n8n Developer - REMOTE - AP004

Department: Technical

Work Arrangement: Remote

Job Type: Independent Contractor, Full Time

Work Schedule: US Time Zone (candidate expected to be flexible with the client's preference)

Locations: Philippines, LATAM, and other remote regions with excellent English communication skills

About Pearl Talent

Pearl works with the top 1% of candidates from around the world and connects them with the best startups in the US and EU. Our clients have raised over $5B in aggregate and are backed by companies like OpenAI, a16z, and Founders Fund. They're looking for the sharpest, hungriest candidates who they can consistently promote and work with over many years. Candidates we've hired have been flown out to the US and EU to work with their clients, and even promoted to roles that match folks onshore in the US.

Hear why we exist, what we believe in, and who we're building for: WATCH HERE

Why Work with Us?

At Pearl, we're not just another recruiting firm—we connect you with exceptional opportunities to work alongside visionary US and EU founders. Our focus is on placing you in roles where you can grow, be challenged, and build long-term, meaningful careers.

Role Overview

The n8n Developer combines technical workflow expertise with development skills to design, implement, and maintain enterprise-grade automation solutions that transform how businesses operate. This role bridges business requirements and technical implementation, creating powerful automations across diverse systems including CRMs, ERPs, databases, and communication platforms. You'll own the entire automation lifecycle—from building complex multi-step workflows using n8n's visual builder to writing custom JavaScript functions, developing reusable nodes, and managing n8n infrastructure. Working across industries including e-commerce, AI orchestration, commercial real estate, and SaaS platforms, you'll design sophisticated automations that reduce manual work by 80%+, process thousands of records efficiently, and eliminate billions in trapped operational value.

Your Impact

Your automation expertise will transform operational efficiency by eliminating redundant manual work and orchestrating seamless data flow across enterprise environments. You'll design workflows that process millions of daily events with 99.9%+ uptime, directly impacting business scalability and competitiveness. By building robust multi-system integrations, you'll unlock value trapped in siloed SaaS applications, enabling teams to focus on strategic outcomes rather than swivel chair work. Your custom node development and advanced orchestration will extend automation capabilities beyond pre-built integrations, solving unique business challenges. Through intelligent workflow design with comprehensive error handling, you'll create reliable 24/7 automation systems that maintain business continuity. Your work will accelerate client onboarding, marketing automation, reporting, and operational workflows while establishing technical standards that elevate engineering quality across teams.

Core Responsibilities

Workflow Development & Advanced Orchestration (35%)

• Design and build sophisticated multi-system workflows using n8n's visual builder connecting 400+ integrations
• Create complex automations with 20+ nodes including conditional logic, branching, and loop operations
• Develop sub-workflow architecture and reusable workflow templates and patterns
• Implement batch processing and high-volume data handling strategies
• Build workflows that coordinate actions across 10+ different platforms with transactional integrity
• Design real-time synchronization patterns with bidirectional sync and conflict resolution
• Implement intelligent routing based on complex business rules and dynamic decision logic
• Optimize workflows for performance, scalability, and fault-tolerance across enterprise workloads
• Lead proof-of-concepts (POCs) for emerging automation opportunities

Custom Development & Integration (25%)

• Develop custom nodes using JavaScript/TypeScript when native integrations don't meet requirements
• Write JavaScript code to transform, validate, and enrich data between different systems
• Create reusable JavaScript functions for common operations across workflows
• Build lightweight custom functions extending n8n's core capabilities
• Integrate various tools and APIs (Airtable, Slack, Stripe, Notion, Google Sheets, Salesforce, CRMs)
• Connect diverse systems using REST APIs, webhooks, and custom authentication methods
• Implement OAuth 2.0, API keys, JWT authentication, and secure credential management
• Handle API rate limiting, pagination, and complex request patterns
• Create database workflows interacting with SQL and NoSQL databases for data synchronization
• Design and implement webhook-based real-time integrations

Error Handling, Testing & Reliability (15%)

