Senior Shopify Developer

CareerNova is seeking a contract-based Senior Shopify Developer to join our innovative Design and Development Team.

🌎 About garden3d

We are a worker-owned creative collective that drives innovation across brands, real-world communities, IoT devices, and cross-platform applications. Our model includes profit sharing, open-source contributions, the incubation of new businesses, and investment in promising ventures through financial and in-kind support.

Our esteemed client portfolio features companies such as Google, Stripe, Figma, Hinge, Black Socialists in America, ACLU, Pratt, Parsons, Mozilla, The Nobel Prize, MIT, Gnosis, Etsy, and Gagosian.

We are the technology backbone for groundbreaking products like The Light Phone and Mill, and we manage a global, decentralized community space called Index Space.

At garden3d, we envision ourselves as a collective for creative individuals, championing a studio culture that is happy, talented, and diverse. We engage in projects that deliver genuine value to the world, balancing a deep commitment to our work with a vibrant curiosity for life beyond our professional endeavors.

Sanctuary Computer — At Sanctuary Computer, we are cultivating a unique technology firm that emphasizes close collaboration between clients and the craftspeople delivering the work. Our project scope encompasses design-centric websites, robust web applications, and native mobile development.

XXIX — Design. When XXIX was established in 2013, our aim was to build a different kind of design studio, and we've flourished by continuously exploring the potential of creative practices. We are building a fundamentally different organization that values autonomy, personal growth, transparency, and shared accountability.

Additionally, our partner organizations include:

• Lightphone
• Mill
• IngredientAI

🔮 Who we’re looking for:

We are seeking a Senior Shopify Developer who possesses a strong command of e-commerce principles combined with modern frontend engineering skills. You will be instrumental in creating visually precise, exceptionally performant storefronts, ranging from custom Liquid themes to headless Hydrogen/Next.js implementations, working hand-in-hand with our design team to deliver world-class shopping experiences.

In this capacity, you will tackle a diverse array of client projects, devising cost-effective, high-quality, and practical solutions to intricate e-commerce challenges. Key responsibilities include:

• Engaging closely with Technical Leads and Designers to fulfill clients' bespoke e-commerce and technical requirements.
• Developing and maintaining high-performance storefronts using both custom Liquid (Online Store 2.0) and contemporary headless architectures (Shopify Storefront API, GraphQL, Hydrogen/Remix, Next.js).
• Constructing responsive, accessible, and visually accurate interfaces based on design specifications, paying meticulous attention to product interaction details and motion design.
• Integrating custom storefronts with headless CMS platforms (Sanity, Contentful), payment gateways, subscription services, search functionalities, and various third-party e-commerce APIs.
• Enhancing e-commerce performance, with a significant focus on Core Web Vitals, efficient image and video asset delivery, bundle size reduction, and runtime efficiency across high-traffic collection and product pages.
• Designing scalable, reusable component libraries and design systems tailored for commercial platforms.
• Producing clear and comprehensive documentation for store management, custom application integrations, and codebase upkeep.
• Actively participating in project team ceremonies, such as Sprint Planning, daily standups, code reviews, and retrospectives.

The ideal candidate is a pleasant, adaptable, and collaborative individual. While flexible on most aspects, they maintain high standards for exceptional work quality. They approach work intelligently, managing their workflow efficiently and strategically sequencing tasks with dependencies. They thrive in periods of deep focus but are comfortable engaging in high-level strategic discussions when needed.

We believe individuals with backgrounds or interests in design, art, music, food, or fashion often possess a well-rounded appreciation for design and quality. Therefore, diverse hobbies or side projects are considered a significant advantage.

