T

Web Developer (Frontend, Next.js & Sanity CMS)

Tailscale
Full-time
Remote
Worldwide
๐ŸŒ Digital Marketing

๐Ÿ“Œ Core Information

๐Ÿ”น Job Title: Web Developer (Frontend, Next.js & Sanity CMS)

๐Ÿ”น Company: Tailscale

๐Ÿ”น Location: United States (Remote)

๐Ÿ”น Job Type: Full-time

๐Ÿ”น Category: Web Development / Frontend Engineering


๐Ÿ“Œ Essential Job Details

๐Ÿš€ Job Overview

Tailscale is seeking an experienced Web Developer to build and maintain their web presence, focusing on creating beautiful, performant, and accessible experiences that bring their brand to life. This role is critical in shaping the future of Tailscale's website and internal web tooling, with a focus on the Sanity CMS implementation. You'll work with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality web solutions while reporting to the web manager on the marketing team.

ASSUMPTION: Based on the description focusing on both frontend development and CMS implementation, this appears to be a mid to senior-level position requiring both technical expertise and project leadership skills.


๐Ÿ“‹ Key Responsibilities

Lead and up-level Sanity CMS implementation:

  • โœ… Redefine and optimize the Sanity CMS setup for improved scalability, flexibility, and user-friendliness
  • โœ… Architect reusable, maintainable schemas and workflows for seamless content publishing
  • โœ… Ensure self-serve enablement for stakeholders, reducing engineering dependencies
  • โœ… Improve performance, maintainability, and governance of CMS structure

Own and scale web development:

  • โœ… Develop and enhance tailscale.com, including landing pages, documentation, and marketing tools
  • โœ… Write clean, efficient, maintainable code prioritizing performance and accessibility
  • โœ… Optimize Next.js features (ISR, SSR, edge functions) for improved site speed
  • โœ… Build and refine reusable UI components for consistency across web properties

Lead large-scale web projects:

  • โœ… Take ownership of major web initiatives from planning through execution
  • โœ… Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align business goals with development priorities
  • โœ… Manage project complexity, timelines, and stakeholder expectations

Ensure best practices in web development:

  • โœ… Advocate for web performance, accessibility, and SEO best practices
  • โœ… Contribute to and maintain design systems, enforcing development standards
  • โœ… Stay ahead of industry trends, bringing innovative solutions to the team

๐ŸŽฏ Required Qualifications

Education: Not specified

Experience: Significant experience with Sanity CMS, Next.js, and frontend technologies; previous experience at a B2B SaaS company preferred

Skills:

  • Deep experience with Sanity CMS and structured content models
  • Strong proficiency in React, Next.js, and TypeScript
  • Experience with ISR, SSR, and API routes for performance optimization
  • Strong understanding of responsive design, semantic HTML, and modern CSS (Tailwind preferred)
  • Proven project leadership experience with multiple stakeholders
  • Strong organizational and communication skills
  • Knowledge of SEO best practices, A/B testing, and analytics tracking
  • Familiarity with Vercel, AWS, or other deployment platforms

ASSUMPTION: While no specific education requirements are mentioned, the technical depth and leadership components of this role typically require several years of progressive experience in web development with specialized knowledge in the mentioned technologies.


๐Ÿ’ฐ Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $140,000 - $175,000 USD

Benefits:

  • Equity incentive plan
  • Comprehensive health, vision, and dental coverage with no waiting period
  • Fully remote work environment with WeWork access
  • Annual company retreat and team off-sites
  • $1,500 USD annually for professional development
  • Flexible paid time off (company encourages 4-6 weeks annually)
  • $1,000 USD for home office setup plus company-owned laptop
  • Monthly home internet reimbursement
  • Generous parental leave program (up to 26 weeks)

Industry Comparison: The salary range is competitive for mid to senior-level frontend development roles in the US market, particularly for remote positions with this technology stack. The comprehensive benefits package including equity, flexible PTO, and professional development budget enhances the overall compensation package beyond just the base salary.


๐Ÿ“Œ Applicant Insights

๐Ÿ” Company Context

Industry Position: Tailscale is building network security software that makes it easy to securely interconnect people and devices. They're focused on creating a more accessible and safer internet experience.

Company Size: Not explicitly stated, but appears to be a growth-stage startup

Company Stage: Founded in 2019, fully distributed, venture-backed by Accel, CRV, Insight, Heavybit, and Uncork Capital

ASSUMPTION: Based on founding date (2019) and the venture capital backing from multiple firms, Tailscale appears to be a well-funded growth-stage startup that has likely secured Series A or B funding given the prestigious investor lineup.


๐Ÿ“Š Role Analysis

Career Level: Mid to Senior level

Reporting Structure: Reports to the web manager on the marketing team

Team Size/Composition: Will join two other developers on the web team

Growth Opportunities: Opportunity to lead major web initiatives, architect scalable solutions, and influence technical direction of the company's web presence

ASSUMPTION: The position appears to offer significant autonomy and leadership opportunities despite formally reporting to the marketing team, suggesting a technical leadership role that bridges marketing and engineering disciplines.


๐ŸŒ Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote

Geographic Context: United States-based, but part of a globally distributed team

Work Schedule: Not specifically mentioned, but likely flexible given the remote nature

Regional Considerations: Access to WeWork or similar coworking spaces provided; company supports travel to meet with team members in Canada, the US, or the UK

ASSUMPTION: As a fully distributed company, Tailscale likely embraces asynchronous work patterns while ensuring sufficient overlap for collaboration, common in remote-first technology companies.


