Senior Backend Developer (PHP)

Squadio23; Saudi Arabia; On-site; SAR 300,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Squadio23 in Saudi Arabia seeks a Senior PHP Backend Developer to lead the design and development of robust, scalable backend systems. You will mentor engineers and drive technical excellence across the lifecycle.

Responsibilities include leading backend architecture, collaborating with frontend, product, and DevOps; optimizing MySQL schemas; integrating APIs and microservices; enforcing security, performance, and code quality; contributing to CI/CD and cloud deployments; mentoring juniors and

Qualifications

• 7+ years of backend development experience with PHP and frameworks (Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter).
• Strong software architecture understanding, design patterns (SOLID, MVC).
• Hands-on with RESTful APIs, microservices, and third-party API integrations.
• Advanced MySQL knowledge: query optimization and schema design.
• Proficient in Git and collaborative workflows (pull requests, code reviews).
• Experience with deployment automation and cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure).
• Familiarity with frontend basics (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and backend integration.
• Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and leadership with mentoring abilities.
• Commitment to engineering excellence and continuous learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead backend architecture and development efforts for PHP-based systems.
• Collaborate with front-end engineers, product managers, and DevOps to define technical solutions.
• Design and optimize databases, including data migrations and high-performance SQL queries.
• Integrate external APIs and internal microservices for interoperable systems.
• Implement robust security practices: authentication, authorization, input validation.
• Drive performance optimization: caching layers, bottleneck fixes, backend efficiency.
• Oversee code quality through reviews and enforce clean coding practices.
• Stay ahead of trends, evaluate and adopt new PHP frameworks and patterns.
• Contribute to DevOps and CI/CD initiatives for smooth deployments.
• Provide mentorship and support production systems, ensuring high availability.

Skills

PHP

Laravel

Symfony

CodeIgniter

REST APIs

Microservices

MySQL

SOLID principles

MVC

Leadership

Tools

Git

Docker

CI/CD

AWS

Azure

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior PHP Backend Developer to lead the design and development of robust, scalable, and high-performance backend systems. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of building enterprise-grade applications, mentoring team members, and driving technical excellence throughout the software development lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• 1. Lead backend architecture and development efforts, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability of PHP-based systems.
• 2. Collaborate cross-functionally with front-end engineers, product managers, and DevOps teams to define technical solutions aligned with business objectives.
• 3. Design and optimize databases, crafting efficient data models, writing high-performance SQL queries, and managing complex data migrations.
• 4. Integrate external APIs and internal microservices, ensuring seamless interoperability and secure data exchange.
• 5. Implement robust security practices, including authentication, authorization, input validation, and data protection mechanisms.
• 6. Drive performance optimization, identifying bottlenecks, implementing caching layers, and improving backend efficiency.
• 7. Oversee code quality through regular code reviews, enforcing best practices, and guiding junior developers in clean coding principles.
• 8. Stay ahead of technology trends, continuously evaluating and adopting new PHP frameworks, tools, and architectural patterns.
• 9. Contribute to DevOps and CI/CD initiatives, ensuring smooth deployment pipelines and automated testing processes.
• 10. Provide technical mentorship, support production systems, and ensure high availability and reliability in live environments.

Requirements

• 1. 7+ years of professional experience in backend development, with deep expertise in PHP and frameworks such as Laravel, Symfony, or CodeIgniter.
• 2. Strong understanding of software architecture, design patterns (e.g., SOLID principles, MVC), and scalable system design.
• 3. Hands-on experience with RESTful APIs, microservices architecture, and third-party API integrations.
• 4. Advanced knowledge of MySQL (or other relational databases), including query optimization and schema design.
• 5. Proficiency in version control systems (Git) and experience with collaborative workflows (branching, pull requests, code reviews).
• 6. Solid understanding of server environments, deployment automation, and cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or similar).
• 7. Familiarity with frontend technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and their integration with backend systems.
• 8. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex production issues.
• 9. Excellent communication and leadership skills, with a proactive approach to mentoring and collaboration.
• 10. A passion for engineering excellence, continuous learning, and contributing to a culture of innovation and quality.