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cityofhamilton

Job ID #32039: Full Stack Drupal Developer

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Contribute to the City of Hamilton, one of Canada’s largest cities - home to a diverse and strong economy, an active and inclusive community, a robust cultural and dining scene, hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails and natural beauty just minutes from the downtown core, and so much more. Join our diverse team of talented and ambitious staff who embody our values of sensational service, courageous change, steadfast integrity, collective ownership and being engaged empowered employees. Help us achieve our vision of being the best place to raise a child and age successfully. #BeTheReason


  • Job ID #32039: Full Stack Drupal Developer
  • Union: Non-Union
  • Job Description ID #: 7889
  • Close date: Interested applicants please submit your application online at www.hamilton.ca/city-council/jobs-city
    by 9:00a.m. on July 2, 2026
  • Duration: 24 months
  • Vacancy type: New Position
  • Internal applicants should apply with your work e-mail address. External applicants are considered only after the internal posting process has been completed. Only applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted.


SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Digital Experience & Accessibility Advisor, the Full Stack Drupal Developer develops and maintains both the front-end and back-end of Hamilton.ca. As the sole in-house Drupal developer, this role collaborates with web publishers, digital media designers, digital accessibility specialists, and other stakeholders to translate requirements into secure, scalable, and user-friendly solutions, and coordinates with external vendors as needed. Responsibilities include building custom Drupal modules and themes, configuring content types, views, and taxonomies, and integrating third-party APIs and services in accordance with Drupal best practices and coding standards.


On the back end, the developer manages site architecture, database design, and performance optimization, including caching and server-side tuning. They maintain Drupal core and contributed modules, apply security updates, and resolve complex issues to ensure site stability and compliance. The role requires strong proficiency in PHP (Drupal’s core language), MySQL, and Drupal’s hook and plugin systems, along with experience in deployment workflows, version control, hosting environments, and Pantheon platforms, including automated testing and multidev workflows.


On the front end, the Full Stack Drupal Developer builds responsive and accessible interfaces using HTML5, CSS3/SASS, and JavaScript, applying modern front-end frameworks when appropriate. They optimize performance and usability across browsers and devices, ensure accessibility and SEO standards are met, and support continuous improvement through testing, documentation, and code reviews. Overall, the role blends technical depth with cross-functional collaboration to deliver high-quality digital experiences.


GENERAL DUTIES

Drupal Development & Site Architecture



  • Develop, configure, and maintain Drupal 10/11 websites, including custom modules, themes, content types, and overall site architecture.
  • Architect and deliver enterprise Drupal solutions, including data models, information architecture, and content workflows.
  • Extend and customize Drupal core and contributed modules using standard Drupal methodologies, and select, configure, or debug contributed modules to meet business requirements.
  • Lead Drupal site builds end-to-end, including planning, estimation, and defining technical approaches.
  • Configure content types, fields, view modes, form displays, and field formatters; build and maintain Views, Blocks, Menus, Taxonomy, and Media libraries.
  • Leverage advanced Drupal tools such as Paragraphs, Layout Builder, Entity Reference, and CTools to structure and manage content.
  • Stay up to date with the Drupal release schedule and implement new features and roadmap improvements to ensure sites remain secure, performant, and aligned with the latest platform capabilities.



Back-End Development, DevOps & Maintenance

  • Build custom Drupal modules using hooks, plugins, services, event subscribers, and custom entities.
  • Implement and extend Drupal APIs, including Form API, Entity API, and routing/controllers.
  • Integrate third-party systems and services using RESTful APIs while ensuring reliability, compliance, and performance.
  • Manage databases (MySQL) and optimize backend performance, scalability, and security.
  • Maintain Drupal core and contributed modules, apply security patches, and resolve complex technical issues.
  • Monitor and maintain site stability, implementing new Drupal roadmap features and platform improvements as part of ongoing upgrades and maintenance cycles.
  • Manage Pantheon hosting environments, including Dev, Test, Live, and Multidev workflows.
  • Use Git for version control and collaborate with internal teams and external vendors.
  • Configure and maintain CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment.
  • Write and maintain unit, integration, and end-to-end tests using tools such as PHPUnit and Behat to ensure code quality and reliability.
  • Monitor site performance and analytics to inform optimization strategies, including page load times, user engagement, and Drupal-specific performance metrics.



Web Audits / Testing

  • Apply WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards (or the most recent version) across all front-end and back-end development to ensure websites are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust – following a Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) approach.

  • Conduct regular accessibility audits using both automated tools (e.g., SiteImprove, axe) and manual methods to identify WCAG 2.1 Level AA non-conformances.

