Senior PHP Developer

Senior PHP Developer £40-£60k

About the candidate

We are seeking a proactive PHP Developer with experience in Codeigniter 4 and API handling with JSON data. This role offers a salary based on experience, reflecting the candidate's skills and contributions. The ideal candidate will demonstrate technical proficiency, strong task management skills, and a collaborative, professional attitude.

Location: The role is primarily remote, though we do from time to time meet in the office based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

About the role

As a Senior PHP Developer, you will play a key role in the transformation of a large, established PHP application into a modern, API-first architecture. You will work closely with the development team to design and implement RESTful APIs that will serve as the backbone for a cutting-edge Next.js front end. This is an exciting opportunity to modernize and optimize a mission-critical application while leveraging best practices in object-oriented programming, efficient database management, and scalable cloud solutions. Your expertise in PHP, CodeIgniter 4, MySQL, and AWS will be instrumental in delivering high-performance, reliable, and secure systems.

Key Responsibilities and Expectations

1. Technical Proficiency

PHP Development: Expert-level proficiency in PHP, with a focus on modern, object-oriented programming practices.

Frameworks: Extensive experience with object-oriented frameworks, particularly CodeIgniter 4.

Database Management:

• Strong proficiency in MySQL, including query optimization, schema design, and database performance tuning.
• Experience with handling complex database structures and implementing efficient data models.

AWS Expertise:

• Familiarity with AWS services for deploying and managing web applications.
• Hands-on experience with services like ECS, S3, RDS and CloudFront is preferred.

Version Control: Proficient in using Git for source code management, including branching and pull requests.

API Development:

• Expertise in developing and consuming RESTful APIs.
• Understanding of API authentication mechanisms like OAuth and JWT.

Web Standards and Best Practices:

• Strong knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript for front-end integration.
• Awareness of security best practices for PHP applications (e.g., input validation, sanitization, and secure session management).

Testing and Debugging:

• Familiarity with automated testing frameworks (e.g., PHPUnit).
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills for PHP applications and database queries.

Deployment Practices:

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines to streamline deployment processes.
• Understanding of containerization tools like Docker is a plus.

Soft Skills: Excellent problem-solving ability and the ability to take a client requests and turn them into functioning solutions.

2. Task and Project Management

• Jira Proficiency: Regular updates on Jira tickets, ensuring each task stage is accurately documented, along with realistic time estimates to support effective project planning.
• Time Management and Accountability: Accurate assessment of task timeframes, with an emphasis on maintaining deadlines and overall project consistency.

3. Communication and Professional Conduct

• Clear Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication, with regular updates through designated channels (e.g., Slack, email), seeking clarification proactively for any task ambiguities.
• Team Collaboration: An ability to work harmoniously within a team environment, respecting established workflows, and contributing positively to team dynamics.
• Constructive Feedback Handling: Professional and receptive approach to feedback, with a focus on making adjustments based on input from team members.
• Daily Progress Reports: Ability to summarise end-of-day progress, ensuring transparency and coordination with the team.

Interview Process

The interview process will consist of two steps:

• Overview Call: A general introductory call to discuss the role and your experience.
• Showcase Interview: A more technical, in-depth session where you will be expected to showcase examples of your work, focusing on relevant technical skills.

References: References will be mandatory for the successful applicant.