• Implement robust error handling, retry logic, and fallback mechanisms to ensure workflow reliability
• Develop comprehensive testing strategies including edge cases and failure scenarios
• Build monitoring and alerting systems for workflow execution and performance
• Troubleshoot and optimize existing workflows for performance and reliability
• Ensure workflows run reliably 24/7 with minimal maintenance requirements
• Create disaster recovery procedures and backup strategies for critical automation workflows
• Analyze log data to identify and resolve complex automation issues
• Maintain 99.9%+ uptime for production automation systems

Infrastructure & Technical Administration (15%)

• Deploy, configure, and maintain n8n instances across development, staging, and production environments
• Manage workflow versioning and deployment pipelines using Git-based workflows
• Implement CI/CD pipelines for automated workflow testing and deployment
• Configure security best practices including credential management and API key rotation
• Monitor system performance, identify bottlenecks, and optimize infrastructure
• Work with Docker containers and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) for n8n hosting
• Manage environment variables, SSL/TLS certificates, and access controls
• Establish observability frameworks for system health and performance tracking

Business Partnership & Documentation (10%)

• Work with stakeholders to understand business processes and translate them into technical workflows
• Map automation opportunities by analyzing existing manual processes
• Create comprehensive documentation for workflows including business logic and dependencies
• Provide training and enablement for business users on self-service automation capabilities
• Collaborate with team members and communicate clearly on automation priorities
• Translate business needs into automation architecture and technical specifications
• Ensure documentation clarity across technical and non-technical audiences
• Provide tier 2/3 support for production workflows and resolve complex issues

Requirements:
Must-Haves (Required)

• n8n Experience: 1-3+ years of hands-on n8n experience in production or agency settings with demonstrated expertise in complex workflow design
• JavaScript/TypeScript: Advanced proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript including ES6+ syntax, async/await, promise handling, array/object manipulation
• API Integration: Deep understanding of REST APIs, JSON/XML manipulation, webhooks, OAuth authentication, and API troubleshooting
• Custom Development: Proven experience with custom node development, API integrations, and writing custom functions
• Systems Thinking: Ability to think in systems—spotting inefficiencies and designing automation for scale
• Node.js: Strong understanding of Node.js fundamentals and server-side JavaScript
• Problem-Solving: Excellent debugging, troubleshooting, and analytical problem-solving skills
• Workflow Complexity: Experience building both simple and complex multi-step automations with 20+ nodes
• Autonomy: Can work independently, manage priorities, and deliver results with minimal supervision
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal English with ability to explain technical concepts clearly

Nice-to-Haves (Preferred)

• Experience with similar workflow automation platforms (Zapier, Make, Temporal, Airflow)
• Open-source contributions to n8n or related automation frameworks
• Infrastructure experience with AWS/Azure/GCP, Docker, and containerization
• Hands-on experience with monitoring tools (Grafana, DataDog, Prometheus)
• Strong understanding of enterprise SaaS integrations (Salesforce, SAP, NetSuite, HubSpot)
• Python basics for data processing and scripting
• SQL proficiency for database operations and data queries
• Shell scripting (Bash/PowerShell) for automation tasks
• Experience with CI/CD tools (GitHub Actions, CircleCI, Jenkins)
• Certifications in AWS, Kubernetes, or DevOps infrastructure
• Background in e-commerce, commercial real estate, or enterprise automation systems
• Familiarity with tools like Retool, ClickUp, Airtable for workflow integration
• Understanding of data privacy, compliance, and audit trail requirements

Tools Proficiency

Must-Haves (Required)

• Workflow Automation: n8n (primary platform, required)
• Programming: JavaScript/TypeScript, Node.js
• API Testing: Postman, Swagger, or similar API testing tools
• Version Control: Git, GitHub, GitLab for workflow version management
• Integration Platforms: REST APIs, webhooks, JSON/XML processing

Nice-to-Haves (Preferred)

• Alternative Automation: Zapier, Make (Integromat), Temporal, Airflow
• Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, GCP for infrastructure hosting
• Containerization: Docker for deployment and environment management
• CI/CD: GitHub Actions, CircleCI, Jenkins for automated pipelines
• Monitoring: Grafana, Prometheus, DataDog for observability
• Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB for data operations
• Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams for webhook integrations
• CRM/ERP: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, NetSuite, SAP
• Storag