Senior React Native Engineer (Expo & AI-First Development)

The Opportunity We are not just building a mobile app; we are building the future of how mobile applications are architected, tested, and deployed. We are seeking a Senior React Native Engineer who lives at the intersection of mobile development and generative AI. In this role, you will be the bridge between complex product requirements and pixel-perfect, performant mobile experiences. You will leverage Expo to streamline the development lifecycle across iOS and Android while championing an AI-First engineering culture. You will be expected to treat LLMs (specifically Claude) not as a "chatbot," but as a force multiplier for architecture, unit testing, and spec generation. What You’ll Do (The Core Responsibilities) 1. Mobile Architecture & Development (The Craft) - Architect & Build: Design, develop, and maintain high-performance, scalable mobile applications using React Native and the Expo framework (EAS Build, Updates, and Modules). - Native Integrations: Write and maintain custom Native Modules (Swift/Kotlin) when the React Native ecosystem falls short, ensuring seamless performance on both iOS and Android. - Performance Tuning: Profile and optimize app performance focusing on startup time, rendering (Reanimated), and memory management to ensure a 60fps experience across devices. - CI/CD: Own the deployment pipeline using EAS, managing internal distribution, TestFlight, and Google Play Store submissions. 2. The AI-First Mandate (The "Secret Sauce") - LLM Integration: Design the architecture for integrating LLM APIs (Anthropic Claude, OpenAI) directly into the client-side application, handling streaming responses, function calling, and token management. - Code Generation & Refactoring: Utilize AI agents to generate boilerplate, complex Redux/Recoil slices, and Zod validation schemas. - Prompt Engineering: Lead the team in writing system prompts that are deterministic and version-controlled, moving beyond "trial and error" to rigorous prompt testing. - Spec-Driven Development: Implement a "Spec-First" approach. You will be expected to convert high-level design specs (Figma/PRD) into structured JSON schemas that can be consumed by AI to generate UI components and state logic. - Tooling & Plugins: Develop internal VS Code plugins or CLI tools that scaffold new features using AI, standardizing our codebase structure. 3. Collaboration & Standards - Code Reviews: Conduct thorough code reviews with a focus on type safety (TypeScript), maintainability, and adherence to our coding standards. - Mentorship: Guide junior engineers in utilizing AI tools effectively, moving them from "copy-paste" engineering to "architectural" engineering. - Cross-Functional: Work closely with Product and Design to translate business requirements into technical solutions, using AI to rapidly prototype iterations during sprint planning. The Technical Stack Core: React Native (v0.72+), TypeScript, Expo SDK 50+. State: Zustand / Redux Toolkit / Jotai. Navigation: React Navigation 6 (Native Stack). Styling: TailwindCSS (via NativeWind) or StyleSheets with a strong emphasis on Design Tokens. APIs: GraphQL (Apollo) / REST (React Query). Infrastructure: EAS (Build, Submit, Update), Sentry, Amplitude. Testing: Jest, React Native Testing Library, Maestro (for E2E). AI: Claude API, LangChain (or similar orchestration frameworks). Must-Have Qualifications Experience: 5+ years of software engineering experience, with 3+ years dedicated exclusively to React Native production applications. Expo Expertise: Deep understanding of the Expo ecosystem (Manifest, App.config, Plugins, and Config Plugins). You know how to eject only when necessary and leverage EAS Updates for OTA fixes. Dual Platform: Proven experience publishing and maintaining apps on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, including handling App Store Connect/Play Console intricacies. TypeScript Mastery: You treat the TypeScript compiler as your best friend. You write complex generics and conditional types to ensure type safety across API boundaries. The AI Proficiency Requirement (Non-Negotiable) We are looking for a "10x" engineer who leverages AI effectively. You must demonstrate: Articulation: Ability to articulate how to use AI Plugins (e.g., Claude, Cursor AI, Continue.dev) to iterate on codebases faster. You know when to trust the AI and when to override it. Skills Architecture: Experience defining reusable "Skills" or "Prompts" within the engineering team that standardize how we generate components, write tests, and document code. Spec-Driven Development: You have experience writing spec.md or plan.md files that an LLM consumes to generate the initial scaffolding of a feature before you refine it. Semantic Search: Experience using vector databases or embedding search to allow AI to accurately query our codebase to avoid hallucination during generation. Nice-to-Have Skills Backend (Python FastAPI): Strong experience with Python and FastAPI is highly desirable. You will be expected to review backend PRs and occasionally contribute to the API layer when the mobile app requires a custom endpoint. (We love engineers who are full-stack). GraphQL: Experience with Apollo Client and caching strategies. Accessibility: Knowledge of WCAG standards and implementing accessibilityLabel and dynamic type support. Reanimated: Expertise in React Native Reanimated 2/3 for complex gestures and animations. Why Join Us? AI Culture: We don't gatekeep AI; we empower you to use it. You will have a corporate subscription to the latest LLM models. Impact: Your work will be used by thousands of users daily. Compensation: Competitive rates.