CTO / Senior Developer

Way Labs is hiring a part-time, remote CTO / Senior Developer on a contract basis to take technical ownership of a replacement cloud platform for an existing e-commerce, warehouse, and retail system. This role is focused on data migration, mission-critical integrations, proof and testing before cutover, and dependable AWS hosting, with an on-call component after go-live.

What you’ll help Way Labs deliver

You will lead the technical execution required to switch from the current platform to a new cloud environment. The work centers on moving large production datasets, integrating multiple sales, shipping, payments, and tax services, and proving the new system behaves correctly before anything is turned on. After the January cutover weekend, you’ll provide responsible engineering coverage for real issues when the owner is not around.

Responsibilities

• Review the data model and architecture (a paid trial task starts the engagement).
• Lead data migration for approximately 6.7 million orders and 18.5 million lines, plus customers, stock, gift cards, and rewards, from the existing Postgres database into the new one.
• Run practice migrations and reconciliation at the cent level, including a rollback plan.
• Own integrations across Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Shopify, Faire; FedEx, USPS and UPS; Square, Braintree and PayPal; TaxCloud; and Signifyd.
• Own proof and testing: maintain the test suite, replay real order history against the old system, and run nightly side-by-side comparisons before cutover. Nothing switches on without passing evidence.
• Provide AWS hosting, security, and reliability, including backups with tested restores, monitoring and alerts, a web application firewall, and a weekly security review.
• Lead technical execution during the switch weekend in January.
• After go-live, act as the responsible engineer for real problems when the owner is not available, including on-call coverage.

Requirements

• 10+ years building and running production systems, ideally with e-commerce, order management, warehouse, or ERP experience.
• Strong Postgres skills: schema design, large data migrations, performance, and row-level security.
• Hands-on TypeScript and Node, plus React for admin screens.
• Production experience integrating carrier, payment, and marketplace APIs.
• AWS (or similar) operations experience: deployments, backups, monitoring, and incident response.
• Hands-on use of AI coding tools such as Claude Code, paired with strong judgment to verify outputs before release.
• Calm, plain-English communication with a non-technical owner, including what you checked and what you could not.

Schedule, pay, and engagement

• Hours: about 10–20 hours/week through the January cutover, about 5–10 hours/week through April, then 2–4 hours/week plus a monthly on-call retainer.
• Pay: $100–$150 per hour (contract), depending on experience.
• Work location: Remote.
• Engagement: Long-term relationship.

Technologies

Postgres, TypeScript, Node, React, AWS, Amazon SP-API, Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Shopify, Faire, FedEx, USPS, UPS, Square, Braintree, PayPal, TaxCloud, Signifyd, Claude Code, plus exposure to ColdFusion, Supabase, and Vercel.

Nice to have

• ColdFusion (the old system)
• Supabase
• Vercel
• Warehouse automation

Benefits

• Flexible schedule

How to apply

Send a short note covering (1) the largest data migration you have led and how you proved it was correct, and (2) your experience with AI coding tools. A link to your work or LinkedIn profile is enough. No cover letter needed.

Application questions

• Describe the largest data migration you have led: size, where it moved from and to, and how you proved the result was correct.
• Which integrations have you delivered in production: Amazon SP-API, Walmart, Shopify, FedEx, USPS, UPS, Square, Braintree, TaxCloud? Describe one hard problem you solved with one of them.
• Which AI coding tools do you use today, and how do you check what they produce before it goes live?
• At 9 PM on Black Friday, the tax service starts failing at checkout. What do you do in the first 30 minutes?
• How many hours a week can you commit through January, and can you be on call after go-live?