Android Contractor (Google Play Approval Experience)

About the Job

We have an existing Android app that acts as an SMS gateway (receives SMS and forwards/syncs with a backend, with background services and notifications). It's already functional, but we need a serious revamp focused on:

• Google Play compliance and smooth review approval
• Android 15+ readiness
• Default SMS app flows (where required)
• Better onboarding, consent, and permission UX
• Dual-SIM + reliability improvements
• A rules/automation layer for message forwarding behavior

We're intentionally keeping some product details private. Shortlisted candidates will receive a deeper spec + API details under NDA.

Role

• Type: Contract (remote OK)
• Timeframe: 6-8 weeks
• Cost: Negotiable (fixed or weekly)

What You'll Do

• Take an existing production app and refactor/rebuild key flows for Play Store readiness.
• Implement a guided onboarding wizard (device setup, linking, SIM setup, consent).
• Redesign permission handling so it's policy-friendly:
  • No permission spam on launch
  • Clear "why we need this" education
  • Fallback paths when possible
• Implement/finish Default SMS App behavior and messaging UI:
  • Inbox / conversations / compose
  • Thread view
  • Store inbound/outbound messages correctly (with user controls)
• Strengthen background reliability:
  • Foreground service + persistent notification
  • Battery optimization guidance
  • Reboot handling (where allowed)
  • Health checks + clear user alerts
• Add Dual SIM support (detect SIMs, SIM selector, per-SIM settings).
• Add an automation/rules engine UI (filters + actions for forwarding/sync rules).
• Improve security and abuse controls suitable for Play review (opt-ins, rate limits, audit log, encrypted storage).
• Prepare the release for Play:
  • Target latest SDK
  • Android 15 behavior checks
  • Data Safety alignment, privacy policy linking, reviewer guidance

Core Deliverables (by end of 6-8 weeks)

• Revamped onboarding + consent + permission education screens
• Default SMS app flow + messaging UI (SMS; MMS at least receiving, sending can be phase 2)
• Dual-SIM support end-to-end
• Reliable gateway foreground service with status/alerts + diagnostics export
• Rules engine (v1) for forwarding/sync behaviors
• Abuse controls: remote send opt-in toggle, rate limits, audit logs, secure key storage
• Play Store readiness checklist completed + internal reviewer guide (for Play review)
• Clean codebase handoff + documentation (setup, architecture notes, testing notes)

Must-Have Experience

• Shipped Android apps to Google Play and handled review/approval issues successfully.
• Strong Kotlin + modern Android architecture (services, notifications, background constraints).
• Experience with Default SMS app behaviors (or adjacent system apps), Telephony APIs, and SMS/MMS flows.
• Solid understanding of permissions UX and how to design for compliance.
• Hands-on debugging across OEM weirdness (Xiaomi/OPPO/Samsung background limits, etc.).
• Comfortable working with an existing codebase and delivering safely within a short timeframe.
• Proficient with AI coding tools (Claude Opus/Sonnet). We expect you to use AI effectively to accelerate development while maintaining code quality. You should know how to "drive" the AI, review outputs critically, and ship clean solutions quickly.

Nice to Have

• Experience with Android 15+ behavior changes relevant to messaging/default-handler apps.
• Familiarity with FCM-triggered tasks and reliable background execution patterns.
• Play Console release management, Data Safety form, privacy policy alignment.
• Automated testing strategy (where it makes sense in a 6-8 week timeline).

How We Work

• You'll get access to the repo + a private spec after initial screening.
• Weekly milestones with a short demo/check-in.
• We value "boring, shippable, review-safe" engineering over fancy experiments.

Screening Questions (answer briefly in your application)

1. Share 1-3 examples of apps you helped get approved (or rescued) in Google Play. What was the issue and how did you resolve it?
2. Have you built or worked on a Default SMS app before? If yes, what parts (inbox, compose, provider integration, Android 15 behavior)?
3. How do you design permission education screens so users understand "what breaks if denied" while staying review-safe?
4. How do you keep a foreground service reliable across OEM battery restrictions? What patterns do you use?
5. Dual-SIM: how would you detect SIMs and allow per-SIM sending + settings reliably?
6. What's your approach to secure storage for API keys/tokens and preventing abuse (rate limiting, opt-ins, audit logs)?
7. How do you use AI tools (Claude Opus/Sonnet) in your development workflow? Give a concrete example of how you'd use it on this project.
8. In a 6-8 week timeline, how would you phase the work (week-by-week)?

To Apply

Hiring Process

1. Application review (email)
2. 15-minute screening call
3. Access to repo + detailed spec (under NDA)
4. Start