Sr. Front End Creative Developer (Freelance / Contractor)

Sr. Front-End Creative Developer

Metajive is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Sr. Front-End Creative Developer with deep expertise in modern JavaScript frameworks (Next.js, React) and a passion for creating exceptional user experiences. You will be the architect of our client-facing applications, responsible for transforming complex designs and back-end data into fast, robust, and engaging interfaces. Your primary focus will be on Next.js development and seamless integration with our headless Craft CMS.

This is a freelancer/contractor role, but could open doors to future work with us

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of high-performance, responsive, and accessible user interfaces using Next.js and React.
• Architect and implement seamless data consumption from our headless CMS APIs, with a strong focus on Craft CMS and GraphQL.
• Collaborate closely with back-end developers (who manage the PHP/Craft CMS API) to define and refine API contracts, ensuring optimal front-end performance.
• Translate UI/UX designs and wireframes into high-quality code (HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript/TypeScript).
• Implement and maintain state management solutions for complex application logic.
• Optimize front-end assets and code for maximum speed and scalability, focusing on Core Web Vitals and Lighthouse scores.
• Contribute to setting up and maintaining front-end testing frameworks and CI/CD pipelines relevant to the front-end environment.
• Troubleshoot and resolve front-end issues, bugs, and performance bottlenecks across various browsers and devices.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of professional experience in front-end development.
• Deep expertise in modern JavaScript (ES6+), HTML5, and CSS3/Sass/Tailwind.
• Experience working with a creative agency is a huge plus!
• Expert-level proficiency with Next.js and the broader React ecosystem (including Hooks, Context API, or Redux/Zustand).
• Significant, hands-on experience integrating front-end applications with headless CMS platforms, specifically with Craft CMS.
• GraphQL experience is a must, including proficiency in consuming and querying complex schemas.
• Strong understanding of static site generation (SSG) and server-side rendering (SSR) principles in Next.js.
• Proficiency in version control systems (Git) and collaborative development workflows.
• Familiarity with consuming RESTful APIs.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and proactive communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the proven ability to present to clients, mentor less-experienced developers, and manage project scope.
• A proactive, solution-oriented mindset. You are comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment and are ready to build the playbook for agency-level agentic execution.

Bonus Points:

• Experience with front-end testing frameworks (e.g., Jest, React Testing Library, Cypress).
• Familiarity with serverless functions (e.g., AWS Lambda, Vercel Functions).
• Experience with deployment to platforms like Vercel or Netlify.
• Working knowledge of modern authentication patterns (e.g., OAuth, JWT).
• A security-first mindset in development practices.

This is a Freelance/Contractor role with potential for future project work.