Reports To: CTO
Department: Engineering
Position Type: Independent Contractor (Fractional
Travel Expectations: 1-5 days/week onsite in Saint Paul, MN

Location: Twin Cities Metro (Hybrid)

We're building something special for the TTRPG community—a platform that understands the magic of bringing people together around the table. This fractional contractor position is responsible for crafting the user-facing web and mobile applications that will serve game masters, players, and organizers across the country. You'll translate product vision and UX designs into high-quality, performant applications that make event management feel effortless and community building feel natural.

We're live with real users and an aggressive roadmap ahead of us. You'll work directly with the CTO and collaborate with other engineers, Product Management, and UX Designer(s) to ship features weekly. This is a high-autonomy, fast-paced environment where your work goes into production quickly and impacts real people organizing real events. If you thrive on seeing your code in users' hands and iterating based on their enthusiasm, this is your table.

Tech Stack

You'll be working with modern, production-grade tools:

• Web: React, Next.js (App Router), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Shadcn/ui
• Forms & Validation: React Hook Form, Zod
• Auth: AWS Amplify (Cognito)
• Mobile: Flutter (increasingly important post-launch, with eventual feature parity)
• Deployment: Automated CI/CD pipelines deploying to AWS
• Collaboration: Git workflows with automated testing gates before deployment

Primary Responsibilities

01 | Web Application Development

Build and maintain the primary web application using React and Next.js, implementing new features and user interfaces according to product specifications and UX designs. This matters because the web app is our primary user touchpoint and must deliver a seamless, engaging experience for the TTRPG community. Success is users eagerly adopting features, returning frequently, and bringing their friends to the platform.

02 | UX Implementation

Translate design mockups and specifications into pixel-perfect, responsive, and accessible user interfaces that work across browsers and devices. This matters because our users expect professional, intuitive interfaces that make complex event management feel effortless. Success is users accomplishing their goals without friction and telling others about the experience.

03 | Component Architecture

Develop reusable, well-documented React components following established architectural patterns and best practices. This matters because consistent, maintainable component architecture enables the team to move quickly without accumulating technical debt. Success is the team shipping faster because your components are intuitive to use and extend.

04 | Mobile Application Development

Contribute to the mobile application, which will become increasingly important post-launch as we work toward eventual feature parity with the web platform. This matters because quality mobile experiences are essential for our users and community engagement. Success is users seamlessly switching between devices to manage their events and communities and spending more time rolling dice with friends at the gaming table.

05 | API Integration

Integrate front-end applications with backend APIs and real-time event streams, handling authentication, state management, and error scenarios gracefully. This matters because reliable data flow between frontend and backend is critical for platform functionality. Success is users trusting the platform with their data because everything just works.

Secondary or Additional Responsibilities

01 | Code Review and Collaboration

Participate in code reviews with the other team members and provide constructive feedback to maintain code quality standards. This matters because collective code ownership and knowledge sharing strengthens the entire team. Success is shipping quality code faster together than either of you could alone.

02 | Performance Optimization

Monitor and optimize frontend performance, including load times, bundle sizes, and runtime efficiency. This matters because fast, responsive applications directly impact user satisfaction and retention. Success is users never waiting and never bouncing because the app feels slow.

03 | Testing and Quality Assurance

Write and maintain tests to ensure application reliability—our automated test gates must pass before deployment. This matters because automated testing catches issues before they reach users and enables confident refactoring. Success is zero production-breaking deployments and the confidence to ship daily. We want to spend more time delivering features to our users and less time hunting for bugs.

Key Competencies, Skills or Abilities

01 | Architectural Pattern Recognition

Ability to understand and consistently apply established frontend architectural patterns without requiring constant oversight. This matters because mid-level engineers must execute independently within defined structures while the CTO focuses on strategic technical decisions.

02 | Modern React Proficiency

Strong working knowledge of React hooks, context, state management patterns, and the Next.js framework. This matters because these technologies form the foundation of our web application and efficiency with them directly impacts delivery speed.

03 | Responsive and Accessible Design

Demonstrated ability to build interfaces that work across devices and meet accessibility standards (WCAG). This matters because our platform must be inclusive and usable for the diverse TTRPG community.

04 | Asynchronous Communication

Effective written communication and ability to work asynchronously with distributed team members. This matters because fractional contractors must coordinate efficiently without daily face-to-face interaction.

05 | Problem-Solving and Debugging

Strong analytical skills to diagnose issues, identify root causes, and implement solutions independently. This matters because blockers must be resolved quickly to maintain delivery momentum in a startup environment.

06 | Version Control Collaboration

Proficiency with Git workflows, pull requests, and collaborative development practices across multiple repositories. This matters because coordinated code management is essential when multiple engineers work on interconnected systems.

07 | Launch Mindset

Comfort working in an ambitious, fast-paced startup environment with evolving requirements, aggressive deadlines, and the thrill of shipping to production weekly. This matters because we're live with real users and an expansive roadmap—we need engineers who thrive on momentum, adapt quickly, and maintain quality while navigating ambiguity and moving fast. If you get energized by seeing your work in users' hands within days, not months, you'll love it here.

Experiences: Required

• 3+ years of professional experience building production React applications
• Demonstrated experience with Next.js or similar React frameworks
• Experience integrating frontend applications with RESTful APIs
• Proven ability to translate design mockups into functional user interfaces
• Experience with modern CSS approaches (CSS-in-JS, Tailwind, CSS Modules, etc.)
• Working knowledge of TypeScript or willingness to learn quickly
• Experience with Git and collaborative development workflows

Experiences: Nice to Have

• Flutter or React Native mobile development experience
• Experience with real-time data (WebSockets, Server-Sent Events, or similar)
• Familiarity with AWS services or cloud-native application development
• Experience working in early-stage startups or on MVP products
• Background in event management, community platforms, or social applications
• Active participation in the TTRPG community—if you've ever rolled for initiative, organized a game night, managed a hex-crawling campaign, spent hours building character backstories, and herded your friends like cats to the table, you understand what we're building and why it matters
• Genuine love for the hobby—we're building for a community we're part of. If you know the magic that happens when the right people gather around the table, if you've felt the energy of a great session or the satisfaction of organizing an event that brought people together, you'll bring that understanding to every feature you build