iOS developer.

Contract iOS Developer (Code Review & Refactor)

• Remote (UK-based)
• Start Date: Immediate
• Rate: Negotiable - Outside IR35

A leading organisation in the tech-for-good technology sector is seeking an experienced iOS Developer to conduct a detailed review and refactor of an existing mobile application.

The app plays a critical role in real-time safety monitoring and alerting, and the team is looking for an expert to validate the current implementation, identify optimisation opportunities, and advise on new development approaches - particularly around background functionality, location services, and notification handling within iOS's evolving constraints.

Context and Technical Challenges:
Due to Apple's strict background activity limitations, the iOS version of the app faces inherent challenges in maintaining continuous functionality when running in the background. These constraints impact access to key features such as the accelerometer (for shake detection), live location tracking, microphone, and camera.

Previous versions have used methods such as push notifications and silent audio playback to maintain partial background activity, but recent iOS updates have closed many of these workarounds.

Current implementations - such as persistent login sessions and a lock screen widget for quick alert triggering - help maintain usability, but further validation and optimisation are required.

The incoming developer will review these existing solutions, confirm their effectiveness, and recommend potential improvements or alternative approaches to ensure reliability, security, and compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct a comprehensive review of the current Swift/Objective-C codebase and app architecture.
• Evaluate existing workarounds for iOS background activity limitations and identify sustainable solutions.
• Analyse and document technical issues, inefficiencies, and potential security or privacy vulnerabilities.
• Refactor and optimise the codebase to improve performance, readability, and scalability.
• Ensure continued compliance with Apple App Store guidelines and data protection requirements.
• Collaborate with backend developers and product teams to ensure smooth integration and end-to-end functionality.
• Provide a detailed technical report outlining findings, recommendations, and next steps for development.
• Optionally, contribute to improving app accessibility, including text scaling, colour contrast, and UI/UX flow.

Requirements:

• Proven experience in iOS app development (Swift and Objective-C).
• Deep understanding of MVC/MVVM architectures, Apple's sandbox restrictions, and iOS frameworks.
• Experience with code reviews, refactoring, and performance optimisation.
• Strong knowledge of background activity management, location services, notifications, and privacy permissions.
• Understanding of security and data protection best practices.
• Experience with personal safety, location-based, or notification-driven applications is highly advantageous.
• Excellent communication skills and attention to technical detail.

Desirable Skills:

• Familiarity with UX/UI design principles, accessibility standards, and user experience optimisation.
• Ability to suggest improvements to the app's accessibility and interaction flow.