Picogrid · 1 day ago
Frontend Tech Lead
El Segundo, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$185K/yr - $220K/yrPicogrid is a leading venture-backed defense technology company focused on bridging the gap between modern technology and national security demands. They are seeking a hands-on Frontend Tech Lead to own the front end of Orion for base defense and fleet management, shaping a real-time geospatial UI that integrates live video, maps, and controls for complex defense systems.
Data IntegrationGovernmentIndustrialMilitary
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Own the Orion frontend end-to-end, leading architecture, implementation, and evolution of the React/TypeScript codebase
Ensure the codebase remains modular, maintainable, and scalable across various mission profiles
Set technical direction, coding standards, and best practices for front-end development
Mentor other engineers and help build/lead the team around Orion as we grow
Design and build real-time, geospatial interfaces capable of rendering thousands of entities with sub-second latencies
Optimize UIs for performance in low-bandwidth/constrained environments (e.g., military networks)
Act as de facto product owner for parts of Orion, defining requirements, scope, and trade-offs with PMs
Collaborate with design to build, maintain, and iterate on a design system, ensuring consistent, high-quality UI across the product
Make pragmatic decisions that prioritize customer value and business impact
Collaborate closely with PMs, designers, and engineers across other teams
Participate in occasional customer conversations/site visits (1–2 times per year) to understand real-world workflows
Qualification
Required
Own the Orion frontend end-to-end, leading architecture, implementation, and evolution of the React/TypeScript codebase
Ensure the codebase remains modular, maintainable, and scalable across various mission profiles
Set technical direction, coding standards, and best practices for front-end development
Mentor other engineers and help build/lead the team around Orion as we grow
Design and build real-time, geospatial interfaces capable of rendering thousands of entities with sub-second latencies
Optimize UIs for performance in low-bandwidth/constrained environments (e.g., military networks)
Act as de facto product owner for parts of Orion, defining requirements, scope, and trade-offs with PMs
Collaborate with design to build, maintain, and iterate on a design system, ensuring consistent, high-quality UI across the product
Make pragmatic decisions that prioritize customer value and business impact
Collaborate closely with PMs, designers, and engineers across other teams
Participate in occasional customer conversations/site visits (1–2 times per year) to understand real-world workflows
Strong experience building production front-end applications with React and TypeScript (or equivalent modern web stack)
Demonstrated ability to own complex features/products end-to-end in production
Solid intuition for UX/UI
Comfortable operating in ambiguity, taking fuzzy problems and driving toward concrete solutions
Strong ownership mindset focused on shipping customer value and delivering robust, usable solutions
Preferred
Experience with real-time, data-heavy, or geospatial applications (e.g., maps, tracking, control systems, fleet management)
Experience with Deck.gl, Mapbox / MapLibre
Full-stack or generalist experience, comfortable contributing to the backend when needed
Experience mentoring or leading engineers, or interest in growing into team leadership
High-agency, 'go-getter' who enjoys high-ownership roles and shaping product/architecture in a fast-moving startup environment
Collaborative and motivated by working on mission-critical, real-world problems
Background in defense, aerospace, robotics, or other complex hardware/software systems, including mission control–style UIs
Experience working in startups or other fast-paced environments
Track record of leadership demonstrated through management, public service, community organizing, or similar experience
Benefits
Significant stock options with a high potential upside as an early-stage company
401(k) with employer matching
Full health coverage (medical, dental, and vision insurance)
Relocation assistance provided
Unlimited PTO (two-week minimum) and 11 paid holidays per year
Paid parental leave for both parents
Lunch provided when working in-office and fully stocked kitchenette
Free EV charging at the HQ
Unique office in El Segundo, CA stocked with quality coffee, snacks, and craft beer
Company
Picogrid
Picogrid builds integration infrastructure for military systems.
Founded in 2020
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$12MKey Investors
Alumni Ventures,Initialized Capital
2024-03-26Seed· $12M
2020-12-08Pre Seed
2020-01-13Angel
Leadership Team
Martin Slosarik
Co-Founder
Recent News
The Journal Record
2025-12-12
Company data provided by crunchbase