what is a front-end engineer?
As a front-end engineer, you build the front-end or client side of a website or software application. However, unlike other developers, you take an artistic and pragmatic approach instead of focusing only on the technical aspects. That means your code determines how the web design is implemented on the internet. Website pages often combine structure, design, content, data and functionality — without a front-end engineer to create a user-friendly page, users cannot navigate the functions. Your job is to transform the web layout to help users access the functions they need by packaging the technical side in the back end.
You work on various projects centred on a website's appearance and user experience for end-users. For instance, you turn websites into intuitive and visually appealing sites. You also create purpose-built landing pages for running contests, niche marketing and advertising campaigns. Front-end engineers use graphic design tools to create website prototypes and code editing tools. You can work in various industries to develop functional websites for your employer.
Would working as a front-end engineer suit your interest in information technology (IT)? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a front-end engineer role.
front-end engineer jobsaverage front-end engineer salary
According to the Economic Research Institute, you earn an average salary of €40,000 per year as a front-end engineer. On the lower end of the pay scale, entry-level front-end engineers take home €26,000 per year. The low salary is due to minimal experience and qualifications. When you have extensive experience as a front-end engineer, you take home an average salary of €47,000 per year.
how to increase your salary as a front-end engineer
Your earnings as a front-end engineer fluctuate based on various factors. For instance, your experience and skills determine your compensation package. When you have minimal experience in programming, you start with a lower salary — and as you advance your skills, your earnings increase gradually. While you can work as a front-end engineer without formal qualifications, having professional web development credentials improves your salary prospects.
The company you work for and the project size also affect your earnings. When you work on small projects, you have fewer responsibilities. Hence, your salary is lower compared to front-end engineers in charge of large projects. Working in large organisations also attracts better compensation packages due to the vast resources available.
types of front-end engineers
Some of the types of front-end engineers include:
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user interface και user experience designers
As a front-end engineer, you can focus on user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). In UI, you improve the visual aspects of a website design, while UX involves user testing to ensure a seamless user experience.
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web designers
As a front-end web designer, your focus is on improving web design and requires minimal coding. You ensure elements like alignment and balance are considered when developing the web layout.
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wordpress developers
As a front-end engineer specialising in WordPress platforms, you help clients create unique blogs by incorporating various themes from the platform.
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mobile developers
Your job is to create functional applications with attractive designs. You also ensure the mobile apps work seamlessly to improve the user experience.
working as a front-end engineer
As a front-end engineer, you incorporate your artistic and design skills into your work. Let's look at the tasks and work environment of front-end engineers.
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what does a front-end engineer do?
Some of the roles of a front-end engineer include:
- Turning designs into functional web pages: as a front-end engineer, you use design ideas from graphics designers and replicate them using HTML and CSS to create functional web pages. HTML establishes the layout and structure, while CSS is effective in styling web pages.
- Maintaining proper website themes and colours: as a front-end engineer, you work alongside web designers and marketing teams to determine the best themes and website colour schemes. You also ensure the colour schemes are balanced and coordinated throughout the websites.
- Improving website navigation: front-end engineers often create links to help users navigate websites or external sites. Apart from building the code that enables you to add links throughout the web pages, you ensure the links take users to the desired sites or locations on the website.
- Optimising websites for mobile: as a front-end engineer, you ensure users can access a website from any device. The web page design should maintain its appearance on small screens with the expected site speed. It is crucial for users to access all the features from mobile devices.
- Content optimisation: as a front-end engineer, you ensure content is well displayed on a website by optimising the web page structure. You boost the website's visibility by ensuring the content follows search engine optimisation (SEO) guidelines and best practices.
- Testing and updating front-end components: your job involves implementing new front-end components on websites. You also regularly test websites for bugs to ensure they work perfectly. It is important to constantly update software components to meet the current demands.
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work environment of a front-end engineer
As a front-end engineer, you mainly work in an office environment and spend most of the day on a computer or in meetings with other developers. Most companies develop creative workspaces for web developers to keep them motivated. For instance, some employers offer interactive brainstorming and coding spaces with various lighting features to keep the creative juices flowing. Front-end engineers can also work remotely and accomplish their responsibilities without going to the office. The job doesn't involve travelling unless you are attending a conference.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on the company you work for, your colleagues include web developers, full-stack developers and back-end developers. You also work with UX designers, software developers and mobile developers. Other professionals you are likely to interact with include cloud engineers, software engineers and project managers.