  • Perform comprehensive keyboard accessibility testing with and without a screen reader.

  • Audit forms and multi-step processes to ensure compliance and accessible authentication flows.
  • Review ARIA usage and HTML semantics following WAI-ARIA 1.2 guidance.

  • Leverage Drupal’s built-in accessibility features and follow Drupal accessibility coding standards to prevent accessibility regressions.

  • Document audit findings, remediation steps, and conformance status, ensuring issues are tracked and resolved before release.



Front-End Development

  • Develop responsive, accessible Drupal themes using HTML5, CSS3/SASS, JavaScript/jQuery, Twig, and modern front-end frameworks where appropriate.
  • Convert design comps, wireframes, and layouts into functional Drupal templates.
  • Ensure consistent styling and behavior across browsers, devices, and platforms.
  • Work with the Digital Accessibility Specialist to conduct accessibility testing and audits, ensuring Drupal sites comply with WCAG 2.1 AA and AODA, and apply findings to improve accessibility.



Collaboration & Delivery

  • Work independently as the sole in-house Drupal developer while coordinating with external vendors as required.
  • Evaluate and provide feedback on vendor deliverables to ensure quality, adherence to standards, and alignment with project requirements.
  • Document development standards, maintain technical documentation, and provide guidance or mentorship to internal stakeholders or vendors as needed.
  • Collaborate with web publishers, designers, accessibility specialists, and other stakeholders to deliver high-quality digital experiences.
  • Work closely with IT security teams to ensure adherence to organizational security standards, policies, and best practices.
  • Work in accordance with the provisions of applicable Health and Safety legislation and all City of Hamilton corporate and departmental policies and procedures related to Occupational Health and Safety.
  • Hours of work to primarily be during the day, with an expectation of evening and weekends where required.
  • Perform other duties as assigned which are directly related to the responsibilities of this position.



QUALIFICATIONS

  1. Experience related to the duties listed above, normally acquired through the completion of a post-secondary education in the field of Computer Science, Web Development/Web Design, Software Engineering or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  2. Experience in a fast-paced digital agency environment, managing multiple projects, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and delivering client-focused web solutions under tight timelines.
  3. Strong proficiency in PHP (v8+), MySQL, JavaScript/jQuery, HTML5, and CSS3/SASS.
  4. Deep knowledge of Drupal APIs, theming layer, hooks, plugins, and custom module development.
  5. Advanced Drupal site-building expertise, including Views, Paragraphs, Layout Builder, Media, and Taxonomy.
  6. Solid understanding of web performance optimization and SEO, including strategies to improve page load speed, caching, image optimization, and code efficiency, as well as familiarity with search engine best practices, metadata management, semantic HTML, URL structure, and accessibility considerations to ensure Drupal sites are both fast and discoverable.
  7. Hands-on experience with Pantheon hosting, including Multidev and automated testing workflows.
  8. Proficiency with Git, Composer, Drush, and command-line tools.
  9. Experience integrating RESTful APIs and third-party services.
  10. Familiarity with search appliances, specifically Apache Solr for enterprise search configuration and integration within Drupal.
  11. Expertise in AODA-compliant web development, with strong knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA, ARIA roles and attributes, and assistive technologiessuch as screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver).
  12. Certification in Pantheon or Acquia is an asset, indicating experience with Drupal site management, deployment, and cloud hosting best practices.
  13. Certification in accessibility standards (e.g., Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA), Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS)) is an asset.
  14. Excellent organizational, time management, and project coordination abilities, including managing multiple concurrent tasks under tight deadlines.
  15. Strong collaborative skills, with the ability to receive and incorporate feedback from team members.
  16. Display a high degree of judgment, discretion, and confidentiality in handling sensitive projects and communications.
  17. Experience in municipal, government, or regulated environments is an asset, especially where accessibility, brand compliance, and stakeholder management are critical.


HOURS:

35 per week


Disclaimer:

Be advised that Human Resources frequently audits resumes of internal/external applicants to ensure/validate information provided is consistent and trustworthy. Falsification of information provided at any time throughout the recruitment process may be grounds for disqualification, and for internal applicants, subject to discipline up to and including termination.


Terms:

The City is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. Consistent with our Values and Corporate Culture Pillars, the City of Hamilton is committed to providing equitable treatment to all with respect to barrier-free employment and accommodation without discrimination. The City will provide accommodation for applicants in all aspects of the hiring process, up to the point of undue hardship. If you have an accommodation need, please contact Human Resources as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.