🔑 Must-Have Competencies:

We are consistently exploring and pitching for new and exciting technology niches, and the following areas are highly relevant to our work:

• Over 8 years of experience crafting highly performant frontend code, with a dedication to achieving 95+ Lighthouse scores and optimal Core Web Vitals.
• Profound Shopify Ecosystem Mastery: Demonstrated expertise in building custom Shopify themes (Liquid, JSON templates, Online Store 2.0) and headless storefronts leveraging the Shopify Storefront API (GraphQL) along with frameworks like Hydrogen/Remix or Next.js.
• Modern Frontend Technologies: Expert-level proficiency in TypeScript and modern CSS methodologies (Tailwind CSS, CSS Modules), complemented by robust animation libraries (GSAP, Framer Motion).
• Headless CMS & Integrations: Extensive experience integrating Shopify with headless CMS platforms such as Sanity, Contentful, or Prismic, as well as third-party services (Klaviyo, Recharge, Algolia/Searchspring, Stripe).
• Platform & Hosting: Fluency with industry-standard PaaS platforms including Vercel, Netlify, and Shopify Oxygen.
• Architecture & State Management: Experience with state management solutions (Zustand, Redux, Pinia) and API integration patterns for managing cart state, multi-currency, and checkout flows.
• Quality & Accessibility: Proven ability to develop accessible (WCAG compliant), responsive interfaces with a strong commitment to SEO best practices, testing frameworks (Jest, Playwright, Cypress), and maintainable code.
• Performance Optimization: Practical knowledge of WebSockets, caching strategies (Redis, CDN-level/Cloudflare), and advanced image delivery networks.

💪 Nice-to-Have Competencies:

• Custom App Development: Experience building bespoke Shopify Apps using Node.js, Remix, GraphQL Admin API, and Shopify CLI.
• Shopify Plus & Enterprise Features: Hands-on experience with Shopify Functions, Checkout Branding API, Shopify Scripts, and B2B configurations.
• Tracking & Analytics: Proficiency in implementing server-side tracking, GTM, Meta Pixel, and Customer Privacy APIs without negatively impacting site load times.
• WebGL, Canvas & 3D: Experience in developing interactive graphics, 3D product visualizers, or canvas animations using Three.js or equivalent libraries.
• Full-Stack & API Design: Broader experience across backend/database layers (PostgreSQL), REST/GraphQL API design, and authentication flows (OAuth, JWT).
• Client-Facing & Management: Direct experience in client engagement for requirement clarification, product roadmap definition, or leading engineering teams.

💸 Compensation

Our hourly compensation ranges from $40/hr to $120/hr, dependent on seniority and any team leadership experience. Projects typically span a minimum of 8 full-time weeks at 40 hours per week.

We value long-term, productive relationships and encourage candidates to anticipate extended engagements.

🎤 How we interview

Upon application submission, a team member will reach out to schedule an initial call. This introductory conversation is an opportunity to address any questions you may have about the role and for us to learn more about your background and interests.

Following this, we will arrange a panel interview. This session allows you to connect with several team members, engage in open discussions about our current challenges, and ensure alignment between your skills and our organizational direction.

For highly qualified candidates, the process concludes with a reference check, followed by a job offer.

👩‍🏭 How we work:

We believe in achieving a better balance between freelancing and full-time employment, which is why Sanctuary operates differently from most agencies:

• Transparency & Ownership: We publicly share our annual Profit & Loss statements, contribute our innovative ideas to open source, and maintain open communication about business matters with our entire team. We are committed to operating with integrity and believe in sharing broadly with our team and community.
• 150% Carbon Negative: Our studio actively offsets 150% of our annual business-related carbon emissions, dating back to our inception in 2015. We decline projects that do not align with our ethical standards and encourage industry peers to adopt similar practices. We have maintained climate-neutral certification since 2021.
• Strong Morals: Since our founding, we have declined approximately $1 million to $2 million in work that did not meet our ethical criteria, primarily from DTC brands lacking verifiable sustainability initiatives.
• Async & Decentralized: We utilize tools designed for calm, thoughtful communication and prioritize asynchronous methods whenever feasible, actively protecting focused work time.
• Remote Friendly: Our organization is adept at remote work, fostering a more decentralized and democratized workplace.
• Ideas & Products: During dedicated studio time, we develop our own open-source or internal products to diversify and enhance our revenue streams. Given our success in creating exceptional technology products for clients, we apply the same principles to developing for the studio.

Read more on our Substack, over here, or our Medium, over there.

Important Reminders

Please ensure your application is complete and thoughtfully presented, including relevant links that substantiate your work experience and identity. Incomplete or insufficient applications will not proceed to the review stage.

Our team meticulously reviews every complete submission, and we sincerely appreciate the time and effort you invest in applying. Thank you!