Job Description

Senior WordPress Engineer

Project Identifier: NEA

Project Name: Web Development

Client: National Endowment for the Arts

Agency: NEA

Location: Hybrid (at least 2 days per week on-site at NEA Washington DC)

Interview Type: Online

Contract Duration: 2 years with Possible extension

Tentative Start Date: Immediate

Deadline: Immediate

Project Overview

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) maintains a public-facing web presence built on WordPress, serving as a critical platform for grant information, organizational communications, and public engagement. The website requires ongoing development, maintenance, and modernization to meet federal web standards, accessibility requirements, and evolving stakeholder needs.

The Senior WordPress Engineer will lead the technical development and maintenance of NEA's WordPress-based web platform. This role involves building custom plugins, creating React.js-based Gutenberg blocks, and ensuring the platform is secure, performant, and scalable. The engineer will work within an Agile SCRUM environment, collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality solutions hosted on Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Develop custom WordPress plugins for use at enterprise scale using Object Oriented Programming principles;
• Create custom React.js-based Gutenberg Blocks for content management and editorial workflows;
• Utilize WordPress technologies like WP-CLI and the WP-REST-API for automation and integrations;
• Build and maintain SQL and NoSQL database integrations supporting the WordPress platform;
• Transpile ES6 to ES5 using Babel and employ build tools like Gulp, Grunt, WebPack, and Rollup;
• Manage package dependencies using NPM and Composer;
• Implement responsive interface development and interface extension using JavaScript;
• Debug across a wide range of browsers and devices to ensure cross-platform compatibility;
• Manage cloud infrastructure and deployments using Azure services (App Services, Azure SQL, Storage, etc.);
• Set up CI/CD workflows using GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps;
• Implement standard Docker local development environments;
• Implement PHP and JavaScript linting to enforce coding standards;
• Review and write unit, integration, and regression tests using frameworks such as PHPUnit, QUnit, and Mocha;
• Conduct architectural peer reviews for code created by other engineers;
• Set up build and test environments as well as deploying code to staging and production;
• Contribute to estimations for all tickets in the backlog and participate in Backlog Grooming, Sprint Planning, and Sprint Review Meetings;
• Adhere to Agile SCRUM Methodologies and organizational processes;
• Work closely and collaboratively with federal and contractor personnel to develop solutions;
• Share knowledge and expertise with colleagues, mentoring and guiding less experienced developers through code reviews and best practices.

Required Education and Experience

• Degree in Computer Science or related field.
• 7+ years of hands-on experience with PHP, WordPress, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS in complex, large-scale web technology projects.
• Senior Level experience developing custom WordPress plugins from scratch at enterprise scale.
• Senior Level experience with React.js, including building custom Gutenberg Blocks.
• Senior Level experience with WordPress technologies such as WP-CLI and the WP-REST-API.
• Experience working with cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure for hosting, deployment, and scalability.
• Experience with CI/CD workflows using GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps.
• Experience with Docker for local development environments.
• Experience with build tools such as Gulp, Grunt, WebPack, Rollup, Babel, NPM, and Composer.
• Experience with E2E testing and frameworks such as PHPUnit, QUnit, and Mocha.
• Active participation in mentoring and guiding less experienced developers through code reviews and best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver quality code on time and as estimated in an Agile SCRUM environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Agile/Scrum development environments in a federal or regulated setting.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams across global time zones and cultures.
• Working knowledge of responsive web design, accessibility standards (Section 508/WCAG), and federal web requirements.
• Familiarity with Azure Monitor, App Insights, and Log Analytics for performance monitoring.
• Experience with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes) in Azure.
• Working knowledge of infrastructure automation and configuration management tools.

Programming – Knowledge/competencies in the following technologies:

• PHP (advanced)
• WordPress core, hooks, filters, and plugin API
• JavaScript (ES6+) and React.js
• HTML5 and CSS3/SASS/LESS
• MySQL and database optimization
• RESTful API design and implementation
• Version control with Git
• Node.js and NPM ecosystem
• SQL and NoSQL databases
• Software testing protocols and code review practices

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