Staff Application Engineer, Frontend

Who we are

At Twelve Labs, we are pioneering the development of cutting-edge multimodal foundation models that have the ability to comprehend videos just like humans do. Our models have redefined the standards in video-language modeling, empowering us with more intuitive and far-reaching capabilities, and fundamentally transforming the way we interact with and analyze various forms of media.

With a remarkable $107 million in Seed and Series A funding, our company is backed by top-tier venture capital firms such as NVIDIA’s NVentures, NEA, Radical Ventures, and Index Ventures, and prominent AI visionaries and founders such as Fei-Fei Li, Silvio Savarese, Alexandr Wang and more. Headquartered in San Francisco, with an influential APAC presence in Seoul, our global footprint underscores our commitment to driving worldwide innovation.

We are a global company that values the uniqueness of each person’s journey. It is the differences in our cultural, educational, and life experiences that allow us to constantly challenge the status quo. We are looking for individuals who are motivated by our mission and eager to make an impact as we push the bounds of technology to transform the world. Join us as we revolutionize video understanding and multimodal AI.

About the Role

We’re hiring a Staff Frontend Engineer to craft the interaction layer of Rodeo — a video-centric creative tool where microinteractions, animation, and polish define the product experience. This is a design-forward frontend role where you’ll own the feel of the product: transitions, motion, responsiveness, and the small details that make professional tools feel intuitive.

You’ve built interfaces where craft matters — creative tools, editors, or media-rich products where users notice the difference between good and great. You have strong opinions about easing curves, frame budgets, and interaction patterns, and you’re energized by collaborating closely with design to push what’s possible in the browser.

This role may require participation in on-site interviews and/or completion of in-person onboarding processes.

In this role, you will

Frontend (Primary)

• Build fluid, highly polished UIs with React and TypeScript that feel fast and intentional

• Own interaction design implementation — microinteractions, transitions, animations, and motion using Framer Motion, React Spring, or GSAP

• Collaborate closely with the design team on rapid ideation and prototyping of new interaction patterns

• Translate high-fidelity Figma designs into production interfaces with pixel-level accuracy

• Build and maintain a component library and design system that enforces consistency and craft across the product

• Optimize rendering performance for complex canvases, timelines, and media-rich views

• Write reliable unit, integration, and E2E tests for complex interactive UI workflows

• Use AI-assisted development tools thoughtfully to accelerate implementation while maintaining quality

Design Collaboration

• Work embedded with the design team as a creative partner, not just an implementer

• Prototype interaction concepts quickly to validate design direction before committing to full implementation

• Advocate for and implement the micro-details that elevate product feel — loading states, error handling, empty states, and transitions between views

You may be a good fit if you have

• 5+ years building production frontend applications, with meaningful time in creative tools, editors, or media-rich products

• Deep experience with React and TypeScript

• Strong command of animation and interaction libraries (Framer Motion, React Spring, GSAP, or similar)

• A portfolio or body of work that demonstrates interaction design sensibility

• Experience with canvas-based or timeline-based interfaces

• Strong eye for design and a commitment to craft and polish

• Comfort working in fast-paced, iterative environments alongside designers

• Experience with Next.js and modern frontend tooling

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience at creative tool companies (Descript, Runway, CapCut, Opus Clip, or similar)

• Background in generative art, creative coding, or interaction design

• Experience building editor or timeline UIs

• Familiarity with video playback and media APIs in the browser

• Side projects that show creative or interaction sensibility

Benefits and Perks

🤝 An open and inclusive culture and work environment.

🚀 Work closely with a collaborative, mission-driven team on cutting-edge AI technology.

🏥 Full health, dental, and vision benefits

✈️ Extremely flexible PTO and parental leave policy. Office closed the week of Christmas and New Years.

🛂 VISA support where applicable