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front-end engineer work schedule
As a front-end engineer, your work schedule depends on your employer and the projects. When working full-time, the job duties cover 40 hours a week. Part-time and remote work opportunities are available in small start-ups that don't require complex web development work. Some front-end engineers are freelancers who work on short-term contracts before moving to the next employer.
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career opportunities as a front-end engineer
Becoming a front-end engineer establishes your career in web development. You can improve your skills, take senior positions, or move to other technology roles. If you enjoy the planning and brainstorming stages of front-end development, you have the potential to move into management roles. While you won't be coding, you will lead teams of front-end engineers on various projects. When you have deep knowledge in front-end development, you can become a consultant or lecture web development students in colleges and universities.
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advantages of finding a job as a front-end engineer through randstad
Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits.
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- a range of jobs in your area
front-end engineer skills and education
While you can become a front-end engineer without educational qualifications, some projects require additional qualifications, including:
- Education: to become a front-end engineer, pursue a degree in computer science or software development. These courses prepare you for website building and creating applications.
- Work experience: you need work experience to excel in your role as a front-end engineer. Consider finding entry-level jobs in software development to build your skills and gain experience. You can also attend boot camps to improve your programming skills.
competencies and characteristics of front-end engineers
Apart from technical expertise, you need a lot of other skills (soft skills) to excel as a front-end engineer. These include:
- Curiosity: the website development landscape is constantly evolving, and you should keep learning and staying on track with emerging front-end components and tools. With curiosity, you will be inspired to research trends and implement them in your work.
- Empathy: since you are developing a brand's visual image, the goal isn't to decorate it with various graphics or colours. Being mindful of how others perceive the colours and the graphics is crucial. Empathy allows you to put yourself in the users' shoes.
- Problem-solving skills: the work of a front-end engineer comes with various challenges, and you need problem-solving skills to help you break down the issue and find a solution. Your problem-solving skills help you troubleshoot issues on websites and handle unexpected challenges.
- Collaboration and team skills: you work alongside a team of developers and collaborate with back-end developers to ensure websites work properly. Team skills help you maintain positive relationships with your colleagues.
- Creativity: while your role as a front-end engineer is tech-oriented, there is room for creativity. As a developer, you ensure the website is visually appealing, user-friendly and alluring. Your creativity helps you develop functional applications and websites.
FAQs
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a front-end engineer.
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what is the role of a front-end engineer?
As a front-end engineer, you build websites and applications. During the design process, you focus on user accessibility. Your job is to maximise website performance by ensuring the loading speed, security and overall performance. You work with the development team to develop, improve, or maintain applications and websites.
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what is the purpose of front-end engineering?
The purpose of front-end engineering is to improve user interface and experience in websites and applications. Front-end engineering involves improving the loading speeds and ensuring websites are visually appealing. Front-end engineers determine how easy it is to navigate websites and applications.
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how do you succeed as a front-end engineer?
To excel as a front-end engineer, you require a deep understanding of website development. You can pursue a bachelor's degree in computer science or software development to learn how to build websites and applications. Knowledge of coding languages and understanding the basics of HTML and CSS is also useful in the role.
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what skills do you need to be a front-end engineer?
As a front-end engineer, you require creativity to create visually appealing websites and user-friendly mobile applications. Your programming skills are useful in building websites, while your technical knowledge helps you understand the basics of software development. As a front-end engineer, you work with a team of professionals in the website development process; having teamwork skills helps you collaborate with other professionals to create a high-functioning website.
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is front-end engineering a good career in Greece?
With the increasing demand for tech skills, being a front-end engineer is a promising career in Greece. As a front-end engineer, you have multiple opportunities for career growth. For instance, you can become a full-stack developer or progress to project management roles.
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how do I find a job as a front-end engineer?
Finding a job near you as a front-end engineer is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Then log in or register an account to send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.