๐Ÿ’ผ Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process: For frontend roles at tech companies like Tailscale, expect a multi-stage process including initial screening, technical assessment/coding challenge focusing on React/Next.js, portfolio review, system design discussion specific to CMS architecture, and culture fit interviews

Key Assessment Areas: Sanity CMS expertise, Next.js proficiency, project leadership capabilities, technical communication skills, and ability to translate business needs into technical solutions

Application Tips: Showcase concrete examples of Sanity CMS implementations, Next.js optimizations, and project leadership experience; highlight experience enabling non-technical users through intuitive interfaces

ATS Keywords: Next.js, Sanity CMS, React, TypeScript, SSR, ISR, Tailwind CSS, headless CMS, content modeling, schema design, frontend optimization, web performance, accessibility, SEO, Vercel

ASSUMPTION: These insights are based on standard industry practices for similar technical roles and the specific technologies mentioned in the job description.


๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Tools & Technologies

  • Frontend: React, Next.js, TypeScript
  • Styling: Tailwind CSS
  • CMS: Sanity
  • Deployment: Vercel (implied)
  • Analytics/Optimization: Mutiny, UserPilot (mentioned as nice-to-have experience)
  • Nice to have: Hugo, Go

ASSUMPTION: Given the Next.js focus, it's likely that the company also uses Node.js environments for API development, and Git for version control, though these aren't explicitly mentioned.


๐Ÿ‘” Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values: Flexibility, inclusivity, authenticity, work-life integration, innovation in network security

Work Style: Collaborative, cross-functional, strategic, creative with focus on enabling others

Self-Assessment: Consider whether you thrive in:

  • Leading projects that require coordination across multiple teams
  • Balancing technical excellence with stakeholder enablement
  • A remote-first environment that values autonomy and results
  • Being an advocate for best practices while maintaining pragmatism
  • A growth-stage startup environment that's evolving and scaling

ASSUMPTION: Based on the emphasis on cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder enablement, Tailscale likely has a culture that values both technical excellence and interpersonal skills.


โš ๏ธ Potential Challenges

  • Balancing technical development with stakeholder management across multiple departments
  • Managing expectations from non-technical teams while maintaining development standards
  • Leading large projects while still contributing as a hands-on developer
  • Evolving an existing CMS architecture while ensuring minimal disruption to content workflows
  • Maintaining accessibility and performance standards while implementing complex marketing requirements

ASSUMPTION: These challenges are inferred from the responsibilities described in the job listing and are common in roles that bridge technical implementation with content and marketing needs.


๐Ÿ“ˆ Similar Roles Comparison

This role differs from standard Frontend Developer positions by its strong emphasis on CMS architecture and enabling non-technical users. While many frontend roles focus primarily on UI/UX implementation, this position places equal importance on content management systems and cross-functional leadership.

Compared to a pure CMS Developer role, this position requires stronger frontend skills and broader web development expertise. Unlike a Marketing Developer role, it emphasizes technical architecture and scalability rather than focusing solely on campaign execution.

ASSUMPTION: This comparison is based on standard industry role definitions and the specific blend of responsibilities outlined in this job description.


๐Ÿ“ Sample Projects

  • Redesigning Sanity CMS schemas to improve content reusability across the website while simplifying the editing experience for content creators
  • Implementing a new component library that ensures brand consistency while improving performance metrics
  • Building a self-service landing page system allowing marketing teams to create and publish campaign pages without developer assistance
  • Optimizing Next.js rendering strategies to improve page load times and core web vitals scores
  • Developing interactive web experiences that showcase Tailscale's product capabilities in an engaging, accessible way

ASSUMPTION: These projects are illustrative examples derived from the responsibilities listed in the job description and typical needs of a company in this space.


โ“ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

  1. What are the current pain points with the Sanity CMS implementation that you're looking to address with this role?
  2. How do you measure success for the web team at Tailscale, and what are the key metrics you track?
  3. Can you describe the collaboration process between design, marketing, and web development for major initiatives?
  4. What's the decision-making process for adopting new technologies or approaches to web development?
  5. How does the web team balance feature requests from various stakeholders against technical debt and infrastructure needs?
  6. What opportunities exist for professional growth and skill development in this role as Tailscale continues to evolve?

ASSUMPTION: These questions are suggested based on the role type and company context but should be tailored to the specific interview situation and your personal priorities.


๐Ÿ“Œ Disclaimer

โš ๏ธ This enhanced job description was AI-generated based on the original job listing. Information has been organized and supplemented with industry-standard insights where details were not provided. All assumptions are explicitly labeled. Applicants should verify all details directly with the employer before making decisions based on this content.


๐Ÿ“Œ Next Steps for Applicants

  1. Portfolio Preparation: Curate examples of your Sanity CMS implementations and Next.js projects, especially those demonstrating content modeling, performance optimization, and user enablement
  2. Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume includes key technologies (Next.js, Sanity, React, TypeScript, Tailwind) and quantifiable achievements related to web performance, stakeholder enablement, and project leadership
  3. Company Research: Explore Tailscale's product, recent announcements, and company blog to understand their technology approach and values
  4. Network Connection: Consider connecting with current Tailscale employees on LinkedIn to learn more about the company culture and work environment
  5. Technical Preparation: Review best practices for headless CMS architecture, Next.js performance optimization, and content modeling in preparation for technical discussions
  6. Application Submission: Submit a tailored application highlighting your most relevant experience with the core technologies and responsibilities outlined in the job description