Lead Software Engineer, Frontend/Web App

About Beacon AI We’re a fast-moving team of aviators, engineers, and operators building an AI platform to make flying safer, more efficient, and more capable. Backed by top investors, we’ve secured a dozen Department of Defense contracts and partnered with major airlines to deliver mission-critical systems. We operate without silos or heavy processes. Small, focused teams own what they build, ship quickly, and learn fast, pushing the boundaries of how humans and AI work together in aviation. Role Overview We are seeking a Lead Frontend Engineer to bring technical leadership, strong ownership, and strategic thinking to our frontend team. In this role, you will drive the development of high-impact web interfaces that integrate with our flight safety platform, enabling users to interact with complex aviation data and derive actionable insights. You will collaborate closely across disciplines and play a key role in advancing aviation safety and operational capability. What You’ll Do Design and implement React-based features while architecting frontend systems that handle large-scale, real-time and historical aviation data. Integrate, process, and visualize data from multiple sources, including live streams and archived datasets. Mentor engineers and drive best practices through code reviews and architectural discussions. Partner with backend engineers, product managers, and UX/UI designers to make informed design and implementation decisions. Ensure reliable, maintainable frontend systems through automated testing, clear documentation, and strong engineering standards. Build reusable components and internal libraries to accelerate future development. What Will Make You Successful 5+ years of experience building and shipping high-performance, user-facing web applications. Deep expertise in React, TypeScript, JavaScript, state management, and modern web standards (HTML/CSS). Strong experience with asynchronous frontend patterns and efficient handling of live and historical data streams. Proven ownership of complex features or product areas, driving work from concept through delivery with a high degree of autonomy. Proactive, resourceful mindset with the ability to operate effectively in fast-moving, ambiguous environments. Consistently sets and upholds a high technical bar through design decisions, code quality, mentorship, and hiring input. Ability to analyze and optimize frontend performance for scalability, responsiveness, and reliability. Bonus Points Passion for aviation and a desire to improve air travel efficiency and safety. Experience with geospatial or mapping tools such as Mapbox or Cesium. Deep experience with live data streaming and playback systems. Experience with video streaming technologies and real-time media delivery. Work Location This is a hybrid role based in San Carlos, CA, with 3+ days per week onsite and the option to work remotely on remaining days. Perks & Benefits (Full-Time Employees) Healthcare: 100%* of employee medical premiums covered; 25% for dependents Time Off: 3 weeks PTO plus 13+ paid company holidays Stipends: Monthly phone and wellness benefits 401(k): Offered (no current employer match, but we are committed to enhancing this benefit in the future). Due to U.S. export control regulations, we can only hire U.S. Persons (U.S. citizens, Green Card holders, lawful permanent residents, or individuals granted asylum or refugee status). We are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support visa transfers. All work must be performed in the United States. Beacon AI is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit harassment or discrimination of any kind in the workplace and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.