Frontend developer

Frontend developers build the user interfaces of the organisation's digital health services, such as patient-facing websites and apps, online forms, and screens that clinicians and care staff use during care. They write accessible, fast, and secure code that works for everyone, including people who are unwell, anxious, or using older devices, and they work in multidisciplinary product teams with designers, researchers, and clinicians.

Family: Software development
UK GDaD PCF role: Frontend developer (Software development)
ESCO occupations: web developer (ISCO-08 2513); user interface developer (ISCO-08 2512)
On GitHub: Role document · Role data

Levels

Band	Role level	UK GDaD PCF level	Civil Service grades	Job evaluation points
4	Apprentice frontend developer	Apprentice frontend developer	AO/EO	276
5	Junior frontend developer	Junior frontend developer	EO/HEO	335
6	Frontend developer	Frontend developer	HEO/SEO/G7	418
7	Senior frontend developer	Senior frontend developer	SEO/G7	477
8b	Lead frontend developer	Lead frontend developer	G7/G6	604
8c	Head of frontend development	Head of frontend development	G6	646

In a digital health care organisation

Many users are unwell, in pain, older, or disabled, so accessibility and plain, calm interfaces are essential rather than optional.
A confusing or wrong display of clinical information, such as a medication dose, a result, or an appointment time, can harm patients, so frontend work follows the clinical risk management process.
Interfaces often show confidential health information, so developers design for privacy, for example on shared devices and in busy clinical areas.
Clinicians use interfaces under time pressure and with frequent interruptions, so screens must be quick, predictable, and hard to misread.
Patients reach services on a wide range of devices and connections, so services use progressive enhancement and work on slow networks.

UK GDaD PCF role description

A frontend developer designs, builds and improves website software that meets user needs.
In this role, you will:
be responsible for writing clean, accessible code following a progressive enhancement approach
create code that is open by default and easy for others to reuse
design software which meets user needs and creates meaningful interactions and relationships with users
have an understanding of the three fundamental frontend technologies (HTML, CSS and JavaScript)

Contains public sector information from the UK Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (https://understand-digital-data-roles-skills.service.gov.uk/), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.

ESCO occupations and skills

ESCO lists the skills and knowledge that employers usually need (essential) or may need (optional) for each occupation. Use them as a checklist for development conversations.

web developer

http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/c40a2919-48a9-40ea-b506-1f34f693496d · ESCO code 2513.5 · ISCO-08 2513 Web and multimedia developers

Web developers develop, implement and document web-accessible software based on the designs provided. They align the client's web presence with its business strategy, troubleshoot software problems and issues and look for ways to improve the application.

Essential skills and knowledge (26)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

Optional skills and knowledge (77)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

user interface developer

http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/866c7813-2c03-47d7-9bdc-192cfbace57c · ESCO code 2512.5 · ISCO-08 2512 Software developers

User interface developers implement, code, document and maintain the interface of a software system by using front-end development technologies.

Essential skills and knowledge (17)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

Optional skills and knowledge (81)

Skills and competences

Knowledge

Contains ESCO v1.2.1 data (https://esco.ec.europa.eu/). © European Union. Reuse authorised under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.