iOS & Android App Developer

Senior Mobile Developer / Development Team — iOS & Android
Full-Time Engagement • Long-Term • Start to Finish + Ongoing Maintenance

IMPORTANT: This posting is for a long-term, full-time engagement — not a one-off project. We are building a complete consumer mobile platform from scratch and need a committed development partner for the full build lifecycle and beyond. Please only apply if you are available full-time and interested in a multi-month engagement with continued maintenance responsibilities after launch.


Overview
We are a US-based startup building a consumer mobile application for iOS and Android. The platform combines social discovery, real-time location features, and community scheduling — targeting an active adult demographic in major US cities. Full concept details are shared under NDA with shortlisted candidates.
We have a completed Figma design, a detailed product specification, and UI mockups ready to hand off. We are ready to begin immediately and are looking for a technical partner who will own this from day one through launch and beyond — not a one-off contractor.

Note: We are intentionally keeping the specifics of the concept vague in this posting to protect our IP. Shortlisted candidates will receive a full product specification document under NDA before the interview stage.


What We Are Building
The app has the following core functional areas. Details are intentionally high-level — full specification shared under NDA at the shortlist stage:

User accounts and onboarding
• Multi-step onboarding with media upload and user preference configuration
• Optional identity verification via a third-party service
• Profile badge system with free and paid tiers
• Peer review and rating system

Content and user discovery
• Grid-based browse interface with expandable detail views
• Feed-based discovery with filter and sort
• Real-time interactive map view with live status indicators — a signature feature
• Username search

User-generated listings and scheduling
• Users can create, manage, and publish listings
• Request-to-join flow with host approval controls
• Architecture must support high concurrent participation per listing
• Real-time status changes reflected on the map
• Granular host controls over messaging permissions

Activity feed
• Social feed of user activity
• User activity logging with tagging and feed posting
• Likes, comments, shares on feed posts

Messaging
• Gated in-app direct messaging
• Chat access controlled by specific in-app conditions
• Full-featured messaging UI
• Push notifications throughout

Trust and reputation system
• Optional post-interaction rating and review
• Blind mutual rating system
• Trust and reputation system displayed on profiles
• Rating eligibility tied to verified participation

User safety and controls
• Block, report, and content moderation controls
• User preference and safety filtering
• Location privacy controls
• Visibility controls for users

Navigation
• Multi-tab bottom navigation covering the core feature areas
• Full navigation spec provided to shortlisted candidates

Monetization infrastructure (architecture only at launch)
None of the following are active at launch. All must be architected in from day one so they can be switched on without a rebuild. This is a non-negotiable requirement.
• Payment processing via Stripe — integrated but dormant at launch, activatable for subscriptions, one-time purchases, and transaction fees
• Tiered user badge system — free and paid badge types must be supported in the data model from day one; new badge types must be addable without schema changes
• Ad slot architecture — designated injectable ad placements in the feed (between posts), at the top and bottom of key screens, and within browse/discovery views; placements must be swappable between house content and third-party ad network (e.g. Google AdMob) without UI rebuilds
• Modular map/globe component — the map view must be built as a fully modular component so that multiple independent map instances can be added later (e.g. a separate map layer for partner businesses, local deals, or events) without rearchitecting the core feature
• Premium user tier support — the user model must support a premium flag from day one; gating logic for features such as increased listing limits, promoted visibility, and boosted content must be implementable by flipping a config, not rewriting components
• Business/partner account type — the user model must support a separate account type for businesses or organisations, distinct from individual user accounts, activatable post-launch
• Promoted content slots — listings and profiles must support a promoted/sponsored flag in the data model so boosted content can be surfaced in feeds and discovery views without UI changes


Technical Requirements
We are open to React Native (Expo) or Flutter — we trust you to propose the framework you are most confident shipping great consumer apps in. What matters is the outcome, not the framework. The remaining tools below are strongly preferred and candidates should have direct experience with them or clear equivalents.

Preferred stack (open to discussion)
• React Native (Expo) or Flutter — we are open to either, single codebase for iOS and Android. Tell us which you recommend and why in your application.
• Supabase — Postgres database, Auth, Realtime, and Storage
• Supabase Realtime for live data sync (map pins, session status, chat)
• Mapbox SDK or Google Maps SDK for the globe/map feature — Mapbox strongly preferred for globe rendering
• Expo Notifications + OneSignal for push notifications
• Stripe for payment architecture (integration required, activation deferred)
• Clerk or Supabase Auth for Google and Apple sign-in

Required experience
• Minimum 3 published apps in the App Store or Google Play — links required in application
• Prior experience building real-time features (live maps, chat, activity feeds)
• Prior experience building consumer social or marketplace apps
• Clean, maintainable, well-commented code — we will review code samples before hiring
• Experience with App Store and Google Play submission and review processes
• TypeScript preferred


Engagement Terms

This is a full-time engagement
We are not looking for someone to work on this between other projects. We need a developer or team who will treat this as their primary focus for the duration of the build. We expect 35–40 hours per week minimum during the active build phase.

Timeline
• Active build phase: approximately 4–5 months
• Post-launch maintenance and feature development: ongoing, long-term
• We expect the winning candidate to be available for at least 12 months total

Post-launch expectations
• Bug fixes and OS compatibility updates as iOS and Android release new versions
• App Store compliance updates as Apple and Google update policies
• Feature additions on a rolling roadmap we will define together post-launch
• Availability for urgent issues within 24 hours

Preferred candidate type
• Small agency (2–4 people) or a senior lead developer with a trusted sub-contractor network
• Someone who has seen a project from zero to App Store before — multiple times
• Fluent written English is required — you will be communicating with US-based founders daily


How to Apply
We receive a high volume of applications and filter aggressively. To be considered, your application must include all of the following. Applications missing any item will not receive a response.

Required in your application
• Links to at least 3 live apps you have built in the App Store or Google Play. Not screenshots, not videos — actual downloadable app links.
• A brief description of the most technically complex app you have shipped and specifically what made it complex.
• Your experience with Supabase Realtime specifically. If you have not used it, tell us what real-time tool you have used instead and why.
• Your experience with map or globe integrations in a mobile app — Mapbox or Google Maps. Describe what you built.
• Confirmation that you are available full-time and can begin within 2 weeks.
• Your proposed hourly rate or monthly retainer for the build phase, and your expected rate for the ongoing maintenance phase. Please also include a proposed schedule of deliverables with estimated milestones and your projected timeline to completion. We expect weekly or biweekly check-in calls with the founding team and ask that you confirm you are available for these.
• To confirm you have read this posting in full, begin your application with the phrase: “Mobile ready.” Applications that do not start with this phrase will not be reviewed.

Shortlisting process: Top applicants will be invited to a 30-minute video call. Following the call, finalists will be given a small paid test task (compensated at your stated rate) before a final offer is made. We will not ask you to work for free at any stage.


What We Offer
• Competitive hourly rate or monthly retainer — we pay fairly for quality
• Full product specification document and Figma designs provided on day one — no guessing what to build
• Direct access to founders for fast decision-making — no corporate approval chains
• Long-term relationship — if you do great work, you will have work for years
• Milestone-based payments through Upwork escrow — protected for both sides
• A genuinely interesting, well-scoped product with real market potential in a growing category


We are serious founders building a serious product. We want a serious development partner.
If that sounds like you, we look forward to hearing from you.