The First AI-Native Engineer Marketplace
Doug Silkstone
Case Study: https://llm-engineers-for-hire.vercel.app/
A Premium Job Board for AI-Native Engineers
Overview
vetted is a concept job board platform designed for LLM-assisted software engineers. The platform connects companies with engineers who specialize in AI-augmented development workflows, featuring a distinctive technical aesthetic and sophisticated interactions.
The Challenge
Traditional tech job boards feel generic and commoditized. This project aimed to create a differentiated platform that:
Visually communicates the AI-native focus through design
Establishes premium positioning for high-end engineering talent
Demonstrates technical sophistication through the UI itself
Creates memorable interactions that reflect the brand's technical identity
Tech Stack
Layer Technology Framework Next.js 15 + React 19 Language TypeScript (strict mode) Styling Tailwind CSS 4 Animation Framer Motion + Custom WebGL Components Radix UI (25+ primitives) Forms React Hook Form + Zod
Design Approach
Visual Identity
The design language draws from code editors and terminal interfaces:
Typography: Monospace fonts (Tronica Mono, IBM Plex Mono) paired with bold display type (Fjalla One)
Color: Electric lime (#a3e635) on deep charcoal (#0c0c0c)
Patterns: Dot grids, dither textures, and cross-hatch backgrounds as decorative elements
UI Treatment: Glass morphism with backdrop blur throughout
The Hero "Wormhole" Effect
The standout feature is a custom WebGL-rendered animated gradient orb:
Implementation details:
Custom shader-based gradient morphing
Blob manager system generating organic shapes
Mouse position tracking affects orb behavior
"Typing pulse" triggers emanating wave effects
IntersectionObserver pauses animation when off-screen
Canvas 2D fallback for incompatible browsers
Animation Strategy
Entrance Animations
Viewport-triggered fade-ups using Framer Motion
Staggered children with 0.12s delays
Custom easing curves for smooth motion
Hover States
Gradient glow effects on cards
Shadow depth changes
Color transitions to lime accent
Subtle scale effects
Performance Optimizations
RequestAnimationFrame for 60fps
Refs over state to prevent re-renders
Device pixel ratio capping
Off-screen animation pausing
Responsive Strategy
Mobile-first approach with breakpoint adjustments:
Stacked layouts on mobile → side-by-side on desktop
Font scaling across breakpoints
Touch-friendly interaction targets
Hidden decorative elements on smaller screens
What Makes It Work
Cohesive Visual Language: Every element—from button labels to background patterns—reinforces the technical, developer-focused brand
Performance-First Animation: The hero effect could easily tank performance; instead, it's optimized with proper lifecycle management and fallbacks
Component Consistency: Glass morphism, lime accents, and motion patterns are applied systematically, not ad-hoc
Type Safety: TypeScript throughout ensures the codebase scales without runtime surprises
Modern Stack: Next.js 15 + React 19 + Tailwind 4 represents the cutting edge, demonstrating technical currency
Conclusion
vetted demonstrates how a concept site can be both a portfolio piece and a functional prototype. The technical choices - custom WebGL, strict TypeScript, modern React patterns, mirror the platform's value proposition: this is a place for engineers who care about craft.
The design successfully differentiates from generic job boards while maintaining usability. The "code as UI" aesthetic isn't gimmicky; it's consistently applied and genuinely reflects the target audience.
Built with Next.js 16, React 19, Tailwind CSS 4, Framer Motion, and custom WebGL.
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Posted Dec 2, 2025
Concept site for an AI engineer marketplace. Features WebGL aurora effects, Motion/React animations, and a developer-centric dark aesthetic.
Likes
1
Views
12
Timeline
Dec 2, 2025 - Dec 2, 2025
Clients
Withseismic
