About the Role
Automattic is looking for a Senior WordPress Developer to join our core platform team and help shape the future of WordPress. In this role, you will work directly on the Gutenberg block editor and WordPress core, collaborating with a distributed team of engineers, designers, and product managers who are passionate about democratizing publishing. You will play a key part in building features used by over 40% of the web, contributing to both the open-source project and Automattic's commercial products including WordPress.com, Jetpack, and WooCommerce.
This is a high-impact position where you will architect and implement complex features spanning the full stack, from PHP on the server to React on the client. You will mentor junior developers, participate in code reviews, and help establish engineering best practices across the organization. We value async communication, deep work, and the freedom to choose your own schedule from anywhere in the world.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and maintain features for the Gutenberg block editor using React, JavaScript, and the WordPress packages ecosystem
- Build and extend REST API endpoints for WordPress core and Automattic products, ensuring backward compatibility and performance
- Write clean, well-tested PHP code following WordPress coding standards, including unit tests and integration tests
- Contribute to architectural decisions and technical roadmaps for major platform initiatives
- Collaborate with designers and product managers to translate requirements into scalable technical solutions
- Mentor and support other developers through code reviews, pair programming, and technical documentation
- Participate in the WordPress open-source community by contributing patches, reviewing tickets, and engaging in discussions on Make WordPress
- Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks across the WordPress stack, from database queries to front-end rendering
- Stay current with emerging web standards and advocate for their adoption within WordPress
Requirements
- 7+ years of professional software development experience, with at least 4 years focused on WordPress development
- Expert-level proficiency in PHP 7.4+ and modern JavaScript (ES6+), including experience with TypeScript
- Strong experience with React, including hooks, context, and state management patterns used in Gutenberg
- Deep understanding of the WordPress REST API, including custom endpoint creation, authentication, and schema validation
- Proven experience building and maintaining WordPress plugins or themes used at scale (10,000+ active installations)
- Familiarity with WordPress core internals, including the hook system, WP_Query, and the database abstraction layer
- Experience with automated testing frameworks such as PHPUnit, Jest, and Playwright or Puppeteer
- Strong understanding of web accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) and semantic HTML
- Excellent written communication skills, essential for thriving in a distributed, async-first work environment
Nice to Have
- Contributions to WordPress core, Gutenberg, or other major open-source projects
- Experience with WordPress multisite and enterprise-scale deployments
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, GitHub Actions, and automated deployment workflows
- Knowledge of GraphQL and experience with the WPGraphQL ecosystem
- Experience with performance profiling tools such as Xdebug, Blackfire, or New Relic
- Background in developer advocacy, technical writing, or community leadership
Benefits
- Competitive salary range of $130,000 - $170,000 USD, based on experience and location
- Fully remote position with flexible hours — work from anywhere in the world
- Open vacation policy with a minimum of 25 days encouraged per year
- Home office stipend to set up your ideal workspace
- Professional development budget of $3,000 per year for conferences, courses, and learning
- Company-sponsored meetups and annual grand meetup to connect with colleagues in person
- Health, dental, and vision insurance (varies by country)
- Parental leave of up to 6 months
- 401(k) with company match (US employees) or equivalent retirement benefits
- Sabbatical program: one month paid sabbatical for every five years of service
How to Apply
Click the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. Please include your resume, a link to your GitHub or WordPress.org profile, and a brief cover letter explaining why you are excited about this role. We review applications on a rolling basis and aim to respond within two weeks. Our hiring process includes an initial screening call, a technical code review exercise, a collaborative trial project, and a final interview with the team lead.
Automattic is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, gender, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic.