Senior PHP Software Engineer (Laravel / CakePHP / Node.js / APIs / WebSockets)

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced **Senior PHP Software Engineer** to join our growing development team.

This role is ideal for someone who is deeply experienced in modern PHP frameworks, backend architecture, and real-time systems, and who thrives in collaborative environments working closely with mobile app engineers and frontend developers.

You will play a key role in designing scalable backend systems, developing robust APIs, and building real-time communication services that power web and mobile applications.

**Key Responsibilities**

• Design, develop, and maintain backend systems using **Laravel and CakePHP**
• Build and optimise RESTful and WebSocket API endpoints
• Develop and maintain real-time features using WebSockets
• Collaborate closely with **mobile application engineers (iOS / Android / Flutter / React Native)**
• Architect scalable, secure, and high-performance backend solutions
• Integrate third-party APIs and external services
• Optimise database queries and system performance
• Participate in code reviews and maintain clean, well-documented code
• Contribute to system architecture decisions and technical strategy

**Required Skills & Experience**

• 5+ years experience in PHP development
• Strong expertise in **Laravel**
• Strong experience with **CakePHP**
• Solid experience with **Node.js**
• Proven experience building and maintaining **RESTful APIs**
• Experience implementing **WebSockets / real-time communication**
• Strong understanding of authentication systems (JWT, OAuth, session-based auth)
• Experience with MySQL or PostgreSQL
• Familiarity with Git and modern CI/CD workflows
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills
• Experience collaborating with mobile development teams

**Nice to Have**

• Experience with Docker and cloud infrastructure
• Experience with queue systems (Redis, RabbitMQ)
• Knowledge of microservices architecture
• DevOps exposure (Linux servers, NGINX, deployments)
• Experience in high-traffic production environments

**What We Offer**

• Competitive salary (based on experience)
• Flexible working arrangements
• Exposure to innovative and scalable tech projects
• Collaborative and high-performance engineering culture
• Long-term growth opportunities

**How to Apply**

Please submit your resume along with links to relevant GitHub projects or portfolio work.

Only candidates with demonstrable Laravel and backend API experience will be considered.

Job Types: Part-time, Temp to perm

Contract length: 6 months

Pay: $100,000.00 – $140,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 15 – 20 per week

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kogarah NSW 2217