Senior Frontend Engineer

Senior Frontend Engineer 

About ANVIL

ANVIL is a trusted partner in the defence industry, delivering cutting-edge solutions that enhance military capabilities and operational effectiveness. We extend our expertise to public safety, law enforcement, and national security organizations, accelerating mission-critical decision making through analytical tools, automations, and game-changing machine learning capabilities. ANVIL helps organizations discover, manage, enrich, fuse, and exploit the information available to them in support of Information Dominance and Decision Advantage

Job Type: Full Time Hybrid (Ottawa - 55 Murray Street Office) 

Total Compensation: CAD $147,000 - $165,000 base salary - Placement within range based on experience and qualifications

Role (Description)

As a Senior Frontend Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in designing, developing, and maintaining sophisticated user interfaces that power our analytical tools and data visualization platforms. You will architect scalable frontend applications, optimize performance for large datasets, and ensure our user interfaces deliver exceptional experiences for mission-critical workflows.

Furthermore, you will use your knowledge of industry best practices to provide strategic guidance to engineering leadership on how to most effectively design frontend architectures that scale with our growing customer base and evolving product requirements.

We value people who have an ingrained sense of accountability to the team around them. As an ideal candidate you are not only technically qualified, but you demonstrate a strong work ethic and take pride in your craft. You also collaborate and communicate effectively with the other talented and motivated members of our organization.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop sophisticated, responsive user interfaces for complex analytical and data visualization applications

• Build performant single-page applications (SPAs) using modern JavaScript frameworks (e.g., React, Vue, or similar)

• Optimize frontend performance for handling large datasets and real-time data updates

• Develop real-time communication features using WebSockets and other streaming protocols

• Implement robust state management
  solutions for complex workflows

• Establish and maintain automated testing strategies to ensure code quality and reliability

• Implement secure coding practices and advocate for frontend security best practices

• Partner with UX/UI designers to build intuitive interfaces that enhance user workflows and decision-making

• Advise engineering leadership on frontend architectural decisions with a focus on scalability, maintainability, and performance

• Mentor junior developers , participate in code reviews, and contribute to internal engineering standards and documentation
• Collaborate in cross-functional teams to deliver integrated, end-to-end solutions
  

Prerequisites

• 7+ years of professional experience in frontend system design and implementation in a production environment. A degree in Software Engineering or Computer Science is a plus.
• Eligible for Government of Canada Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Mandatory Skills

• Expert-level proficiency in modern JavaScript/TypeScript and ES6+ language features

• Deep understanding of frontend architecture, modular design, and component-driven development

• Expert knowledge of at least one major frontend framework (React, Vue, or Angular) with strong understanding of framework internals

• Expert in HTML5, CSS3, and modern styling methodologies (Flexbox, Grid, responsive and adaptive design)

• Hands-on experience configuring and optimizing modern build tools (e.g., Vite, Webpack, Rollup) and maintaining scalable project structures

• Experience with state management libraries (Redux, Zustand, Recoil, or similar)

• Proven ability to implement and maintain automated testing strategies (unit, integration, and E2E) using tools such as Testing Library, Jest, Vitest, Cypress, or Playwright

• Strong understanding of web performance optimization, rendering pipelines, and use of profiling tools (Lighthouse, React Profiler, Chrome DevTools)

• Solid grasp of frontend security best practices (XSS, CSRF, CORS, and content security policies)

• Proficiency with Git-based workflows, CI/CD integration, and collaborative development practices

• Excellent communication and technical leadership skills, with a proven ability to mentor other engineers and uphold engineering best practices

Desired Skills/Assets

• Experience building data-intensive or visualization-heavy applications handling large datasets, streaming data, or real-time analytics
• Familiarity with geospatial and mapping libraries such as Mapbox , Leaflet , or deck.gl
• Experience with WebGL , Canvas , or advanced graphics rendering techniques for interactive visualization
• Knowledge of data visualization frameworks and best practices for communicating complex data visually
• Understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1) and experience building inclusive, accessible interfaces
• Familiarity with backend technologies (Node.js, Python, Go, etc.) and ability to collaborate effectively across the full stack
• Experience with continuous integration/deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and frontend observability tools (Gitlab, Sentry, Datadog, OpenTelemetry)
• Familiarity with containerized development environments (Docker) and modern deployment workflows
• Passion for performance profiling , experimentation, and continuous improvement of frontend build and runtime systems
• Active interest in staying current with emerging frontend technologies , ecosystem changes, and best practices

Why Join Us?

Our Mission

This is more than just a job; you'll be part of a team of dedicated professionals who share a common goal: to increase the safety and security of western democracies through the effective use of data. Our workplace is not just a job, it's a community of like-minded people working together to make a positive impact on the world we live in.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salaries
• Flexible health benefits package through Equitable
• Industry-leading employer retirement contributions match

Work Environment

• Hybrid work model combining remote flexibility with meaningful in-person collaboration
• Modern office in the historic Carriageway building in beautiful downtown Ottawa
• Access to downtown amenities, transit, and Ottawa's vibrant cultural scene

What You'll Experience

• Work alongside dedicated professionals who value excellence and collaboration
• Contribute to projects with real-world security impact
• Join a culture where your expertise and ideas matter

Application Process

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and cover letter. The application process will likely include:

• A preliminary call with our HR team which will be a chance for you to find out more about ANVIL and the role.
• An initial interview to discuss your experience and suitability for the role.
• A technical interview to assess your competencies.