How to Write a Magento Developer Job Description

Writing an effective Magento developer job description is the first step toward hiring what may be one of the most important members of your team.

But how do you write one?

After almost 20 years of working with the platform, we know all about what aMagento developer is, what they do, and what to look for when you want to hire one.

Before we jump into looking at what these important job descriptions should include, it might be helpful to first cover what exactly a Magento developer does in case this is the first time you’ve hired for this position.

A Magento developer works with theMagento eCommerce platform, which allows businesses to sell products and services online. They deal with the architecture, features, and functionalities that make your online shop run smoothly. These professionals are not just code experts but should also understand eCommerce business strategies. They can work in-house or as contractors and usually collaborate with other team members, like UI/UX designers and database administrators.

Next, let’s talk about the duties and responsibilities you’ll most likely want to mention when writing your job descriptions. Obviously, your exact specifics will depend on your company’s unique Magento site or the sites on which your agency works. But these requirements are a good place to start:

Nothing on a resume will compare to actual experience – not someone’s degree or certifications and especially not what they’re “passionate” about. Experience is better than all of these things combined when hiring for just about any position, but this is especially true when it comes to a Magento developer.

So, make it clear in your job description that you’ll prioritize candidates who can prove they have experience working with this platform and can show you examples of the Magento websites they’ve worked on. You should also be sure to specify which versions of Magento they’ve worked with. There’s Magento 1 (which Adobe no longer supports) and Magento 2. When it comes to Magento 2, there’s Magento Open Source and Commerce.

If you have any questions about a candidate’s experience, you can always bring that up during the interview. In terms of the actual job description, just make sure you’re requiring proof of a candidate’s experience when they apply.

One of the many reasons to love Magento is how easily it integrates with so many other platforms, tools, and Magento extensions. So, in your job posting, list out any of the ones your site uses or that you tend to use when working on your clients’ sites. And think about other tools like CRMs, payment gateways, or even supply chain management systems that would be helpful for them to know.

Many job descriptions are too vague when it comes to this important requirement. Be clear about which tool your ideal Magneto developer must absolutely be comfortable working with in order to fill the position.

Similarly, a candidate could have all kinds of skills and experience working with Magento without ever having worked with its many multistore capabilities. So, again, if your company needs someone who understands this aspect of the platform, be sure to say as much in your job posting.

It might seem like this goes without saying, but just because every eCommerce store needs to be mobile-friendly doesn’t necessarily mean that every developer understands what that requires. When writing your job description, ask candidates to prove they’ve worked on Magento websites that are definitely mobile-friendly.

And while we mentioned how important experience is, it doesn’t hurt if a candidate can also prove that they have put in the time to earn Magento certifications from Adobe. If they’ve put in the time – and money – to earn certifications, they’re definitely serious about Magento development.

Requiring proof that they’ve invested in ongoing education isn’t a bad idea, either. Magento is a dynamic platform that’s constantly changing. You want somebody who’s aware of this and clearly does their best to keep up. Ongoing education in PHP, HTML, CSS, or some other programming language is a good sign, too. A candidate who is constantly striving to improve is the kind who will bring that same type of dedication to their new job.

Being proficient as a Magento developer means mastering all kinds of technical skills. So, beyond experience with the actual platform and Magento’s API, you should make it clear that you’re looking for people who are also competent in things like HTML, CSS, PHP programming, MySQL, and JavaScript. And again, make it clear that, ideally, you’d like to see proof of these competencies.

While proof that a candidate has experience working with Magento is vital, it’s almost as important that you prioritize candidates who have a strong understanding of eCommerce, too. It might seem like working with this platform and understanding eCommerce go hand-in-hand, but that’s not always the case. Many Magento developers don’t have a strong understanding of things like UX, CRO, andSEO best practices. They may never have worked with a payment gateway or dealt with other common challenges that show up when building an effective eCommerce website.

When you think of effective developers, “soft skills” may not immediately come to mind. Many people imagine the role as a solitary one with limited human interaction. But the truth is that the best developers are actually very cooperative and great at collaborating. This is especially true of Magento developers who usually need to tackle projects with other teammates.

This is why some version of the phrase “able to work in a collaborative setting” is almost always on job descriptions for this important role. If someone can’t collaborate, cooperate, and take directions, they’re going to struggle to work as a Magento developer.

You can read this helpful post by Dr. John Sullivan on how to assess a candidate’s soft skills in an interview, which will probably come in handy for all kinds of interviews – not just when looking for your next Magento developer.

Alright, now let’s finally get to the description.

First and foremost, it’s never a bad idea to turn to Google or LinkedIn and see what other job descriptions for this important role look like.

That said, here are some simple steps for creating a job post that will find the best developer for your company. You can use these instructions almost as a template by just deleting the instructions and then editing as necessary.

Start by quickly listing the basics of the position. This is just a quick summary of the role:

• Company Name
• Website
• Job Title (i.e., Magento Developer, Senior Magento Developer, Magento Cloud Developer, etc.)
• Position Type (i.e., Full-Time, Part-Time, Remote, Onsite, Hybrid, etc.)
• Salary

The idea is that a candidate should be able to look at this section and know right away if it’s what they’re looking for in a position.

Next, talk a bit about your company:

• When it was founded
• The industry your company is in
• Any mission or goals you think are relevant
• How the Magento role supports these aims

Again, the idea is that you want to help a candidate decide if this is a good fit for them. It can also help them craft a cover letter specific to your company’s unique development needs.

Aside from the salary, are there other reasons developers would love working for your business? Do you offer:

• A 401k?
• Employee match?
• Other retirement options?
• Ongoing learning reimbursement?
• Flexible hours?

This is also when you can highlight aspects of your company’s work culture that might be appealing to candidates. For help with that, check out this article on including company culture in your job description.

This is where you’ll list your objective, “must haves” for the role. Things like:

• Bachelor’s degree in Web Development, Computer Science, or Similar Field
• Number of Years of Magento 2 development experience
• Familiarity with JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and PHP
• Familiarity with eCommerce and SEO best practices
• Familiarity with payment gateway integrations

Feel free to add any other qualifications based on your company's specific needs or disregard those that don’t matter (e.g., they should probably know PHP, but maybe they don’t need to thoroughly understand SEO).

This section should describe the type of work your developer will be doing every day. This is also where you’ll include any soft skills you want in a candidate. So, your description may include:

• Collaborating with other front- and back-end Magento developers to optimize the site’s UX
• Creating, updating, and customizing Magento themes (i.e.,Hyvä) and modules
• Designing and coding various Magento templates
• Integrating payment databases, gateways, and other third-party extensions and tools
• Keeping up to date on the latest Magento development trends and eCommerce strategies

It’s a good idea to show this section to your current developers and ask them if there’s anything else they’d include here in order to handle this role.

As a Magento development agency with nearly 20 years of experience, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about this popular platform. So, if you’d like even more resources about Magento (including Adobe Commerce), check out:

• How Much a Magento Website Costs
• 20 SEO Tips for Magento Sites
• How to Hire a Magento Agency

And, of course, if you have any questions, you can alwayscontact us or check out our other services, like our Magento SEO services, Magento code audit services, and upgrade Magento services.