About the Role
We are looking for an experienced Theme Developer to join our team on a contract basis to build modern, accessible, and performant WordPress block themes. As WordPress continues its evolution toward Full Site Editing (FSE), the demand for high-quality block themes that leverage theme.json, block patterns, and template parts has never been greater. In this role, you will be at the forefront of this transformation, creating themes that showcase the full potential of the WordPress Site Editor while maintaining backward compatibility and adherence to WordPress coding standards.
This contract position is ideal for a developer who has deep expertise in both classic and block-based WordPress theme development and is passionate about pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the modern WordPress theming system. You will work with designers, core contributors, and product managers to translate design concepts into pixel-perfect, responsive themes that perform flawlessly across devices and browsers. The initial contract is for six months with the possibility of extension based on project needs and performance.
Responsibilities
- Design and develop custom block themes using theme.json configuration, block templates, and template parts that fully embrace the Full Site Editing paradigm
- Create reusable block patterns and pattern libraries that enable non-technical users to build sophisticated page layouts without writing code
- Write clean, well-documented PHP template files, CSS stylesheets, and JavaScript where needed, following WordPress coding standards and best practices
- Implement responsive design principles using modern CSS techniques such as CSS Grid, Flexbox, custom properties, and container queries
- Optimize theme performance by minimizing render-blocking resources, implementing critical CSS strategies, and ensuring themes score 90+ on Core Web Vitals assessments
- Ensure all themes meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards, including proper semantic HTML, keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and sufficient color contrast ratios
- Build theme variations and style presets using the global styles system in theme.json, providing users with multiple visual options out of the box
- Conduct cross-browser testing across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, as well as responsive testing on mobile, tablet, and desktop viewports
- Collaborate with the theme review team to ensure all submissions meet WordPress.org theme directory guidelines
- Document theme features, customization options, and developer hooks in clear, user-friendly documentation
Requirements
- 4+ years of professional WordPress theme development experience, with at least 1 year focused on block themes and Full Site Editing
- Expert-level knowledge of theme.json configuration, including typography, color palettes, spacing scales, layout settings, and custom template registration
- Strong proficiency in PHP (7.4+), modern CSS (including custom properties, Grid, and Flexbox), and semantic HTML5
- Experience building block patterns using both the block editor and programmatic registration via PHP
- Solid understanding of the WordPress template hierarchy, the Block Editor architecture, and the Gutenberg project roadmap
- Familiarity with version control using Git, including branching strategies and pull request workflows
- Experience with front-end build tools such as Webpack, Vite, or the @wordpress/scripts package
- Portfolio of at least 3 published WordPress themes (WordPress.org directory, ThemeForest, or client projects)
Nice to Have
- Experience contributing to WordPress Core or the Gutenberg project, particularly in the themes or design-tools areas
- Knowledge of the Interactivity API and experience building interactive block-based features without relying on jQuery
- Familiarity with design tools such as Figma or Sketch for translating design mockups to code
- Experience with CSS-in-JS approaches and understanding of how they compare to traditional stylesheet-based theming
- Active participation in the WordPress Themes Team or experience as a theme reviewer
Benefits
- Competitive hourly rate of $80 - $110 per hour, depending on experience and portfolio quality
- Fully remote work with flexible scheduling - we care about deliverables, not hours logged
- Opportunity to have your work featured in the WordPress.org theme directory, reaching millions of users
- Access to premium design tools and development environments at no personal cost
- Collaboration with world-class WordPress developers and designers
- Potential for contract extension or conversion to a long-term retainer relationship
- Invitation to attend WordCamp events as a team member with travel expenses covered
How to Apply
Please submit your application with a link to your portfolio or GitHub profile showcasing your WordPress theme work. We are especially interested in seeing examples of block themes that use theme.json extensively. Include a brief description of your approach to theme architecture and how you handle the transition from classic themes to block-based themes. Candidates who include a link to a live block theme demo or a WordPress.org theme listing will be given priority consideration.