Django expert for API stabilization -- 2

Senior Django Backend Engineer – API Realignment & Production Stabilization (April 2026 Release)

We are finalizing the backend stabilization and API realignment of a large community platform (messaging, events, payments, communities).

The refactor is already deployed on test infrastructure (Dockerized environment with load balancer, application server, and database server). Production release is scheduled for April 2026.

This is not a rewrite.
This is a controlled backend realignment and production hardening mission.

Mission Scope

1. API Alignment and Contract Stabilization

* 53 endpoints currently consumed by the frontend
* 37 identified serializer / _id mismatches
* 9 critical missing endpoints (P0 scope)
* Extended backlog (up to approximately 49 items including endpoints, triggers, and admin features)
* Strict backward compatibility required
* Swagger/OpenAPI must become the single source of truth

2. Database and Migration Safety

* PostgreSQL schema alignment
* Migration validation (no data loss)
* Foreign key and constraint normalization
* No breaking database changes without mitigation strategy

3. Notifications and Signals

* Review and stabilize existing triggers
* Prevent duplicate or recursive signals
* Ensure atomic transactions

4. Admin Console (MVP)

* RBAC review
* Moderation endpoints
* Structured logging
* Minimal supervision dashboard
* Cleanup of existing admin endpoints

5. Performance and Query Hygiene

* Identification of N+1 queries
* Stabilization of critical endpoints
* Safe optimization without architectural rewrite
* Redis and Celery validation where applicable

6. Documentation and CI/CD

* Complete Swagger coverage
* Basic regression safety strategy
* Docker production hardening
* Health checks and validation
* Deployment validation

Constraints

* No architectural revolution
* No full rewrite
* Backward compatibility is mandatory
* Stability takes priority over feature expansion
* Target production readiness: April 2026

Required Profile

* 5+ years of Django experience
* Strong Django REST Framework expertise
* Experience stabilizing legacy backends
* PostgreSQL migration expertise
* Docker production experience
* Swagger/OpenAPI experience
* Familiarity with Celery and Redis

Bonus

* Experience with real-time systems (Channels)
* CI/CD experience
* Experience working with an existing production infrastructure

Technical discussion required before selection.