United States onlySenior WordPress Engineer
Location: Remote (within South Africa)
Hours: Full-Time, US Central Time
Experience Required: 5-7+ Years
We are looking for a highly skilled Senior WordPress Developer with deep expertise in custom WordPress development, performance engineering, and modern web technologies.
The ideal candidate is a problem solver, strong communicator, and hands-on engineer who understands the WordPress ecosystem deeply — from Gutenberg block development to backend architecture, APIs, caching, cloud hosting, and DevOps workflows.
Key Responsibilities
1. WordPress Development & Engineering
- Develop custom WordPress themes, plugins, Gutenberg blocks, and integrations following best practices.
- Build scalable and maintainable backend architecture using PHP, MySQL, REST APIs, and modern coding standards.
- Implement advanced WordPress features such as custom post types, taxonomies, user roles, and content workflows.
- Ensure compliance with WordPress VIP coding standards, architectural principles, and security best practices.
- Knowledge of WordPress Unit Testing (PHPUnit).
- Design solutions that perform efficiently under VIPs global caching layers (Edge caching, Batcache, object caching).
2. Performance, Security & Code Quality
- Optimize WordPress sites for speed, scalability, and high-performance using caching, CDNs, and server-level optimization.
- Write clean, secure, and tested code that follows WordPress Coding Standards and industry best practices.
- Perform code reviews, refactor legacy code, and ensure adherence to engineering guidelines.
- Collaborate with DevOps teams on CI/CD pipelines, cloud deployments, and performance audits.
3. Technical Problem Solving
- Troubleshoot complex issues related to APIs, performance, security, and hosting infrastructure.
- Debug production issues and work with cross-functional teams to resolve incidents quickly.
- Provide technical recommendations and architectural input during discovery and planning phases.
4. Collaboration & Communication
- Work closely with solution architects, designers, and project managers to ensure flawless execution of features.
- Translate technical concepts into clear explanations for non-technical stakeholders.
- Participate in sprint ceremonies, estimation sessions, grooming, and retrospectives.
5. Continuous Improvement
- Stay updated with the latest WordPress advancements, PHP frameworks, performance techniques, and emerging tools.
- Contribute to internal engineering documentation, coding standards, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
- Mentor junior developers and assist in improving the overall technical capability of the engineering team.
Core Skills & Competencies
Advanced WordPress Expertise: Deep knowledge of custom theme and plugin development, Gutenberg blocks (React), WP Query, hooks, filters, REST APIs, and WP-CLI.PHP &
Backend Engineering: Strong command of PHP 7/8, OOP, MVC principles, Composer, and modern backend architecture.
Front-End Development: Skilled with HTML5, CSS3, SCSS, JavaScript/ES6+, React (especially for Gutenberg), and responsive UI development.
Database & Performance: Strong understanding of MySQL optimization, caching (Redis, Memcached), CDN integration, and performance tuning.
Security Best Practices: Knowledge of WordPress security, sanitization, escaping, and safe architecture for enterprise-grade applications.
Version Control & DevOps: Proficiency with Git, CI/CD workflows, deployments, and collaboration via GitHub/GitLab.
Analytical & Problem-Solving: Ability to debug complex issues, optimize architecture, and design scalable solutions.
Communication & Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams and communicate technical concepts clearly.
Nice to Have
- Experience with Headless WordPress (Next.js, Gatsby, React).
- Familiarity with WordPress VIP, Pantheon, WP Engine, or enterprise hosting platforms.
- Knowledge of cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure).
- Experience with performance audits, Lighthouse optimization, and Core Web Vitals.
- Understanding of DXP platforms and third-party integrations such as CRM, marketing automation, analytics, or paywall systems.
- Experience working in enterprise agencies or large-scale publishing environments.
South Africa only
