What are the responsibilities and job description for the Frontend Software Engineer position at Backpack?
About Backpack
Backpack Networks is redefining how buildings create identity and unlock hidden value. At the core of our mission is the Universal Building Identification Number (UBIN) — a unique, verifiable digital identity for every building. Through the Backpack platform, we connect on-site verification with digital system integrations to create a trusted, unified source of truth for building data. From equipment inventories to energy performance and compliance records, Backpack gives building owners, operators, and partners the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Backpack Networks has assembled a leadership team with proven experience scaling global organizations at the intersection of real estate, infrastructure, technology, and the capital markets — bringing together the expertise needed to transform how the world understands and manages its buildings.
About the Role
At Backpack, we’re building software to reduce the environmental impact of the built world. We’re looking for a frontend engineer who is a strong builder, cares deeply about execution quality, and has experience shipping and maintaining real production systems.
Our frontend is built with TypeScript and React, backed by Rust-based APIs, PostgreSQL, and deployed on Google Cloud. We value clear abstractions, shared foundations, and pragmatic engineering practices that help teams move fast without sacrificing quality.
Our engineers are expected to demonstrate ownership and sound technical judgment forming well-reasoned opinions, communicating tradeoffs clearly, and collaborating effectively while remaining open to feedback and iteration.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design, build, and maintain production frontend features and systems
- Collaborate closely with Product, Design, and Backend to deliver well-scoped, high-quality solutions
- Contribute to shared frontend libraries, components, and patterns
- Build UI components with attention to state management, performance, and usability
- Write and maintain unit and integration tests to support safe iteration and refactoring
- Participate in code reviews and technical discussions to improve overall code quality
- Work effectively with backend APIs and understand system behavior end-to-end
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or equivalent experience
- 2–4 years of experience developing and maintaining production frontend applications
- Strong working knowledge of JavaScript/TypeScript runtime behavior and browser fundamentals
- Experience debugging and monitoring issues in production environments
- Familiarity with Linux-based development environments
Required Skills:
- Enjoy building products that ship, scale, and are used by real customers
- Basic understanding of relational databases (PostgreSQL preferred)
- Strong proficiency in React and TypeScript, including modern, hooks-based patterns
- Solid understanding of frontend engineering fundamentals(modularity, separation of concerns, reusability, performance)
- Comfortable working with RESTful APIs and collaborating closely with backend engineers
- Experience writing unit and/or integration tests and using them to support refactoring and change
- Familiarity with CI/CD workflows such as GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or similar tools
- Ability to break down complex problems, work independently, and follow tasks through to completion
- Commitment to writing readable, maintainable code that is shared and reviewed across a team
Preferred Skills:
- Experience building or maintaining component libraries or design systems (e.g., Storybook, Chromatic)
- Familiarity with performance profiling, bundle optimization, or frontend observability
- Exposure to cloud-hosted or containerized environments
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits package (Medical / Dental / Vision / Disability / Life)
- Paid time off
- 401(k) retirement plan with a generous company match
- Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Access to an HSA-compatible plan
Backpack is an equal opportunity employer. We make hiring decisions without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Backpack is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.