Software Engineer

Lead WordPress Developer

We are seeking a Lead WordPress Developer with deep expertise in custom WordPress architecture, theme and plugin development, and experience leading development teams. The ideal candidate must also have practical experience with Headless CMS implementations, along with hands-on development using Next.js and React.js for decoupled frontends.

Must Have Skills

• 8+ years of overall web development experience with 5+ years dedicated to WordPress including custom theme & plugin development.
• Expertise in building scalable, reusable WordPress themes and plugins from UI/UX designs (Figma, XD, Sketch, PSD, Zeplin).
• Strong proficiency in: PHP, WordPress Core, MySQL, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, jQuery.
• Deep understanding of WordPress architecture: Themes & child themes, Plugin development, CPT, ACF, hooks, filters, WP APIs.
• Strong experience with modern WordPress editors and builders: Elementor, Avada, Gutenberg.
• Hands-on experience with REST APIs and Headless WordPress architecture.
• Strong knowledge of responsive development and cross-browser compatibility.
• Experience with multisite, multilingual, and enterprise WordPress implementations.
• Expertise in performance optimization: caching, DB optimization, Core Web Vitals.
• Strong understanding of SEO, schema, and WordPress security best practices.

Good to Have

Headless CMS Experience

• Proven experience implementing Headless WordPress with decoupled frontends.
• Strong understanding of REST API / WPGraphQL, Authentication & API security, Structuring WordPress as a data backend.

Next.js & React.js Experience

• Hands-on experience building frontend applications using Next.js and React.js.
• Ability to build SSR/SSG/ISR-based applications.
• Experience consuming WordPress APIs to build headless frontends.
• Familiarity with modern React development patterns (hooks, context, state mgmt).

Others

• Knowledge of CI/CD, cloud hosting (AWS, Azure, WP Engine, Pantheon).
• Familiarity with WCAG accessibility guidelines.
• Experience with high-traffic performance tuning and enterprise WordPress deployments.
• Exposure to other CMS platforms like Drupal.

Leadership Expectations

• Lead the WordPress development team, ensuring high-quality output.
• Provide technical direction, code reviews, mentorship.
• Translate complex business requirements into scalable WordPress / Headless solutions.
• Enforce best practices in coding, documentation, performance, and security.
• Drive continuous improvement in tooling, processes, and development standards.

Location: DGS India - Pune - Kharadi EON Free Zone

Brand: Merkle

Time Type: Full time

Contract Type: Permanent