About this role.
Fueled seeks a contract Senior Web Engineer to architect enterprise WordPress platforms and build scalable plugins, themes, and Gutenberg blocks using modern PHP and React. The role owns back-end technical direction, performance, caching, security, maintainability, and code-quality standards for large client projects. The engineer will collaborate directly with clients and distributed teammates while establishing reusable engineering patterns and mentoring through code reviews. It is a remote contractor-pool role with project invitations based on expertise and availability.
Role DNA
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Job Complexity
5/5Pace & Pressure
4/5Autonomy Level
5/5Communication Load
5/5Salary analysis
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Core skills
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Cover letter sample
Dear Hiring Team,
I am excited to apply for the Contract Senior Web Engineer role at Fueled. My background in architecting scalable WordPress platforms, modern PHP services, custom plugins, and Gutenberg blocks aligns closely with your need for durable, high-performance digital foundations.
I bring a pragmatic approach to performance engineering, caching strategy, code review, and maintainable Git-based delivery, while communicating technical trade-offs clearly with clients and distributed teams. I would welcome the opportunity to help Fueled deliver resilient web experiences and establish development patterns that elevate future projects.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Sample interview questions
I would begin with performance baselines using field and lab metrics, then profile application execution, database queries, object-cache behavior, and front-end asset delivery. I would prioritize the largest bottlenecks, implement measurable changes such as cache-key design, query optimization, and CDN or page-cache configuration, and validate results against agreed performance and stability targets.
I would use block metadata and a clear separation between editor configuration, rendering logic, and reusable React components. Server-side rendering would be used where dynamic or personalized content and SEO require it, while I would keep APIs versioned, sanitize all inputs, escape outputs, and document extension points for long-term maintainability.
I assess the functional and nonfunctional requirements first: traffic shape, editorial workflow, integrations, security, deployment constraints, and expected lifespan. I then present options with trade-offs around cost, reliability, delivery speed, and maintainability, recommend a path, and record the decision in an architecture decision record.
I keep reviews focused on correctness, security, performance, testability, and clarity rather than personal preference. I explain the impact of requested changes, distinguish blocking issues from suggestions, provide examples or pairing support when needed, and use shared standards to make reviews consistent across the team.
I would first make the reproduction reliable and gather evidence through logs, traces, and monitoring. Then I would isolate the cause across application code, infrastructure, caching layers, and third-party dependencies, ship the smallest safe fix with regression coverage, and document preventive actions such as alerts, tests, or runbooks.
Location: Remote — Anywhere (Open to applicants located anywhere around the globe.)
Fueled is a leading digital strategy, design, and engineering agency. We are a 300+ person team that has designed and built hundreds of digital products and experiences for brands like Google, Apple, The New York Times, ESPN, Victoria’s Secret, MGM Resorts, Albertsons, and CLEAR.
As a Contract Senior Web Engineer at Fueled, your mission is to architect the foundational systems that power dynamic, large-scale digital experiences. You will define the technical backbone of our projects, leveraging deep WordPress expertise to build robust, scalable solutions with modern PHP and sophisticated Gutenberg architecture.
Your work bridges critical business needs and elegant technical execution, ensuring the platforms you build are performant, maintainable, and capable of evolving with our clients’ ambitions. By setting a high bar for back-end craftsmanship and mentoring through your code, you’ll leave a lasting imprint on our products, our team, and the millions of users who interact with your work.
Intentionally remote, our team thrives in a culture that values flexibility, creativity, and cutting-edge technology. Together, we’re shaping the future of digital experiences.
What you will do:
- Architect and build the core of enterprise-level WordPress solutions, developing high-performance plugins and themes with modern PHP and sophisticated Gutenberg blocks in React.js.
- Define the back-end technical vision and strategy for large-scale projects, making critical decisions on architecture, performance, and scalability that set the stage for long-term success.
- Elevate the entire team’s output by providing expert code reviews that champion code quality, security, and maintainability.
- Solve complex performance and caching challenges, transforming slow, brittle systems into fast, resilient platforms that can handle millions of visitors.
- Your work will become the foundation upon which our clients build, creating the tools and systems that power digital experiences for a global audience.
What you will achieve:
- Within your first month, you’ll have taken ownership of a significant back-end feature or system, shipping code that demonstrates your architectural expertise.
- By the 3-month mark, a performance or caching improvement you championed will have resulted in a measurable increase in site speed or stability for a client project.
- Your technical guidance will have directly shaped a project’s strategy, with your architectural recommendations being implemented and praised by both the team and the client.
- You will have established a new pattern or best practice for WordPress development that has been adopted by other engineers, elevating the team’s collective output.
- By the end of your contract, you’ll leave behind a legacy of robust, well-architected systems that continue to perform at scale and a standing invitation for future collaboration.
About you:
- You have a deep passion for pushing WordPress to its limits, with expert-level mastery in modern PHP and a sophisticated understanding of the Gutenberg ecosystem.
- Your GitHub is a testament to your craft, filled with real-world WordPress code that demonstrates your ability to build elegant, scalable solutions – no whiteboard tests needed.
- You are a strategic partner and communicator, comfortable leading technical discussions with clients and translating their business needs into a powerful technical vision.
- You are a master of the back-end development lifecycle, with extensive Git workflow experience and a proven ability to expertly debug and optimize complex systems.
- You thrive on a distributed team, proactively collaborating and leading from the remote location of your choice to deliver exceptional results.
Contractor fee
Compensation is determined based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, projects, geographic location, and business needs.
Join our Contractor Pool
This role is designed as a contract position, offering you the opportunity to experience our team and culture while showcasing your contributions. When the fit and business needs align, some contractors are invited to explore a transition into full-time roles.
If you are passionate about Fueled’s mission and think you have what it takes to be successful in this role, even if you don’t check all the boxes – please apply. We’d appreciate the opportunity to review your application. Everyone gets a response.
Upon meeting the necessary criteria, you’ll join the Fueled contractor network, granting you access to project invitations tailored to your expertise and availability when they arise.
Any data provided will be processed in accordance with applicable law and our privacy policy. Curious about what to expect during our talent process? Check it out here.
We don’t want you to miss any communication from us! To ensure you receive updates on your application, please add jobs@fueled.com to your contacts list! #LI-Remote
Annual salary information is not provided for this position. Explore salary ranges for similar roles in our Salary Directory ›
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