Full Stack Developer Ongoing Maintenance for Social Media SaaS (Web Platform)

Project Overview We have an existing web-based social media SaaS platform (React/Next.js frontend, Node.js backend) and need a developer for ongoing maintenance and support not a new build. Looking for someone who can keep the app stable, fix issues as they come up, refactor parts of the codebase for maintainability, and add AI-powered features over time. Scope of Work Bug fixes and issue triage across frontend and backend Code refactoring: cleaning up legacy code, improving structure and maintainability, reducing tech debt AI integration: adding AI-powered features (e.g. smart recommendations, content moderation, chat/assistant features) using OpenAI or similar APIs Performance monitoring and optimization (feed load times, real-time messaging stability) Dependency and security updates (npm packages, framework version bumps) Minor feature additions and UI tweaks as requested Monitoring uptime/error logs and responding to incidents Occasional database maintenance and query optimization Required Skills React.js / Next.js, Node.js Comfortable working in and refactoring an existing codebase (not greenfield) Experience integrating AI APIs (OpenAI, Gemini, or similar) into production apps WebSockets/real-time systems experience PostgreSQL or similar relational DB Strong debugging skills, clear communication on issue status Nice to Have Experience maintaining production SaaS apps with active users Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines Social/community platform experience Prior work adding AI features to existing (non-AI-native) products Engagement Type Ongoing, part-time or as-needed hourly, with expectation of weekly availability for triage, refactoring, and feature work. Budget & Timeline 150$ To Apply Please share: experience refactoring legacy codebases, examples of AI features you've integrated into production apps, and availability per week.