Tech Lead (Backend)

Bluecadet; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Remote; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-First

Job summary

Bluecadet, an award-winning experience design agency, seeks a Backend Tech Lead to own the technical foundation of a major web project. You will architect CMS-driven systems, mentor developers, and guide pitches with clear tradeoffs.

You’ll collaborate with creative leads from concept to launch, manage hosting and deployments, and contribute to reusable modules while advancing accessibility and performance.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional development experience.
• Deep expertise in Drupal 11, PHP 8, and modern PHP OO.
• Strong knowledge of Git, Composer, DDEV or Lando, and PHPUnit.
• Experience with Drupal Migrate API, REST/XML/JSON:API, and content modeling.
• Familiarity with DNS configuration and managed hosting (Pantheon/Acquia).
• Proficiency in CI/CD tooling and automated testing; WCAG 2.2 AA awareness.
• Ability to communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical vision for CMS-driven websites and digital products.
• Architect systems and code starting with our flagship web build.
• Mentor developers and steward Drupal modules, tests, and changelogs.
• Collaborate with project leads from concept to launch; own hosting and deployments.
• Write technical documentation and perform code reviews.
• Drive launches to completion and maintain CI/CD pipelines.
• Identify reusable components and tools across projects.

Skills

Drupal 11

PHP 8

Object-oriented programming

Git/GitHub

Composer

DDEV or Lando

PHPUnit

Drupal Migrate API

JavaScript

SQL

REST/XML/JSON:API

DNS configuration

Pantheon/Acquia hosting

CI/CD workflows

Automated testing

WCAG 2.2 AA

AI-assisted development

Clear communication

Time management

Remote collaboration

Tools

Drupal modules

Twig & SDCs

GitHub Actions

Pantheon/Acquia hosting platforms

CI/CD tools

DDEV/Lando

Composer

Job description

Bluecadet is an award-winning, internationally-recognized experience design agency focused on producing transformative digital products and environments. We work with story and experience-driven organizations and brands. Past clients include The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Nike, MoMA, Harvard, the MIT Museum, Princeton, The Smithsonian Institution, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

We're looking for a backend Tech Lead to own the technical foundation of one of the largest web projects in our studio's history. This is a high-visibility role where your architecture decisions will shape how millions of people discover, explore, and engage with world-class content. You'll be the person the team trusts to get it right, and the person clients trust to explain why.

If you love elegant systems, thoughtful code, and the satisfaction of a smooth launch on a project that really matters, we'd love to meet you.

What you'll do

Lead the technical vision

• Architect systems and code for CMS-driven websites, digital products, and physical experiences, starting with our flagship web build.
• Partner with creative and project leads from first concept through launch day.
• Shape technology recommendations early, during pitch, strategy, and concept phases.
• Scope and estimate development work with confidence and clarity.
• Guide clients of every technical background through complex decisions, translating tradeoffs into plain language.
• Mentor fellow developers and help raise the bar across the team.
• Steward our internal Drupal modules and packages, including versioning, tests, and changelogs.

Bring it to life

• Collaborate with project managers on backlog grooming, ticket specs, and sprint planning.
• Build custom Drupal modules, content models, integrations, and content migrations.
• Write, debug, and optimize code, and jump in to unblock teammates when they need it.
• Deliver thoughtful code reviews that make everyone's work better.
• Own hosting, backups, deployments, and security updates.
• Maintain robust CI/CD pipelines.
• Write clear technical documentation.
• Lead launches and see projects across the finish line.

Make the whole studio stronger

• Spot recurring challenges across projects and turn them into reusable modules, tools, and starter kits.
• Help select, configure, and maintain the internal software systems we rely on.
• Help us thoughtfully put AI agents and tools to work across the studio.

What you bring

• 6+ years of professional development experience
• Deep expertise in:
  • Drupal 11: custom modules, configuration management, content modeling, and theming with Twig and Single Directory Components (SDCs)
  • PHP 8 and object-oriented programming
  • Git, GitHub, Composer, DDEV or Lando, and PHPUnit
  • Drupal Migrate API
  • JavaScript and SQL
  • APIs and integrations: REST, XML, JSON:API
  • DNS configuration
  • Managed hosting platforms such as Pantheon and Acquia
• Solid working knowledge of:
  • CI/CD tooling such as GitHub Actions
  • Automated testing such as PHPUnit
  • WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards
  • AI-assisted development with Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or similar tools
• Clear, confident communication with technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong time management across concurrent projects
• Comfort and success working remotely on a distributed team

Bonus points

We're especially excited to hear from candidates with experience in:

• WordPress, Sanity, and headless CMSes
• Node.js and npm
• React
• CSS
• GSAP
• User experience (UX) design principles
• Cultural-sector clients, including museums, libraries, and nonprofits

Benefits

• Remote-First

We operate a remote-first model. This means your primary work location is remote, but you are expected to work out of our studios or client locations for:

• Collaboration sessions with client and/or colleagues
• Internal workshops
• Mentoring and team sessions
• Cultural and social events
• On-site work