Automattic
Playground Wrangler
Job Summary
This role involves developing core tools for WordPress, primarily using PHP and TypeScript, and engaging with the community to improve APIs and prototypes. The candidate should have experience in advanced web technologies, API development, or browser/internal systems. Responsibilities include creating prototypes, reviewing code, and collaborating across teams to shape the future of WordPress Playground. The position is remote, emphasizes open source values, and offers a range of employee benefits focused on flexibility and inclusion.
Required Skills
Benefits
Job Description
WordPress Playground needs a developer to help us shape the future of WordPress. We’re looking for a senior person, interested equally in the technology, the people using the technology, and the big picture.
Some of your responsibilities will include:
- Build fundamental, low-level PHP tools intended for inclusion in WordPress Core (e.g. WP<->WP synchronization, streaming parsers, git clients).
- Read specifications, RFCs, web standards proposals (e.g. WHATWG HTML spec, git protocol, JSPI proposal).
- Publish rough, half-baked prototypes to inspire the community and draw out the early reactions (e.g. a WordPress IDE, recording WordPress (test runs) with Playwright, a Blueprints builder).
- Coordinate with the community and other Automattic teams.
Responsibilities:
- Develop code for WordPress Playground, both in TypeScript and PHP, submit well described Github issues and pull requests, and engage in discussion and code reviews.
- Communicate in a friendly and professional way with community members and help them take submissions over the finish line.
- Make use of existing documentation resources and examples, and improve them where you see fit or make improvements to the APIs to help the community to achieve tasks faster.
Requirements:
We’d like you to have built something in one or two areas listed below which required a deep dive into those areas. Three is more than enough.
- Web Assembly
- Offline apps
- Live collaboration
- Mobile apps
- Stream-processing data
- Parsers
- Browser extensions
- Web browser internals (e.g. chromium codebase)
- PHP internals (the C codebase)
- Git internals (the .git store, the protocol)
- Helping define new web standards (e.g. contributing to WASM standards discussions, participating in PHP mailing lists, proposing RFCs for WordPress – even if there’s no RFC process in place)
Salary range: $70,000-$170,000 USD - Please note that salary ranges are global, regardless of location, and we pay in local currency.
We are searching for high-caliber candidates with the skills and qualities to have a net positive for Automattic. Pay will reflect the potential contribution and the impact you can bring, which may, in some cases, go beyond the range stated.
We’re pleased to offer a straightforward, competitive base salary, providing financial clarity without complex variable components. This isn’t your typical work-from-home job: we are a fully-remote company with an open vacation policy. To see a full list of benefits by country, consult our Benefits Page. And check out these links to learn more about How We Hire and What We Expect from Ourselves. #LI-Remote
About Automattic
We’re the people behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Tumblr, Simplenote, Jetpack, Longreads, Day One, Pocket Casts, and more. We believe in making the web a better place.
We’re a distributed company with more than 1400 Automatticians in nearly every corner of the globe, speaking over a hundred different languages. Enriched by this diversity, we’re united by a singular mission: to democratize publishing, commerce, and messaging so anyone with a story can tell it, anyone with a product can sell it, and everyone can manage their communications from a single source. In short, we help maintain a balance in society, creating and continually refining powerful tools people can use to compete fairly—regardless of income, gender, politics, language, or where they live in the world.
We believe in Open Source, and the vast majority of our work is available under the GPL. Automattic is a Most Loved Company and Disability Confident Committed. (Here’s what that might mean for you.) Learn more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion and our Employee Resource Groups.
If you need disability-related accommodations during the application or interview process, please fill out this form. We are committed to ensuring an accessible hiring process for all candidates.
Track your application status and more at MyGreenhouse.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
Automattic
We are passionate about making the web a better place. WordPress.com Your blog or website has a (free!) home on the web. Your story, your way. Beeper Tower of Babel fragmented messaging woes you need a Beeper. Tumblr Where your interests connect you to your people, one post at a time. Day One Capture private thoughts. Journal…
See more jobsSafe Remote Job Search Tips
Verify Employer Thoroughly
Research the company's identity thoroughly before applying. Check for a professional website with contacts, active social media, and LinkedIn profiles. Verify details across platforms and look for reviews on Glassdoor or Trustpilot to confirm legitimacy.
Never Pay to Get a Job
Legitimate employers never require payment for applications, training, background checks, or equipment. Always reject upfront payment requests or demands for bank details, even if they claim it's for purchasing necessary work gear on your behalf.
Safeguard Your Personal Information
Protect sensitive data like SSN, bank details, or ID copies. Share this only after accepting a formal, written job offer. Ensure it's submitted via a secure company system or portal, never through insecure channels like standard email attachments.
Scrutinize Communication & Interviews
Watch for communication red flags: poor grammar, generic emails (@gmail), vague details, or undue pressure. Be highly suspicious of interviews held only via text or chat apps; legitimate companies typically use video or phone calls.
Beware of Unrealistic Offers
If an offer's salary or benefits seem unrealistically high for the work involved, be cautious. Research standard pay for similar roles. Offers that appear 'too good to be true' are often scams designed to lure you into providing information or payment.
Insist on a Formal Contract
Always secure and review a formal, written job offer or employment contract before starting work or sharing final personal details. Ensure it clearly defines your role, compensation, key terms, and conditions to avoid misunderstandings or scams.