Lead Software Engineer-Backend (PHP)

Commerce.com US, Inc.; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 182,000 - 259,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Benefits package

Bonus opportunity

Job summary

Commerce leads the way in building an open, AI-driven commerce ecosystem. We are seeking a Lead Software Engineer - Backend to shape the technical vision for our backend platforms and drive scalable, reliable services that power data-intensive SaaS products.

You will partner with Staff Engineers and cross-functional teams to design, implement, and optimize core infrastructure, ensuring high availability and robust performance.

Qualifications

• 7+ years backend programming experience; strong PHP required.
• Experience with MySQL and database design, caching, and scalability.
• Familiarity with distributed systems, and modern CI/CD with containers.
• Experience with Linux and cloud (GCP preferred).
• Experience with observability tooling (OpenTelemetry) preferred.
• Authorized to work in the U.S.; BS or higher in CS or related field.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the technical vision for backend domain with a focus on scalability and availability.
• Own end-to-end delivery, including scoping, forecasting, and meeting deadlines.
• Contribute to RFCs, architecture discussions, and tool/process selection.
• Mentor mentees and drive cross-team alignment and documentation.
• Improve CI/CD pipelines and automation for efficient deployment.

Skills

PHP

Distributed Systems

Linux

CI/CD

gRPC

Caching

Education

BS or higher in Computer Science or related field

Tools

MySQL

Docker

Kubernetes

Redis

Memcached

GCP

OTel

Job description

Welcome to the Agentic Commerce Era At Commerce, our mission is to empower businesses to innovate, grow, and thrive with our open, AI-driven commerce ecosystem. As the parent company of BigCommerce, Feedonomics, and Makeswift, we connect the tools and systems that power growth, enabling businesses to unlock the full potential of their data, deliver seamless and personalized experiences across every channel, and adapt swiftly to an ever-changing market. We believe in harnessing AI responsibly to unlock new possibilities, and we’re looking for individuals who use it intentionally to solve problems, accelerate outcomes, and expand what’s possible in their role. Our purpose is to help businesses confidently solve complex commerce challenges so they can build smarter, adapt faster, and grow on their own terms. If you want to be part of a team of bold builders, sharp thinkers, and technical trailblazers who shape the future of commerce, this is the place for you. We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Lead Software Engineer - Backend to join the fully remote Engineering team at Feedonomics. As a Lead, you will define the technical vision for your domain and engage with Staff Engineers to deliver projects aligned to our broader platform vision. You will work with a highly collaborative and cross-functional Backend Engineering team to deliver and scale core infrastructure components and services that power our robust, high-performance, data-intensive SaaS platform.

Responsibilities

• Define the technical vision to advance the domain and engage with Staff Engineers to deliver projects aligned to the platform vision.
• Design and implement high-quality solutions to the most complex and ambiguous problems in the domain, with focus on scalability and high availability.
• Own end-to-end technical project execution, including scoping, sequencing, forecasting ECDs, and driving delivery towards deadlines.
• Participate in RFCs and architectural discussions, evaluating and recommending tools, technologies, and processes that solve concrete business problems.
• Own and represent deep SME across complex and sophisticated areas, guiding design decisions and influencing technical direction.
• Proactively monitor the state of the team's services and recommend optimizations based on data.
• Advocate for practices and implement tooling to enable others, leveraging automation to enable the CI/CD pipeline, thereby streamlining efficient application development and deployment.
• Be a champion for Continuous Improvement in end-to-end infrastructure and systems, including conducting post-mortems to analyze and prevent repeat failures.
• Act as a dedicated mentor to multiple mentees, providing insightful feedback about teammates to help them excel.
• Drive team-level education and documentation practices to foster a culture of shared learning.
• Proactively identify and build important relationships with partner teams to ensure cross-functional alignment.

Requirements

• 7+ years of programming experience in backend languages Strong experience with PHP is required (Experience with Python, GoLang, Java or a similar programming language is a bonus).
• Extensive experience with MySQL or a similar technology , paired with a strong understanding of database schema design, caching and scalability.
• Strong understanding of various communication protocols (TCP, gRPC, etc) and Distributed Systems.
• Ability to perform time and memory complexity analysis.
• Experience in Caching technologies (e.g. Redis or Memcached).
• DevOps experience is highly preferred.
• Solid understanding of Linux operating systems and experience with modern CI/CD and containerization tools like Docker.
• Experience with Cloud solutions (GCP highly preferred)
• Experience with Full-stack observability frameworks and tools (OTel highly preferred)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Education BS or higher degree in Computer Science or related technical field.

For candidates based in the Austin or Atlanta metro area the position follows a hybrid work model with three days per week in the office, balancing focused individual work with meaningful in-person collaboration. #LI-REMOTE #LI-MP2 (Pay Transparency Range: $182,000.00 – $259,000.00)

Compensation Transparency

The national base salary range for this role is posted above in this job post. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, qualifications and geographic location. We also consider internal equity to help ensure fair and consistent pay practices across our teams.

Where applicable, this role may also be eligible for variable compensation (such as bonus or commission), equity, and benefits in accordance with local policies. Details will be shared during the hiring process. We are committed to equitable and transparent pay practices that align to market data, internal equity, and individual contribution.

Inclusion and Belonging

At Commerce, we believe that celebrating the unique histories, perspectives and abilities of every employee makes a difference for our company, our customers and our community. We are an equal opportunity employer and the inclusive atmosphere we build together will make room for every person to contribute, grow and thrive. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you require accommodations or adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Learn more about the Commerce team, culture and benefits at https://www.commerce.com/careers/