Sanctuary Computer: Senior Shopify Developer
Headquarters: New York City
URL: https://sanctuary.computer
Original Job Posting: View Original Posting
We are hiring a contract-based Senior Shopify Developer to contribute to our Design and Development Team.
About garden3d
We are a worker-owned creative collective, innovating on everything from brands and IRL communities to IoT devices and cross-platform apps. We share profit, open source everything, spin out new businesses, and invest in exciting ideas through financial and/or in-kind contributions.
Our client roster includes Google, Stripe, Figma, Hinge, Black Socialists in America, ACLU, Pratt, Parsons, Mozilla, The Nobel Prize, MIT, Gnosis, Etsy, and Gagosian. We’re the software team behind innovative products like The Light Phone and Mill, and we operate a global, decentralized community space collective called Index Space.
We prioritize a happy, talented, and diverse studio culture. We work on projects that bring value to our world, and we balance deep care for the work we do with a genuine curiosity about life outside of our jobs.
- Sanctuary Computer: Development. We’re building a different type of technology shop – one that prioritizes close collaboration between the client and the craftsperson.
- XXIX: Design. We’re building a radically different kind of organization that values autonomy, growth, transparency, and shared responsibility.
About the Role
We're looking for a Senior Shopify Developer who balances deep e-commerce expertise with modern frontend engineering. You'll build pixel-perfect, hyper-performant storefronts ranging from custom Liquid themes to headless Hydrogen/Next.js implementations.
Responsibilities
- Collaborating closely with Technical Leads and Designers to meet clients' custom e-commerce and technical needs.
- Building and maintaining high-performance storefronts using both custom Liquid (Online Store 2.0) and modern headless architectures (Shopify Storefront API, GraphQL, Hydrogen/Remix, Next.js).
- Implementing responsive, accessible, and pixel-perfect interfaces based on design specifications, with meticulous attention to product interaction details and motion design.
- Integrating custom storefronts with headless CMS platforms (Sanity, Contentful), payment gateways, subscriptions, search, and third-party e-commerce APIs.
- Optimizing e-commerce performance, focusing heavily on Core Web Vitals, image/video asset delivery, bundle size, and runtime efficiency.
- Architecting scalable, reusable component libraries and design systems.
- Writing clear documentation for store management, custom app integrations, and codebase maintenance.
- Participating in project team rituals, including Sprint Planning, daily standups, code reviews, and retrospectives.
Requirements
Must-Have Competencies
- 8+ years writing highly performant frontend code with an obsession for 95+ Lighthouse scores and optimal Core Web Vitals.
- Deep Shopify Ecosystem Mastery: Proven experience building custom Shopify themes (Liquid, JSON templates, Online Store 2.0) as well as headless storefronts using the Shopify Storefront API (GraphQL) and frameworks like Hydrogen/Remix or Next.js.
- Modern Frontend Tech: Expert-level experience with TypeScript and modern CSS methodologies (Tailwind CSS, CSS Modules) alongside robust animation libraries (GSAP, Framer Motion).
- Headless CMS & Integrations: Extensive experience merging Shopify with headless CMS platforms like Sanity, Contentful, or Prismic, as well as third-party services (Klaviyo, Recharge, Algolia/Searchspring, Stripe).
- Platform & Hosting: Fluency in 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 cart state, multi-currency, and checkout flows.
- Quality & Accessibility: Experience building accessible (WCAG compliant), responsive interfaces with a strong commitment to SEO best practices and testing frameworks (Jest, Playwright, Cypress).
- Performance Optimization: Practical knowledge of WebSockets, caching strategies (Redis, CDN-level/Cloudflare), and advanced image delivery networks.
Nice-to-Have Competencies
- Custom App Development: 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: Setting up server-side tracking, GTM, Meta Pixel, and Customer Privacy APIs.
- WebGL, Canvas & 3D: Experience building interactive graphics, 3D product visualizers, or canvas animations using Three.js.
- Full-Stack & API Design: Experience across backend/database layers (PostgreSQL), REST/GraphQL API design, and authentication flows (OAuth, JWT).
- Client-Facing & Management: Direct experience working with clients to clarify requirements, defining product roadmaps, or leading engineering teams.
Compensation
Our pay scale ranges from $40/hr to $120/hr pending seniority and team leadership experience. Projects are rarely less than 8 full-time weeks at 40 hours per week. We prefer long-standing relationships and encourage candidates to expect longer-term engagements.
How We Work
- Transparency & Ownership: We release our Profit & Loss statements to the community each year and open source our best ideas.
- 150% Carbon Negative: Our studio offsets 150% of the carbon we use to do business. We turn down work that is not in-line with our morals.
- Strong Morals: We have turned down $1mm - $2mm of work that didn't meet our moral standards.
- Async & Decentralized: We use tools optimized for calm, thoughtful communication and opt for async whenever possible.
- Remote Friendly: Our company is fluent in remote work.
- Ideas & Products: In our spare studio time, we work to build our own open-source or internal products.
How to Apply
Please submit a complete and thoughtful application, including relevant links that help verify your work experience and identity.