Fast Facts

Hawkes Learning is seeking a Senior Front End Engineer to lead UI and accessibility initiatives and enhance user experiences using React and Microsoft technologies.

Responsibilities: Lead design and development of front-end applications using React, mentor developers, optimize application performance, and ensure accessibility standards are met.

Skills: Proficiency in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, state management libraries, and experience with testing frameworks and cross-browser compatibility.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field, 10+ years in software engineering, 5+ years in front-end development with React, and experience leading UI initiatives.

Location: Charleston, SC, US

Compensation: $140000 - $150000 / Annually

Description

Hawkes Learning is a trailblazing educational software company at the forefront of innovation since 1979. Hawkes was very early in recognizing how technology could revolutionize the learning process and exponentially increase student engagement. Our cutting-edge platform seamlessly blends quality curriculum with AI-based tutoring and a proven mastery learning pedagogy to empower students in their academic journey. Hawkes provides an intelligent and highly effective learning environment that expands the reach of instructors beyond the classroom and drives better student learning outcomes. 

As a Senior Engineer at Hawkes Learning, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the user experience of our products. You will lead the company's UI and accessibility initiatives, ensuring our applications are both visually appealing and inclusive. We are looking for a seasoned developer with a strong foundation in React, as well as experience in Microsoft technologies to contribute to our evolving tech stack. 

We are currently updating our technology stack, and you have the expertise and desire to help guide that update’s final step. Our stack is retaining both SQL Server as our datastore and the use of HTML5 (with Bootstrap and SCSS) to create HTML5 templates. On the back end, we’re currently in the process of replacing .NET Standard MVC with ASP.NET Core Web API. On the frontend, we’re ramping up to swap from ECMAScript 5 to TypeScript, even in legacy code. That’s a no-brainer, and we’re using some cool tools to develop with it, like Snowpack. 

What you'll do: 

• Lead the design, development, and maintenance of complex front-end applications using React. 
• Collaborate with design and product teams to translate wireframes and designs into high-quality code. 
• Mentor other developers at Hawkes to accelerate the adoption of React in a sustainable and scalable manner. 
• Build reusable UI components and front-end libraries to improve development efficiency. 
• Optimize application performance for speed and scalability. 
• Manage and maintain UI and accessibility standards for Hawkes. 
• Ensure accessibility standards are met throughout the development process. 
• Mentor and guide junior developers in best practices and coding standards. 
• Collaborate with back-end developers to integrate front-end with .NET and C# services. 
• Stay up to date with the latest front-end technologies and industry trends. 

Requirements

We’re looking for someone who’s not just technically skilled, but also a great team player and problem-solver. Here’s what makes an ideal fit: 

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field. 
• 10+ years of Software engineering with projects of increasing complexity. 
• 5+ years of experience in front-end development with a strong focus on React. 
• Proven experience leading UI and accessibility initiatives. 
• Proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. 
• Experience with state management libraries (e.g., Redux, Context API). 
• Strong understanding of cross-browser compatibility and responsive design. 
• Experience with testing frameworks (e.g., Jest, Enzyme). 
• Knowledge of Microsoft technologies (.NET, C#) is a plus. 
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills. 
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities. 

Preferred Skills & Experience 

• Experience with accessibility testing tools and standards (WCAG, ARIA). 
• Contributions to open-source React projects. 
• Experience with Agile development methodologies. 

About our development team: 

We are an Agile development organization who practices Scrum with 2-week sprints.  

We utilize Azure DevOps to maintain work items, source control, as well as build pipelines that provide continuous integration of code with a suite of tests for code quality verification. We use Git and TFS for source control. We deliver new code to production every 1 to 2 months. 

As a Software Engineer at Hawkes Learning, you will be working with a motivated team of like-minded individuals in a friendly and open environment where your contributions, feedback, and effort are respected and valued. You will routinely collaborate with product owners, your team members, as well as many diverse teams throughout the company to ensure the delivery of high-quality application features that will provide the maximum benefit to our instructors and students.

The salary range for this role is $140k-$150k and considers a variety of factors, including skill sets, experience, training, certifications, and other business and organizational needs. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 30+ days of paid time off with additional time each year of employment, an employer 401(k) match of up to 3.5%, and a significant employer contribution to healthcare benefits. Hawkes Learning is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Additional benefits:? 

• Health Benefits (Medical insurance (BCBS), Vision and Dental insurance (Mutual of Omaha)
• Employer paid Employee Assistance Program with counseling options
• Employer Match to 401k retirement plan
• Culture is energetic, supportive, collaborative, and transparent!

If you are a passionate front-end developer with a strong drive for creating exceptional user experiences, we encourage you to apply.