UI/UX Frontend Developer - Detroit, MI

Role description:

Position Summary

The Data Services department is seeking a Front-End Developer (Contractor) to support two student-facing initiatives: an Attendance Display Pilot and the Student Hub. In this role, you will own front-end design and development — building intuitive, performant, and visually engaging interfaces for K-12 students and school staff. Work is sequenced: the Attendance Display Pilot is the immediate priority, with Student Hub development following.

This role requires close collaboration with the Senior Data Engineer and Infrastructure Architect (backend API, database) and the Deputy Executive Director, Data Services (project direction and stakeholder coordination). You will be expected to translate defined requirements into clean, maintainable code without introducing scope creep, and to work directly from technical specifications rather than through intermediaries.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Web Development, Design, or a related field, and/or equivalent professional experience

Required Experience & Skills

• 4 years work experience working in front-end development
• Demonstrated experience building production React applications with TypeScript
• Strong UI/UX sensibility — able to own visual design and interaction decisions, not just implement them
• Experience integrating REST APIs into front-end applications, including authentication headers and error handling
• Proficiency with data visualization libraries (Recharts, Chart.js, or equivalent)
• Ability to build accessible, responsive interfaces appropriate for K-12 audiences
• Portfolio or work samples required — submissions without examples of prior front-end work will not be considered

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Experience developing SharePoint Framework (SPFx) web parts
• Familiarity with Azure AD authentication and MSAL token acquisition flows
• Experience building kiosk-style or display-only web applications
• Prior work in K-12 education or public sector environments

Essential Functions

Under the direction of the Senior Director, Data Services and the Data Platform Team Lead, the Front-End Developer will:

Front-End Development

• Design and build React/TypeScript web applications from defined technical specifications, across both display-only and authenticated use cases
• Implement data visualization components including summaries, trend charts, and gamified recognition displays
• Develop kiosk-style interfaces optimized for continuous, unattended display on screens and embedded devices
• Build authenticated web parts within the SharePoint Online environment using the SharePoint Framework (SPFx)
• Ensure all interfaces are visually clear, performant, and appropriate for K-12 student audiences

API Integration & Authentication

• Integrate front-end applications with RESTful APIs, including proper handling of authentication tokens, error states, and loading behavior
• Implement Azure AD token acquisition flows for student-authenticated features using MSAL
• Coordinate on API contracts and response shapes before building dependent UI components

Quality & Collaboration

• Work directly from defined requirements — this role does not define scope, requirements, or data business rules
• Flag design ambiguities or requirement gaps before building, not after
• Maintain clean, documented, version-controlled front-end code in Azure DevOps
• Participate in sprint planning and review as needed