Job Title: Senior PHP Developer with NodeJS

Location: Remote (USA)

Time Zone: EST

Experience: 8+ Years

Type: Contract

Work Authorization: USC, GC, GC-EAD, H4-EAD

Must Have:

Develop a deep understanding of an existing PHP monolithic codebase and progressively extract modular services
Design and implement scalable, testable, and reusable backend services
Write clean, maintainable PHP and Node.js server-side code
Design and maintain robust RESTful and GraphQL APIs
Lead refactoring efforts to improve performance, readability, and long-term maintainability
Build, deploy, and operate services on AWS (Lambda, API Gateway, and related services)
Write and maintain unit and integration tests
Review, validate, and improve code generated with AI tools—never blindly accept AI output
Identify technical risks, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement
Clearly communicate technical decisions, trade-offs, and solutions in written and spoken English
Create short video walkthroughs or demos explaining architecture changes or completed work
Collaborate effectively in a remote, async-first cross-timezone team with flexible working hours

Skills/Requirements:

Expert-level PHP (Laravel) experience (non-negotiable)
Strong backend experience with Node.js
Proven experience working on enterprise-grade, production systems
Hands-on experience refactoring or decomposing monolithic architectures
Strong background in API design and backend architecture
Experience with AWS, especially Lambda and serverless patterns
Solid understanding of software design principles, patterns, and clean code practices
Experience writing testable code and maintaining automated test suites
Fluency in English (written and spoken)
Excellent problem-solving, debugging, and communication skills
Highly proactive and self-directed; able to unblock yourself without waiting for instructions

AI & Developer Tooling Expectations

You are expected to use AI as a productivity multiplier, not a replacement for engineering judgment.
Experience with AI coding tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Cursor)
Using AI within IDEs such as VS Code or PhpStorm
Critically reviewing, testing, and refining AI-generated code
Understanding risks, edge cases, and limitations of AI-assisted development

100% Remote || Senior PHP Developer with NodeJS || Contract Position || USC, GC & EADs

Resume Keywords to Include