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Senior Web/React Developer — Recruiter Guide

Purpose of This Guide​

This document helps Aliz recruiters and hiring managers screen candidates for the Senior Web/React Developer role. Use it to understand what the role requires, what to look for on a résumé, and what to ask in a screening call.

caution

This guide is primarily for internal use by Aliz recruiters and hiring managers. It is hosted on a public site — do not include sensitive information such as salary bands or proprietary evaluation criteria here.

Role Overview​

The Senior Web/React Developer builds and maintains Aliz's client-facing web applications and internal tools. The role sits within the Web Hub / frontend practice and involves daily collaboration with designers, backend engineers, and project managers.

At this seniority level, the person should be capable of:

  • Making independent architectural decisions on frontend projects
  • Mentoring mid-level and junior developers
  • Contributing to tech stack guidance across the team (see the Recommended Tech Stack)

Required Technical Skills​

Core (Must-Have)​

  • React — Deep experience with hooks, component composition, and performance patterns (memoisation, code splitting, lazy loading). Aliz uses React 19.x.
  • TypeScript — Daily-driver proficiency, version 5.x. This is not optional; all new Aliz projects are TypeScript-first.
  • Modern CSS — Tailwind CSS preferred. At minimum, comfort with utility-first CSS approaches and responsive design.
  • State management — Zustand or an equivalent library (Redux, Jotai, Recoil all transfer). Should understand local vs. global vs. server state boundaries.
  • Data fetching — TanStack Query or similar (SWR, RTK Query). Should be able to discuss caching strategies, cache invalidation, and optimistic updates.
  • Testing — Competence in at least one layer: unit testing (Vitest/Jest) or end-to-end testing (Playwright/Cypress).
  • Build tooling — Vite literacy. Comfortable configuring and troubleshooting modern build pipelines.
  • Git & GitHub — Branching strategies, pull requests, code review practices, and basic CI/CD awareness. Aliz uses GitHub for source control and code review.

Preferred (Nice-to-Have)​

  • Astro (recommended) or Next.js for server-side rendering / static-site generation — see Rendering
  • React Native for cross-platform mobile development
  • Component libraries: shadcn/ui, MUI
  • Data visualisation: Recharts, Apache ECharts
  • Internationalisation: i18next or similar
  • Node.js 20+ (server-side scripting, tooling, lightweight APIs)
  • AI-assisted development: GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code — see AI-Assisted Development
  • CI/CD and deployment: GCP, Vercel, Firebase Hosting — see Deploy

Non-Technical Expectations​

  • Communication — Ability to explain technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders. This is a consulting context; clear communication with clients is essential.
  • Estimation — Comfortable providing effort estimates and breaking work into deliverables. See Estimation.
  • Mentoring — Willingness and ability to guide mid-level and junior developers through code reviews, pair programming, and knowledge sharing.
  • Ownership — Drive features end-to-end: requirements → design → implementation → testing → deployment.
  • English proficiency — English is the working language for documentation, code reviews, and cross-team communication.

Screening & Interview Guidance​

Resume Red Flags​

  • Only jQuery or AngularJS experience with no modern React work in the last 2–3 years
  • No TypeScript mentioned in recent roles
  • No mention of testing at any level (unit, integration, or E2E)

Resume Green Flags​

  • Open-source contributions — shows initiative and code-in-the-open comfort
  • Experience across SPA, SSR, and SSG paradigms — indicates architectural breadth
  • Consulting or multi-client background — aligns with Aliz's project-based work model

Suggested Screening Questions​

Use these as conversation starters, not a rigid script. Listen for depth and clarity of thought.

  1. "Walk me through a recent React project — what was the hardest technical decision you made?"
  2. "How do you decide what to test and what not to test?"
  3. "Have you worked with TypeScript from the start of a project, or migrated an existing JS codebase?"
  4. "Describe a time you had to explain a technical trade-off to a non-technical stakeholder."
  5. "What's your experience with server-side rendering or static-site generation?"
  6. "Have you used any AI coding tools? How do you decide when to trust their output?"