Software Social Media Mobile Developer

Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced and technically strong Senior Mobile Software Developer with proven experience developing complex social media, livestreaming and entertainment mobile applications for both iOS and Android.

The successful developer will work on Stream – Go Viral, a feature-rich social media and livestreaming platform designed for creators, streamers, musicians, entertainers and viewers.

This is not a basic mobile application. Stream – Go Viral includes complex social networking, video, livestreaming, real-time communication, messaging, notifications, creator functionality, virtual gifts, digital coins, social interactions, content feeds and other real-time features.

The developer must therefore have genuine experience working on production-level social media and/or livestreaming applications and must be capable of understanding, developing, testing, maintaining and optimising the complete mobile application architecture.

The role will involve either maintaining and improving the existing application where appropriate or rebuilding functionality using a properly structured, scalable and maintainable architecture.

The successful developer must be able to take ownership of the mobile application across iOS and Android, work closely with backend/API and admin-panel developers, integrate third-party services and ensure that all functionality works reliably together.

Core Stream – Go Viral Functionality

The developer must be capable of implementing, maintaining and supporting the following types of functionality across iOS and Android.

User Accounts & Profiles

• User registration and login.
• Email, phone and social authentication where applicable.
• User profiles.
• Profile pictures and profile information.
• Usernames and unique identifiers.
• Followers and following.
• Follow/unfollow functionality.
• Verified accounts/badges.
• User activity and engagement information.
• Account settings and privacy controls.
• Account blocking and reporting.
• User discovery and search.

Home Feed / FYP / Content Discovery

• Personalised home feed.
• For You / content-discovery functionality.
• Video feed.
• Image and video posts.
• Full-screen vertical video playback.
• Smooth scrolling and media preloading.
• Like, comment and share functionality.
• Follow functionality directly from content.
• Content engagement tracking.
• Content reporting.
• Content visibility and moderation controls.
• Reliable playback across different devices and network conditions.
• Proper handling of video aspect ratios and screen sizes.

The developer must understand how to build a high-performance social media content feed capable of handling significant amounts of multimedia content without excessive loading, crashes or performance degradation.

Posts & Multimedia

• Upload images and videos.
• Capture media using the device camera.
• Select media from the device gallery.
• Video playback and controls.
• Media compression and optimisation.
• Media previews.
• Post creation and editing.
• Captions and relevant metadata.
• Comments and replies.
• Likes and other engagement.
• Sharing.
• Content deletion and management.

Livestreaming

Livestreaming is a core feature of Stream – Go Viral.

The developer must have genuine experience implementing or maintaining livestreaming functionality.

Responsibilities include:

• Host livestreams.
• Join livestreams as a viewer.
• Live camera functionality.
• Live microphone functionality.
• Camera switching/flip.
• Flash functionality where supported.
• Mute/unmute microphone.
• Enable/disable camera.
• Join and leave livestreams.
• Host and viewer states.
• Real-time viewer counts.
• Real-time comments/chat.
• Real-time interactions.
• Livestream notifications.
• Livestream connectivity handling.
• Network-quality handling.
• Reconnection logic.
• Audio/video synchronisation.
• Stable audio and video quality.
• Background/foreground handling where supported.
• Ending livestreams correctly.
• Handling host disconnection.
• Handling viewer disconnection and reconnection.
• Livestream moderation.
• Blocking/reporting users during livestreams.
• Livestream-specific UI controls.
• Integration with livestreaming SDK/API infrastructure.

The developer must understand real-time audio/video systems, rather than simply embedding a basic video player.

Livestream Virtual Gifts

Stream – Go Viral includes virtual gifting functionality.

The developer must be capable of implementing:

• Virtual gift catalogue.
• Animated virtual gifts.
• Gift selection.
• Gift sending during livestreams.
• Gift animations.
• Real-time gift delivery.
• Gift notifications.
• Gift counts.
• Coin balance integration.
• Gift transaction processing.
• Gift history.
• Sender/recipient relationships.
• Synchronisation between host and viewers.
• Efficient rendering of animated gift assets.
• Integration of formats such as SVGA, VAP, PAG, JSON or other appropriate animation formats where required.
• Performance optimisation so that gifts do not negatively affect livestream performance.

The developer must be able to work with the backend to ensure gift transactions and balances are properly synchronised and protected.

Coins / Digital Currency

• User coin balance.
• Purchasing coins.
• Coin transactions.
• Deduction when sending gifts.
• Gift-value calculations.
• Transaction history.
• Balance synchronisation.
• Secure server-side transaction validation.
• Handling failed or interrupted transactions.
• Preventing duplicate transactions.
• Integration with relevant App Store and Google Play payment systems where applicable.

