Freelance / Part-Time PHP Developer / Programmer

Reports to: VP Operations

Location: Downtown Chicago (River North)

About us: “Green" e-commerce company dedicated to serving the triple bottom line has an immediate need for an outstanding PHP developer. We offer a selection of smart, innovative, eco-friendly products that help people consume less. For most of our existence, people have known us as ReusableBags.com - the site that spawned the reusable shopping bag movement and raised awareness of the plastic bag problem. However, through our vision and actions we've always been much more. To embody what we're all about, our store and proprietary line of innovative products are now named reuseit.com (reuse it). The name captures the essence of our proactive spirit to adopting a reusables lifestyle.

As a leader we have developed a strong brand, large rapidly growing customer base, and are generating enormous buzz –highlights include USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Chicago Tribune, CNN, ABC News, NPR's Marketplace and an endorsement in An Inconvenient Truth.

Description: Projects will include design, develop, and maintenance of core website functionality.  Development activities will encompass changes to both the customer facing site, the site’s back-end supporting business operational functions, and marketplace product feeds.

The developers must have excellent PHP experience with a solid foundational understanding of the LAMP technology toolset.  Based on specific skills and experience, some projects and areas of focus include:

  • enhanced site search functionality
  • moving site content to content delivery network and developing a versioning system (Phing or related experience required)
  • adding payment forms and feeding products into other marketplaces (checkout & product feed experience required)
  • social networking integration
  • order and fulfillment automation
  • increasing operational efficiencies and data utility (reporting)
  • fixing defects and bugs in the current systems

The developers may also work with web design and marketing teams on various user-experience / design projects designed to improve conversions.

Aside from the required skills and experience, we are looking for candidates who share our passion for the environment and social issues. Developers must have an excellent work ethic and communication skills. Code must be clean, well-written and well documented.

Site basics: Our site is designed according to MVC (Model-View-Controller) logic, specifically in the Zend framework. The front-end of the site is split into two sections, "info-side" and the “store”. The info-side is managed by a custom-CMS, which is also built in the Zend framework, and the store side is managed by a highly customized installation of osCommerce. We serve up some content via Amazon Cloudfront, and plan to move more there. Code development is managed/coordinated via SVN.

We are open to a range of candidates from intermediate to more senior PHP programmers; we are able and eager to provide a flexible and enjoyable work environment. Our objective is to find a sharp, enthusiastic developers excited about Open Source and sustainable products.

Required Skills and Experience:

  • 3 + years of PHP and HTML
  • 2 + years of Javascript
  • 2 + years of CSS
  • 2 + years of SQL (preferably mysql 4/5)
  • 2 + years of linux (linux enthusiasts preferred!)
  • 2 + years of Zend Framework
  • Oscommerce, osCmax, Zen cart, or Magento experience
  • Subversion and Trac source code management
  • Demonstrated understanding of MVC architecture, object oriented design, template and/or tag libraries

The following skills are not required but are favorable:

  • BS or BA degree in software engineering or computer science
  • Experience with 3rd party PHP and Javascript libraries (Smarty, jQuery)
  • E-commerce and GUI interface design
  • Paypal and Payflo pro payment systems, credit card authorization
  • PHPUnit/Unit testing framework

Be at the front of and help propel a paradigm shift, while gaining tremendous and valuable experience.

We offer a strong compensation package based on individual and company results upside potential. Levers include salary / hourly rate plus incentives. Full timers receive health and dental insurance, profit sharing and equity.

We have an entrepreneurial work environment with a lot of autonomy. While a casual environment, work is fast paced and outstanding results are expected. Limited flex-time/telecommuting are possibilities. Approximate office hours: M-F, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM.

We are an ethics-driven organization and pride ourselves on having a workplace with open communication, mutual respect and the golden rule. We are very selective – whether selecting products, vendors or hiring employees - in order to insure a good fit.

Think you’re a great fit? Complete the PHP Questionnaire on our careers page and email it with your resume to careers@reuseit.com with "PHP Developer Application – LAST_NAME" as the subject. Please do not call at this time or email to any other email addresses, no exceptions. All email will be answered.

Know someone who might be a good fit? Please forward this description to them.

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