Mid-Level Backend PHP Developer

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable backend services and RESTful APIs using modern PHP frameworks (Laravel or similar)
• Collaborate with frontend developers to ensure seamless system integrations across the full stack
• Build clean, maintainable, and well-tested code aligned to best practices and coding standards
• Design, manage, and optimise MySQL databases including schema design, migrations, and query performance tuning
• Troubleshoot, debug, and resolve application and system issues across environments
• Integrate third-party APIs and external data services
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to continuous improvement within the engineering team
• Support CI/CD processes and work closely with DevOps to ensure smooth deployments
• Identify performance bottlenecks and implement scalable, efficient solutions

Requirements:

• 3+ years professional experience in PHP development
• Strong understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP) and MVC architecture
• Solid experience with Laravel or similar modern PHP frameworks
• Strong MySQL skills including query optimisation and database design
• Experience working with Git and collaborative version control workflows
• Experience building and consuming RESTful APIs (JSON/XML)
• Understanding of unit and feature testing in PHP
• Strong communication skills and ability to work independently and within a team
• Experience working with caching and messaging tools such as Redis or RabbitMQ (advantageous)
• Exposure to Docker or containerised environments (advantageous)
• Basic understanding of frontend technologies such as Vue.js or React (advantageous)
• Exposure to CI/CD pipelines and automated deployments (advantageous)
• Experience working with secure data or financial integrations (advantageous)

Technical & Professional Skills:

• Advanced PHP development (Laravel or equivalent frameworks)
• Strong SQL and database optimisation skills
• Experience with RESTful API development and integration
• Knowledge of software design principles and clean architecture
• Understanding of caching strategies and asynchronous processing
• Exposure to cloud or container environments (advantageous)
• Familiarity with modern DevOps practices and deployment pipelines
• Strong debugging and performance optimisation capabilities

Preferred Qualifications:

• Tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field
• Relevant PHP or software development certifications (advantageous)
• Experience working in a fast-paced, agile development environment

Key Competencies:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• High attention to detail and commitment to code quality
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a dynamic environment
• Proactive, solution-driven mindset
• Strong teamwork and knowledge-sharing approach
• Passion for continuous learning and technical improvement

Additional Requirements:

• The role is remote-friendly within South Africa, provided the working environment supports stable fibre connectivity (minimum 100Mbps recommended) and a suitable home workspace for confidential and productive work

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