The developer must understand that financial/digital-currency functionality requires secure backend validation and must not rely solely on client-side calculations.

Messaging

Stream – Go Viral requires comprehensive messaging functionality, including:

• One-to-one messaging.
• Group chats.
• Text messages.
• Image sharing.
• Video sharing.
• Voice messages where applicable.
• Media previews.
• Message delivery status.
• Read/unread status.
• Notifications.
• Message deletion.
• Message expiry/disappearing functionality.
• View Once media.
• 24-hour disappearing messages.
• 7-day disappearing messages.
• 90-day disappearing messages.
• Group messaging.
• User selection for group conversations.
• Blocking/reporting functionality.
• Real-time message synchronisation.

The developer must understand real-time messaging architecture and reliable synchronisation between multiple devices.

Voice & Video Calling

Where applicable to the Stream functionality:

• One-to-one voice calls.
• One-to-one video calls.
• Call notifications.
• Incoming/outgoing call states.
• Camera and microphone controls.
• Call connection handling.
• Call reconnection.
• Call minimisation where supported.
• Background/foreground transitions.
• Call termination.
• Network-quality handling.
• Integration with appropriate real-time communication technology.

Notifications

• Push notifications.
• Likes.
• Comments.
• Replies.
• Follows.
• Messages.
• Livestream notifications.
• Gifts.
• Calls.
• Account-related notifications.
• Notification badges/counts.
• Deep linking from notifications.
• Correct read/unread state.
• Reliable synchronisation between notification state and the backend.

Social Interaction

• Likes.
• Comments.
• Replies.
• Mentions where applicable.
• Follows/followers.
• Sharing.
• User discovery.
• Content discovery.
• Creator discovery.
• Engagement notifications.
• Blocking.
• Reporting.
• Moderation functionality.

Creator / Streamer Functionality

The developer must understand functionality designed specifically for creators and streamers, including:

• Creator profiles.
• Livestreaming.
• Audience interaction.
• Virtual gifts.
• Coin-based monetisation.
• Creator engagement.
• Livestream notifications.
• Creator discovery.
• Video/content publishing.
• Creator-specific account functionality.
• Real-time audience interactions.

Real-Time Architecture

The developer must have strong experience with real-time systems, including:

• WebSockets or equivalent real-time technologies.
• Firebase/Firestore real-time functionality where appropriate.
• Real-time messaging.
• Real-time livestream interactions.
• Real-time comments.
• Real-time gifts.
• Real-time notifications.
• Presence/status.
• Reliable synchronisation.
• Reconnection handling.
• Offline/online state management.

iOS Development

Strong professional experience with:

• Swift.
• iOS SDK.
• UIKit and/or SwiftUI where appropriate.
• iOS networking.
• Push notifications.
• Firebase.
• Camera and microphone APIs.
• Audio/video handling.
• Background/foreground application states.
• App lifecycle management.
• Performance optimisation.
• Memory management.
• App Store deployment.
• TestFlight.
• Crash investigation and debugging.

The developer must be capable of working with complex iOS applications rather than only basic applications.

Android Development

Strong professional experience with:

• Kotlin.
• Java where required.
• Android SDK.
• Android lifecycle management.
• Android permissions.
• Camera and microphone APIs.
• Media handling.
• Firebase/Firestore.
• Push notifications.
• Background/foreground states.
• Android performance optimisation.
• Memory management.
• Device compatibility.
• Google Play deployment.
• Crash investigation and debugging.

The developer must understand the differences between Android devices, operating-system versions, screen sizes and hardware capabilities.

Backend & API Integration

The mobile developer will work closely with backend developers and must have strong understanding of:

• RESTful APIs.
• API authentication.
• API error handling.
• JSON.
• WebSockets.
• Firebase.
• Firestore.
• Real-time databases/services.
• File and media storage.
• Push-notification services.
• Secure API communication.
• Pagination.
• Caching.
• Data synchronisation.
• API performance.
• Server-side validation.

The developer must never assume that mobile-side functionality alone is sufficient. Mobile features must be correctly integrated with the backend, database, real-time services and admin panel.

Third-Party SDKs & Services

Experience integrating services such as:

• Livestreaming SDKs.
• Real-time voice/video SDKs.
• Firebase.
• Firestore.
• Push notification services.
• Payment services.
• Analytics.
• Crash reporting.
• Performance monitoring.
• Media processing services.
• Social authentication.
• Other third-party APIs and SDKs required by Stream – Go Viral.

The developer must be capable of investigating SDK conflicts, version incompatibilities, deprecated APIs and integration problems.

Architecture & Code Quality

This is extremely important.

