Web Designer and Developer

Critical Playground LLC; Lakeland, Northern (FL, KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Florida Polytechnic University is seeking a Web Designer and Developer to lead the design, development, and ongoing enhancement of the University’s websites and digital platforms.

The role combines strong front-end design and user experience expertise with hands-on WordPress and Elementor development, including SEO, accessibility, and performance improvements. Collaboration with campus stakeholders is essential to align with University standards.

Qualifications

• Strong front-end design and UX expertise.
• Experience with WordPress and Elementor.
• Back-end development with PHP and JavaScript.
• Ability to coordinate content and train contributors.

Responsibilities

• Designs and develops responsive, accessible webpages using WordPress and Elementor.
• Manages web initiatives as project manager, coordinating content and technical needs.
• Maintains WordPress administration, user roles, content workflows, and contributor support.
• Provides back-end development and technical support: plugins, APIs, integrations, and debugging.
• Optimizes websites for UX, accessibility, SEO, mobile, and performance using analytics.
• Collaborates with IT on hosting, security, and infrastructure.

Skills

Front-end design

WordPress

Elementor

HTML/CSS/JavaScript

PHP

APIs

SEO

Accessibility

Tools

WordPress

Elementor

Job description

Make a difference at one of Florida’s premier institutions for education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Florida Polytechnic University, ranked the No. 1 public college in the region by U.S. News and World Report, offers a unique working environment that encourages faculty and staff to be part of a culture that prizes collaboration, innovation, and the willingness to go above and beyond to ensure our students and University succeed. Florida Poly offers a small campus academic environment where students form connections with their faculty and peers as they pursue high-value degrees in engineering and applied sciences.

The University is equipped with cutting-edge facilities and equipment and two award-winning, architecturally distinct academic buildings. Its evolving curriculum, designed to meet the needs of industry and provide a life-long educational foundation for students, has helped the institution grow in prominence since its opening in 2014. Florida Poly’s deliberately small classes, affordability, and outstanding graduate outcomes have helped it earn recognitions such as being named a top value school, in the top 25 nationally for affordability, and in the top five best universities in the South for tech students. Accredited by ABET and SACSCOC, Florida Poly is educating some of the brightest minds in Florida and attracting standout talent from across the nation.

JOB TITLE

Web Designer and Developer

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s only public university exclusively focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), is looking for exceptional candidates to serve as the Web Designer and Developer in the department of Strategic Communications.

The Web Designer and Developer serves as the primary designer and developer for Florida Polytechnic University’s web presence, leading the design, development, maintenance, optimization, and ongoing enhancement of the University’s websites and digital platforms.

As part of the Strategic Communications team, this position combines strong front-end web design and user experience expertise with hands‑on web development capabilities to create modern, engaging, accessible, responsive, and high‑performing digital experiences. Serving as a project manager for web initiatives, the position works with campus stakeholders to plan and develop new webpages and website sections, coordinate content updates, establish user roles and permissions, and train and support content contributors to ensure website information remains accurate, current, and consistent with University standards.

The position has a strong emphasis on front‑end design and development within WordPress and Elementor, including page design, layouts, templates, navigation, responsive and interactive experiences, SEO, and ongoing website enhancements. The role also provides back‑end development and technical support, including WordPress administration, custom functionality, plugin management, APIs and third‑party integrations, forms, PHP and JavaScript, troubleshooting, and website performance optimization. The position incorporates AI and emerging technologies into web design, development, optimization, and maintenance to improve efficiency, functionality, and the overall digital experience.

The Web Designer and Developer also works closely with Information Technology to support hosting environments, security, system reliability, and other technical infrastructure needs.

JOB DESCRIPTION

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serves as the University’s primary web designer and developer, responsible for the design, development, maintenance, optimization, and ongoing enhancement of University websites and digital platforms.
• Designs and develops responsive, accessible, user‑friendly webpages, landing pages, templates, navigation, and interactive experiences using WordPress and Elementor while maintaining University brand standards.
• Serves as project manager for web initiatives, collaborating with departments to develop new webpages and website sections, coordinate content and technical needs, and implement effective web solutions.
• Manages website content, WordPress administration, user roles and permissions, content workflows, and training and support for campus content contributors.
• Provides back‑end development and technical support, including custom functionality, plugins, forms, APIs, third‑party integrations, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
• Optimizes the website for user experience, accessibility, SEO, mobile responsiveness, performance, and search visibility, using analytics and user behavior data to