Barrel partners with CPG brands to elevate their online presence and drive growth through e-commerce, website optimization, email, SEO, and content strategy. As a globally distributed team, we are united by a mission to help clients succeed through thoughtful, customer-centric solutions. Our goal is to create experiences that resonate, add value, and build lasting connections with their communities.

The Role

We are open to contractor engagements for this role.

The AI Engineer / Shopify Developer is responsible for partnering with Barrel’s Technical and internal teams to redesign and launch new web and mobile products for our clients. The role centers on Shopify development, but extends to challenges adjacent to the platform — custom app development, domain and infrastructure setup, third-party integrations, data migrations, and the local developer workflows and AI tooling that make builds faster and more reliable.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement front-end and back-end solutions based on project requirements; contribute to tech specs, research, prototyping, scoping, and estimates
• Advise on app selection and build-vs-buy decisions; present technical information to PMs and clients when needed
• Evaluate Shopify themes and starting frameworks for compatibility with the AI-assisted development approach and recommend options
• Set up code repositories, GitHub-to-Shopify connections, deployment processes, domains, DNS, and environments; establish and document local developer workflows and tooling (e.g., Shopify CLI, AI coding tools) for reuse across projects
• Use AI tools to customize themes and templates to match approved design files (e.g., Figma); configure existing sections, blocks, and settings before writing custom code; hand-code custom Liquid, CSS, and JavaScript where AI cannot achieve the design
• Review design deliverables for feasibility, flag elements requiring significant custom development, and work with designers on alternatives
• Build responsive templates and components to Shopify Online Store 2.0 standards (or equivalent) in weekly sprints, with Theme Customizer-friendly components clients can modify post-launch
• Install, configure, and integrate third-party apps and services (e.g., ESPs, store locators, consent management, transactional email); develop custom Shopify apps, embeds, or middleware when off-the-shelf solutions fall short; integrate external APIs
• Plan and execute CMS-to-Shopify migrations (e.g., WordPress to Shopify) using tools such as Matrixify, custom scripts, or AI-assisted approaches; set up product matrices, metafields, and metaobjects
• Set up and test analytics integrations (e.g., GA4), structured data/JSON-LD, sitemaps, clean URL structures, and redirect handling
• Conduct visual comparison, browser/device, performance (Lighthouse), and accessibility testing; remediate bugs from internal QA and client UAT
• Participate in launch go-live sessions and provide post-launch support; contribute to best practices, standards, and knowledge sharing, including learnings from the AI-assisted workflow

Skills

• Hands-on experience with AI development tools (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot) and a track record of using them to accelerate production work
• Expert knowledge of front-end technologies (ES6+ JavaScript, CSS, modern build tooling, node/npm)
• Strong Shopify experience: Liquid, Online Store 2.0 themes, metafields/metaobjects, Shopify CLI, and the app ecosystem; experience with other CMS/e-commerce platforms (e.g., WordPress) a plus
• Experience with API integrations, custom app development, and data migration tooling
• Familiarity with and adherence to web standards and best practices for performance, accessibility, and SEO
• Experience with Git-based source control and deployment workflows
• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks across simultaneous workstreams
• Strong communication skills with individuals across a range of technical understanding; excellent organizational and time management skills

Experience

• 3+ years of professional experience in web development
  Prior experience working within a design and/or digital agency is a plus

Compensation

$30-$80/hour. Salary range for this contract position is dependent on experience, location, and mutually agreed schedule.