportunity to architect the entire user experience for mission-critical identity intelligence applications. You will be the driving force behind creating intuitive powerful interfaces that enable intelligence professionals to leverage cutting-edge AI automate analysis and safeguard national security.

This is your chance to own a products face invent new interaction paradigms for agentic AI systems and see your work have a direct and profound impact.

Your Impact & Responsibilities.

• Architect & Own the UI: Spearhead the architecture design and development of a highly interactive performant and sophisticated web-based UI from the ground up.
• Bridge the Full Stack: Develop and maintain the crucial middleware and APIs (using FastAPI or Java Spring Boot) that power the front-end ensuring a seamless and robust full-stack solution.
• Solve Mission-Critical Problems: Translate complex identity intelligence requirements into elegant and intuitive workflows empowering users to make faster more accurate decisions.
• Drive Technical Excellence: Champion best practices in modern front-end development including code quality automated testing performance optimization (Trender<50ms) and CI/CD.
• Innovate with AI: Collaborate directly with AI specialists backend engineers and product owners to design and implement novel user experiences tailored for interacting with agentic AI systems.
• Lead & Collaborate: Work within a tight-knit agile team guiding frontend strategy and collaborating closely with mission stakeholders to deliver impactful features.

The Essentials (Non-Negotiable Requirements)

• Security Clearance: You must possess an active TS/SCI clearance with a Full Scope Polygraph.
• US Citizenship: Required for this position.
• Location: Ability to work in a hybrid capacity on-site in a SCIF for high-side delivery and remotely for low-side development.

What You Bring (Required Qualifications)

• Experience: 8 years of progressive software development experience with a proven track record in a lead or architectural role on complex applications.
• Education: Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science Software Engineering or a related technical field.
• Frontend Mastery:
• Expert-level proficiency in modern JavaScript (ES6) and deep hands-on expertise with .
• Mastery of state management libraries (e.g. Redux Context API) and real-time communication using WebSockets.
• Strong command of HTML5 CSS3 and responsive design principles.
• Backend & Cloud Fluency:
• Demonstrated experience developing and deploying applications in AWS (e.g. S3 EC2 Lambda API Gateway).
• Proven ability to integrate with RESTful APIs and microservice architectures.
• Hands-on experience with either FastAPI (Python) or Java Spring Boot to consume and build backend/middleware services.
• Mindset: A true problem-solver with a lets figure it out attitude exceptional communication skills and a passion for human-centered design.

Desired Skills

• Experience with data visualization libraries like React Flow or Highcharts.
• Familiarity with containerization (Docker Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines.
• Knowledge of the identity intelligence domain or watchlisting processes.
• Deep understanding of web application security standards (e.g. OWASP).

This is not another Federal contracting gig

Be part of inventing a whole new class of software products driven by a passion for removing friction from data analysis and a deep commitment to our customers success.

• Impactful Mission: Your work directly contributes to the safety and security of the United States. You will build tools that make a tangible difference every single day.
• Product-Driven Innovation: Work for a product company building groundbreaking AI software not some consulting body-shop. You will have autonomy and ownership to innovate and shape the future of our offerings.
• Commitment to People: Our client fosters a culture of growth recognition and genuine work-life balance giving the same high level of commitment to their team as they do to their clients.

Ready to Build Whats Next

Compensation for the Lead Front-End Developer is based on experience and qualifications. It is expected to be in the range between $180000 and $230000.

Established in 2010 @Orchard LLC has an exceptional reputation providing staffing solutions to time-sensitive talent scarcity issues to deliver better talent management ROI. Our specialty lies in the critical area of program talent acquisition and resource management not in one narrow skillset but across many areas of technical and functional delivery. To learn more about our other exciting opportunities visit our Jobs Page at .