PHP DeveloperWhisker is redefining what it means to live with cats—designing intelligent systems that remove friction, elevate the everyday, and celebrate the quiet brilliance of feline companionship. Today, Litter-Robot leads the category. Tomorrow, an entire ecosystem that expands what's possible for cats and the people who love them. We believe the future is feline. And we're imagining that future today.We work onsite 4+ days a week, with our team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and Juneau, Wisconsin. Our team of 700+ passionate pet people thrives on collaboration, innovation, and the occasional office cameo from a four-legged friend.What You'll DoThe PHP Developer will build, enhance, and maintain the software and systems that power Whisker's operations, including fulfillment of our Litter-Robots, Feeder-Robots, and other innovative pet products. This role is ideal for a mid-level developer with strong PHP expertise who is eager to contribute to core business systems and expand their technical skillset.
Experience with ERP, MES, or similar enterprise systems is a strong bonus. The Specialist will collaborate across teams, actively participate in Agile processes, and deliver clean, maintainable, and efficient solutions that support Whisker's global operations.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.Contributes to the development, enhancement, and maintenance of Whisker's operations management systemsCollaborates with operations, manufacturing, and shipping teams to understand challenges and support solutionsTranslates requirements into incremental deliverables, provide accurate estimates, and participate in Agile ceremonies (planning, stand-ups, reviews, retros)Writes, tests, and deploys clean, maintainable code across both back-end and front-end systemsParticipates in code reviews, offering and receiving constructive feedbackAssists in designing and maintaining database schemas and queriesDevelops and supports integrations with third-party systems (e.g., shipping, returns, ERP)Troubleshoots and resolves system issues with urgency and attention to detailCreates and maintains technical documentation for system functionality and processesWrites and maintains unit and integration tests to ensure application reliabilityFollows best practices in software development, including coding standards, testing, and Agile methodologiesStays current with emerging technologies and recommends improvements for systems and processesWill perform additional responsibilities when requiredWhat You'll BringBS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering and/or equivalent experience2–3+ years of professional experience in web development with strong PHP expertiseExperience with modern MVC frameworks such as Laravel or SymfonyExperience developing REST APIs and integrating with third-party APIsHands-on experience with relational databases and writing efficient queriesFamiliarity with project management tools for task/issue trackingExperience participating in Agile teams and ceremoniesExposure to maintaining and refactoring existing applicationsExperience with unit testing frameworks (e.g., PHPUnit)Proficiency in PHP (7.x/8.x) and object-oriented programmingStrong understanding of MVC frameworks and clean code principlesBasic knowledge of cloud hosting and deployments (Azure preferred)Front-end skills: JavaScript, JQuery, SASS/LESS, with familiarity in build tools (Webpack, Gulp, or Grunt)Familiarity with modern JS frameworks (React, Vue, Angular, or Svelte)Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker), and version control (Git)Maintains confidentiality of proprietary informationAbility to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast-paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptionsAbility to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleaguesComfortable with office pets (cats, dogs)Not Required but Nice to Have!Experience working with ERP, MES, or other enterprise-grade systemsExperience migrating PHP applications from older versions (7.x to 8.x)Familiarity with caching (Redis, Memcache) and message queues (RabbitMQ or similar) is a plusHands-on experience containerizing applicationsFamiliarity with accessibility/ADA compliance in web appsCloud certifications (Azure, AWS, or GCP)Experience working cross-functionally with non-technical stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical deliverablesNot required to have pets, but highly recommendedBenefits & Perks:Join a tenacious, inventive company that empowers team members to chart their own path, lead by grounding decisions in the "why", and has a strong sense of empathy and openness to new perspectives. Be a part of exciting growth, work with incredible people, and create tomorrow's pet products—plus a whole lot of extras. You will also be provided with:Premium Medical/Dental/Vision insurancePaid parental leaveWhisker Parents Program1 day "pawternity" leave for new pet adoptionPet Insurance Discount401K matchFlexible spending accountsCompany-paid short-term disability and life insuranceEmployee Assistance Program (EAP)Generous paid time off14 Paid HolidaysTop of the line equipmentPet-friendly officeWhisker products and swagContinuing education SupportOn-site gym with PelotonReferral programStatement of Inclusivity:We believe different perspectives make Whisker better and strive to create a place where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.