Senior Backend Engineer

Gathern; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Job summary

Gathern is seeking a seasoned Backend Engineer with deep PHP expertise to architect and lead scalable backend architectures. The role emphasizes building reliable services, API design, cloud-first infrastructure, and strong security practices.

You will mentor peers, drive performance improvements, and collaborate with product and infrastructure teams across remote environments in a fast-growing hospitality tech platform.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of professional backend development experience leading complex projects.
• Expert proficiency in PHP and related frameworks.
• Experience with RESTful and GraphQL APIs and third-party integrations.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design scalable backend systems.
• Build and maintain core backend services using PHP and modern frameworks.
• Optimize performance and scalability, identify bottlenecks.
• Ensure security, data protection, and compliant practices.
• Mentor team members through code reviews and discussions.
• Lead incident management and root-cause analysis.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align solutions with business goals.
• Design, monitor, and optimize databases (SQL/NoSQL).
• Implement robust testing strategies for stability and resilience.
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging tools.

Skills

PHP

Leadership

Cloud (AWS/GCP)

Databases (SQL/NoSQL)

Microservices

APIs (REST/GraphQL)

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Git

AWS/GCP cloud services

Job description

About us:

AtGathern, we're not just a platform, we're the homegrown Saudi success story that built and leads thealternative hospitality sectoracross the Kingdom. As the largest peer-to-peer vacation rental marketplace in Saudi Arabia, Gathern enables travelers to explore the country throughauthentic stays hosted by local residentswhile directly supportingSaudi Vision 2030by boosting tourism, empowering communities, and expanding accommodation supply.
Backed by ourSAR 270 million Series B funding roundled bySanabil Investments (PIF-owned)and valuing Gathern atover SAR 1 billion!We're entering an exciting new chapter of growth, innovation, and regional expansion as we prepare for a futureTadawul listing.
With5M+ users, guests from150+ nationalities, a network of72,000+ hospitality units, and more thanSAR 2 billion paidto33,000+ Saudi hosts, Gathern stands as one of thefastest-growing tech companies in the Kingdom, holding a44% national market shareand53% in Riyadh!
This is your opportunity to join a company that’sredefining travelandshaping the future of tourism in Saudi Arabia!

We are looking for a seasoned Backend Engineer with deep expertise in PHP and a strong track record leading complex, scalable system architectures. The ideal candidate brings solid experience across databases, cloud services, microservices, DevOps practices, and secure API development to drive high-quality, reliable backend solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Architect and design complex systems ensuring scalability and reliability
• Build and maintain core backend services using best-in-class technologies and frameworks
• Optimize performance and scalability by identifying bottlenecks and implementing efficient solutions
• Ensure security and compliance with proper authentication, data protection, and regulatory measures
• Mentor and guide team members through technical discussions, code reviews, and knowledge-sharing
• Conduct thorough code reviews to uphold high-quality coding standards and maintain best practices
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align technical solutions with business goals
• Manage databases by designing, monitoring, and optimizing for performance and reliability.
• Implement robust testing strategies for stable, resilient systems.
• Lead incident management by troubleshooting critical issues, driving root cause analysis, and implementing preventive measures.
• Stay current with industry trends and integrate emerging tools, frameworks, and practices to enhance backend systems
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of professional experience in backend development with proven leadership on complex projects
• Expert proficiency in PHP backend programming language and frameworks
• Proficiency in backend programming languages (e.g., Python, Go, Node.js) is a big plus.
• Deep understanding of scalable system architecture, design patterns, and microservices principles
• Extensive experience with database design, optimization, and management (both SQL and NoSQL)
• Proven ability to design and implement robust, secure APIs (RESTful, GraphQL) and handle third-party integrations
• Strong knowledge of cloud services (AWS, or GCP), containerization (Docker), and orchestration (Kubernetes)
• Deep familiarity with security best practices, data protection, authentication, and authorization mechanisms
• Experience with version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and DevOps practices
• USD salary,stable, competitive compensation regardless of currency fluctuations.
• Comprehensive medical insurance provided to support your wellbeing.
• Fully remote work with flexible hours, build your routine your way.
• Fast career growth in a company scaling rapidly across Saudi and the region.