Host Guest
Description
About Host GuestHost Guest is a U.S.-based startup launched in 2024 and officially registered in Georgia in 2025. Our platform helps students and cultural travelers find safe, welcoming housing with verified host families across the United States. We focus on trust, affordability, and real human connection, especially for international and out-of-state students navigating unfamiliar cities.
The Host Guest platform is already live and functional, but it requires technical refinement before our national launch in August 2025. Our backend is built in Laravel (PHP) and MySQL, and we are entering a critical pre-launch phase to optimize performance, clean up code, and ensure stability across features and integrations.
The RoleWe are hiring a Backend Developer based in the United States to help refine and optimize the Laravel backend of our web platform. This is a project-based contract, not a full rebuild. Your role will focus on resolving bugs, cleaning up architecture, improving performance, and supporting API integrations.
You?ll work closely with our full-stack engineer, project manager, and UX team to deliver a smoother, cleaner backend experience that supports launch-readiness. You must be comfortable working in an existing Laravel codebase and confident taking technical ownership of backend logic.
Key Responsibilities- Refactor backend code in Laravel to improve logic, clarity, and performance
- Optimize MySQL queries, database structure, and load handling
- Debug critical backend issues related to user accounts, security, or data flow
- Collaborate with front-end and UX teams to ensure end-to-end functionality
- Support the integration of services such as facial recognition, AI assistant (ChatGPT), and email or calendar tools
- Identify and document technical issues or improvements
- Ensure the backend is scalable, secure, and efficient ahead of our national launch
Qualifications- Must be based in the United States
- Minimum 3 years of experience in backend development
- Deep expertise in Laravel (PHP) and MySQL
- Able to navigate and improve an existing, functional codebase
- Familiar with server-side logic, security, and API integration
- Strong debugging skills and attention to system performance
- Experience with AWS, facial recognition or biometric tools, or AI-related APIs
Tech Stack at Host Guest- Backend: Laravel (PHP)
- Database: MySQL
- Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Infrastructure: AWS
- Integrations: ChatGPT, Facial Recognition
- Tools: Asana and Google Workspace
CompensationThis is a fixed project-based contract, with a working timeline from May 16 to mid-July 2025. The estimated compensation range is $1,500 to $3,000 total, based on delivery speed, quality, and complexity of fixes.
If your work is a strong fit for our needs, we may offer you a full-time backend or infrastructure role as we continue to scale after launch. Final scope and deliverables will be confirmed during the initial review and scoping session.
**Why Join Host Guest?**At Host Guest, you?ll be joining a remote-first team with a clear mission and a product that?s already in motion. Your backend contributions will directly support the safety, trust, and ease of use that define our brand. This is a chance to work on real infrastructure with immediate launch visibility, a focused scope, and a team that respects clean, smart code.
