Front-End Performance Engineer (Optimization Focus)

Job Description

We are seeking a Front-End Performance Engineer who combines strong front-end development expertise with a passion for performance optimization and data-driven improvements. This role is highly consultative, working across teams to identify, diagnose, and improve front-end performance issues that directly impact business outcomes.

This is not a traditional “build UI” role — instead, you will analyze, recommend, and influence improvements across the front-end ecosystem, with the opportunity to become hands-on over time.

Key Responsibilities:

Performance Analysis & Optimization:
• Analyze front-end performance across web applications (e.g., page load speed, Core Web Vitals, TTFB)
• Identify performance bottlenecks across the front end, CDN, and edge layers
• Translate performance data into actionable insights tied to business metrics (conversion, engagement, etc.)

Consultative Engineering:
• Partner with product and engineering teams to:
• Recommend code-level and architectural improvements
• Guide teams on best practices for front-end performance
• Act as a subject matter expert bridging performance data and engineering execution

Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Work closely with engineering, product, and analytics teams
• Support teams during implementation of recommendations
• Participate in discussions to improve overall system performance strategy

Hands-On Contribution (Optional / Evolving):
Opportunity to:
• Contribute code improvements (PRs)
• Join sprint teams temporarily to implement optimizations
• Level of hands-on work will grow based on team maturity and candidate capability

Required Skills & Experience:
Core Technical Skills
• Strong experience in front-end development (React required)
• Deep understanding of:
• Core Web Vitals
• Front-end performance optimization techniques
• Browser rendering and page lifecycle
• Experience working with APIs and understanding backend interactions

Performance & Observability:
• Experience diagnosing performance issues using tools and metrics
• Ability to connect technical performance → business impact

Architecture Awareness:
Understanding of:
• Front-end architecture
• CDN behavior and caching strategies
• Edge performance optimization

Nice to Have:
• Experience with CDNs and edge caching
• Exposure to performance monitoring/observability platforms
• Prior experience in a performance engineering or optimization-focused role
• Ability to contribute code when needed (not mandatory but preferred)

Soft Skills (Critical for Success):
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to influence without direct ownership
• Comfortable working in a consultative, cross-team environment
• Adaptability to evolving technologies (automation, AI-driven processes)

What This Role Is / Is Not:
This role IS:
• Data-driven and performance-focused
• Cross-functional and consultative
• Focused on improving existing systems

This role IS NOT:
• A pure front-end feature development role
• A siloed engineering position
• Manual or repetitive work — emphasis is on automation and optimization

Rate: $60-$70/hour (depends on experience level). This is a contract position with candidates expected to work 40 hours/ week.
About The Company

Peterson Technology Partners (PTP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating a transparent, inclusive, and human-centered hiring experience.

For more than 28 years, PTP has operated as one of the top IT staffing and recruiting firms in the USA built on trust, long-term partnerships, and technical excellence.

Based in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, IL, our team of more than 500 employees and consultants is dedicated to:

Helping every client make the best hiring decisions possible

Matching professionals with the right IT jobs and career opportunities

As part of that commitment, we believe in providing clear information about how our hiring technologies work and how your data is used. The following section outlines our AI-assisted interview process and your rights as a candidate.

AI-Assisted Interview Experience (Pete & Gabi Rebecca)

To provide a consistent, fair, and flexible experience for all candidates, we use AI-assisted to