Senior Shopify Developer

Sanctuary Computer Inc., a forward-thinking design and software development studio dedicated to innovative and collaborative technology solutions, is seeking a seasoned Senior Shopify Developer to join their dynamic Design and Development Team on a contract basis. This role offers the opportunity to work remotely from anywhere in the world, contributing to cutting-edge e-commerce projects.

About the Role

As a Senior Shopify Developer, you will be instrumental in bringing clients' unique e-commerce visions to life. You'll collaborate closely with Technical Leads and Designers, translating complex requirements into high-performing, visually appealing, and technically robust online storefronts. The position demands a blend of creativity and technical prowess, focusing on both traditional Shopify theme development and the sophisticated world of headless architectures.

Your responsibilities will span the entire development lifecycle, from initial concept to ongoing optimisation. You will be expected to:

• Develop and maintain exceptional Shopify storefronts. This includes leveraging custom Liquid for Online Store 2.0 capabilities and implementing modern headless solutions using the Shopify Storefront API, GraphQL, and frameworks such as Hydrogen/Remix or Next.js.
• Craft and implement responsive, accessible, and pixel-perfect user interfaces that precisely match design specifications. A keen eye for detail, particularly concerning product interactions and motion design, will be crucial.
• Integrate various third-party services and platforms with custom storefronts. This may involve connecting to headless CMS solutions like Sanity or Contentful, payment gateways, subscription services, advanced search functionalities, and other e-commerce APIs.
• Champion performance optimisation across all storefronts. A significant focus will be placed on achieving excellent Core Web Vitals scores, optimising image and video asset delivery, minimising bundle sizes, and ensuring runtime efficiency, especially on high-traffic collection and product pages.
• Design and build scalable, reusable component libraries and design systems specifically suited for commercial e-commerce platforms.
• Produce clear and comprehensive documentation for store management, custom application integrations, and general codebase maintenance.
• Actively participate in all project team rituals, including Sprint Planning, daily stand-ups, thorough code reviews, and retrospective meetings, fostering a collaborative and efficient development environment.

What They're Looking For

Sanctuary Computer Inc. is searching for an experienced developer with a deep understanding of the Shopify ecosystem and a passion for frontend excellence. Ideal candidates will possess:

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in writing highly performant frontend code, with a proven track record of achieving high Lighthouse scores and optimal Core Web Vitals.
• Extensive mastery of the Shopify ecosystem. This includes demonstrable experience in building custom Shopify themes using Liquid and JSON templates (Online Store 2.0), as well as headless storefronts utilising the Shopify Storefront API (GraphQL) and modern frameworks like Hydrogen/Remix or Next.js.
• Expert-level proficiency with modern frontend technologies. This includes strong skills in TypeScript, contemporary CSS methodologies such as Tailwind CSS and CSS Modules, and experience with robust animation libraries like GSAP or Framer Motion.
• Substantial experience integrating Shopify with headless CMS platforms (e.g., Sanity, Contentful, Prismic) and various third-party e-commerce services (e.g., Klaviyo, Recharge, Algolia/Searchspring, Stripe).
• Fluency in industry-standard Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) environments, including Vercel, Netlify, and Shopify Oxygen.
• Solid experience with state management solutions (e.g., Zustand, Redux, Pinia) and understanding API integration patterns for complex functionalities like cart state management, multi-currency support, and checkout flows.
• A strong commitment to building accessible (WCAG compliant) and responsive user interfaces, coupled with a deep understanding of SEO best practices, testing frameworks (Jest, Playwright, Cypress), and the principles of maintainable code.
• Practical knowledge of performance optimisation techniques, including WebSockets, effective caching strategies (Redis, CDN-level/Cloudflare), and advanced image delivery networks.

For a Senior Shopify Developer in South Africa, roles like this can range significantly in salary depending on experience and the specific company, but typically fall within the R40,000 to R80,000+ per month bracket for experienced contract or permanent positions. While Sanctuary Computer Inc. is an international studio, local opportunities often arise with agencies specialising in e-commerce, as well as larger retail brands investing heavily in their online presence. The career path for a senior developer often leads into technical leadership, solution architecture, or specialised consulting within the e-commerce domain.

• 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, testing frameworks (Jest, Playwright, Cypress), and maintainable code.
• Performance Optimization: Practical knowledge of WebSockets, caching strategies (Redis, CDN-level/Cloudflare), and advanced image delivery networks.