Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Drupal Developer

🎯 Role Definition

The Drupal Developer is a full‑stack web engineer specializing in the Drupal content‑management system (CMS). This role entails designing, developing and maintaining websites and web applications built on Drupal, translating client requirements into architecture, writing modular code, integrating third‑party systems, ensuring performance and security, and collaborating with cross‑functional teams. The ideal candidate possesses strong PHP, front‑end and Drupal‑ecosystem expertise, is comfortable with modern development practices, and thrives in agile environments.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Web Developer specialising in PHP/HTML/CSS
Junior CMS Developer or Drupal Site‑Builder
Front‑end Developer moving into Drupal theme and module development

Advancement To:

Senior Drupal Developer / Lead Drupal Engineer
Drupal Solution Architect / Technical Lead for Drupal platforms
Director of Web Technologies / Head of Drupal Practice

Lateral Moves:

Decoupled/Headless CMS Developer (Drupal + React/Vue)
Backend API Developer specialising in Drupal integrations
Full‑Stack Developer working across multiple CMS platforms

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, develop and deploy custom Drupal modules and themes based on project specifications, business requirements and UX/UI designs.
Perform site‑building tasks using Drupal core and contributed modules (Views, Rules, Webform, Paragraphs, Layout Builder) to build scalable content structures.
Write clean, efficient, well‑documented code adhering to Drupal coding standards, security best practices and performance optimization guidelines.
Collaborate with designers, front‑end developers, content strategists and project managers to deliver responsive, accessible and brand‑compliant web applications.
Integrate Drupal websites with external systems and services via REST or SOAP APIs, JSON/XML data feeds, third‑party modules and microservices.
Optimize performance of Drupal sites: implement caching strategies, tune database queries, enhance page‑load speed, integrate CDNs and monitor site health.
Maintain Drupal core and contributed modules: perform regular upgrades, apply security patches, migrate sites between versions (Drupal 8/9/10/11) and ensure platform stability.
Set up and manage development, staging and production environments: use version control (Git/Gitflow), CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and deployment workflows.
Build interactive front‑end elements for Drupal themes using HTML5, CSS3/SASS, JavaScript/jQuery and Twig templating, ensuring cross‑browser and mobile support.
Conduct debugging, troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis of defects, performance issues, integration failures or security vulnerabilities in Drupal projects.
Mentor and review code of junior Drupal engineers: conduct peer reviews, enforce best practices, coach team members and contribute to skills development.
Lead or support business analysis and requirements‑gathering sessions: translate functional specs into technical architecture, module design and site configuration.
Document technical solutions, data models, content structures, deployment workflows and ensure knowledge transfer, support and operational hand‑over.
Ensure accessibility (WCAG), SEO optimization, best‑practice theming, multi‑language support and mobile‑first design in all Drupal projects.
Manage Drupal site security and permissions: configure user roles, access control, entities, content workflows, and ensure compliance with data protection/regulatory standards.
Collaborate with DevOps and hosting teams to manage server configurations, automated build/deploy, Linux environments, Docker containers and cloud hosting setups.
Monitor, report and optimize site metrics: user performance, uptime, site speed, error logs, analytics integration and recommend ongoing enhancements.
Participate in agile development processes: attend daily stand‑ups, sprint planning, backlog refinement, estimation, retrospectives and continuously deliver iteratively.
Engage in technical innovation: keep current with Drupal ecosystem changes, contributed module landscape, front‑end frameworks and lead enhancements to internal development patterns.
Provide support post‑launch: handle maintenance tickets, content workflow updates, site enhancements, bug‑fixes, patch deployments and ensure operational excellence.

Secondary Functions

Support ad‑hoc data requests and exploratory analytics related to Drupal site performance, user engagement, content workflows and site infrastructure.
Contribute to the organisation’s web development strategy and roadmap by aligning Drupal platform capabilities with business requirements and digital goals.
Collaborate with business units to translate content‑management, editorial or user‑experience needs into Drupal technical solutions and deployment workflows.
Participate in cross‑team initiatives, training sessions, knowledge‑sharing and workshops to elevate Drupal best‑practices across the organisation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Strong proficiency in PHP and MySQL/MariaDB, with significant experience in Drupal API, hooks, services, custom module development and Drupal architecture.
Deep knowledge of Drupal versions 8, 9, 10 (and upcoming) including site‑building, theming, configuration management, plugins, services and Composer workflows.
Experience with HTML5, CSS3/SASS/LESS, JavaScript/jQuery, Git version control, Drupal theming layer (Twig), responsive design and cross‑browser compatibility.
Familiarity with RESTful/SOAP APIs, JSON/XML data integration, single‑sign‑on (SSO), external system connections and Drupal integration patterns.
Experience with caching strategies (Drupal cache API, Varnish, Redis), performance tuning, database optimization, and CDN integration to ensure optimal site performance.
Proven capability working with continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, automated testing (PHPUnit, Behat), development workflows and release management.
Experience managing Drupal site upgrades, module updates, migration from older versions (Drupal 7) and ensuring site security compliance, patching and code review.
Knowledge of content workflows, editorial tools, multilingual/multisite installations, user roles/permissions and accessibility (WCAG, ARIA) in Drupal contexts.
Familiarity with DevOps/hosting environments: Linux, Docker, Composer, Drush, command‑line tools, cloud hosting (AWS, Azure) and collaboration with infrastructure teams.
Experience with SEO best‑practices, analytics integration, performance monitoring tools and ensuring production sites meet business metrics for speed, accessibility and uptime.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication: able to interact with stakeholders, designers, content teams and developers, convey technical concepts clearly and manage expectations.
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills: able to dissect complex issues in Drupal architecture, performance or configuration and implement effective solutions.
High attention to detail and quality‑focus: ensure code integrity, accessibility compliance, design fidelity, documentation and maintainable architectures.
Time‑management and prioritisation: manage multiple concurrent Drupal projects, tasks, deadlines and deliverables in agile sprints and client‑facing environments.
Collaborative and team‑oriented mindset: work closely with cross‑functional teams, share knowledge, promote best‑practices and support other developers.
Adaptability and continuous‑learning orientation: keep up‑to‑date with evolving Drupal ecosystem, web standards, front‑end frameworks and emerging technologies.
Mentorship and leadership potential: help junior engineers grow, provide feedback, review code and support a culture of continuous improvement.
Strategic mindset: align Drupal solutions with business goals, digital strategy, content operations and user experience priorities.
Ownership and accountability: committed to delivering high‑quality solutions, driving production readiness and ensuring site reliability.
Customer‑focus and service orientation: responsive to editorial teams, content managers, business stakeholders and end‑users, ensuring Drupal applications meet their needs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Web Development, Information Technology or related technical field.
Preferred Education:
Advanced qualification (Master’s, certifications) in Web Technologies, Drupal, Open Source Systems or Digital Media.
Relevant Fields of Study:

Computer Science / Software Engineering
Web Development / Computer Engineering
Digital Media / Interactive Technologies
Information Systems

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
3‑5 years of professional experience in Drupal development, site‑building, custom module/theme work and contributing to web application delivery.
Preferred:
5+ years of Drupal developer experience, including large‑scale enterprise web applications, migrations, custom module development, performance tuning and mentoring other developers.