The developer must be capable of producing a clean, scalable and maintainable architecture.

The developer must:

• Follow appropriate architectural patterns.
• Maintain clear separation between UI, business logic, networking and data layers.
• Avoid unnecessary global state.
• Avoid excessive singleton usage.
• Avoid tightly coupling UI and business logic.
• Use appropriate dependency injection where required.
• Create reusable components.
• Maintain clean and understandable code.
• Prevent unnecessary duplication.
• Properly structure networking and API services.
• Properly separate Firebase/database functionality from UI components.
• Write maintainable and testable code.
• Avoid creating excessive numbers of Activities, Fragments, ViewControllers or other components without architectural justification.
• Document important architectural decisions.
• Conduct proper code reviews.

Testing & Stability

The developer must place significant emphasis on application stability.

Responsibilities include:

• Unit testing.
• Integration testing.
• UI testing where appropriate.
• Regression testing.
• API testing.
• Livestream testing.
• Messaging testing.
• Notification testing.
• Payment testing.
• Multimedia testing.
• Different-device testing.
• Different-screen-size testing.
• Network-condition testing.
• Poor/unstable network testing.
• Background/foreground testing.
• Crash investigation.
• Performance testing.
• Memory testing.
• Battery/performance optimisation.

New functionality must not repeatedly break existing functionality.

Security

The developer must understand:

• Secure authentication.
• Token management.
• API security.
• Secure data transmission.
• User privacy.
• Secure storage.
• Payment security.
• Server-side validation.
• Protection against manipulation of coins/gifts.
• Appropriate access controls.
• Secure handling of user data.

Git & Development Workflow

• Strong Git experience is essential.
• Developers must work using a professional branching strategy.
• All development must be committed clearly.
• Commit history must be understandable.
• Pull requests/code reviews should be used where appropriate.
• Changes must be traceable.
• Developers must not overwrite or remove existing work without appropriate procedures.
• Development must be carried out within the designated project repositories.

App Store & Google Play

The developer must have experience:

• Preparing iOS production builds.
• Managing TestFlight builds.
• Uploading applications to App Store Connect.
• Managing App Store releases.
• Preparing Android production builds.
• Uploading applications to Google Play Console.
• Managing Android releases.
• Resolving store submission issues.
• Managing certificates, provisioning profiles and signing configurations.
• Managing Android signing configurations.
• Understanding App Store and Google Play requirements.

Technical Problem-Solving

The successful developer must be able to investigate problems properly rather than repeatedly applying temporary fixes.

When a problem occurs, the developer should:

• Identify the underlying cause.
• Reproduce the issue.
• Review relevant logs and code.
• Determine whether the problem is client-side, backend-side, database-related, SDK-related or architectural.
• Implement an appropriate permanent solution.
• Test the solution.
• Test for regressions.
• Document significant changes where appropriate.

We are specifically looking for developers who understand root-cause resolution rather than repeated patching.

Required Experience

Applicants must have:

• Proven professional experience developing social media mobile applications.
• Proven experience developing for both iOS and Android.
• Experience with complex social-media functionality.
• Experience with livestreaming applications or real-time video platforms.
• Experience with real-time messaging.
• Experience with multimedia applications.
• Experience with virtual gifting or digital-currency systems is highly desirable.
• Experience with voice/video calling is desirable.
• Experience with Firebase/Firestore or equivalent technologies.
• Strong API and backend integration experience.
• Strong Git/GitHub experience.
• Experience with production applications available through the App Store and Google Play.
• Experience debugging complex existing applications.
• Experience identifying and resolving technical debt.
• Experience working with large or feature-rich mobile codebases.
• Strong understanding of mobile architecture.
• Strong automated-testing knowledge.
• Strong performance optimisation experience.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

Important

We are not looking for a developer whose experience is limited to basic mobile applications, simple websites, basic CRUD applications or individual isolated features.

Stream – Go Viral is a complex social media and livestreaming platform. The developer must be capable of understanding how the different components work together across:

iOS + Android + Backend/API + Database + Real-Time Services + Livestreaming + Messaging + Notifications + Virtual Gifts + Coins + Payments + Admin Panel + Third-Party SDKs.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate previous work on comparable applications and clearly explain what functionality they personally developed.

We expect the successful developer to take technical ownership of their work, identify problems proactively, follow professional development standards and build functionality that is stable, scalable, secure and maintainable.

The ultimate objective is to deliver Stream – Go Viral as a reliable, production-ready social media and livestreaming platform, with a strong technical foundation capable of supporting future users, creators, content and functionality.

Pay: £29,829.00-£100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Work from home

Work Location: Remote