We’re building an in-house development team and need a senior Laravel developer to lead this transition. You’ll take ownership of our technical infrastructure, modernize our platform architecture, and eventually build a development team.
This is a high-ownership role. You’ll work directly with the founder (me), have full technical decision-making authority, and shape how we build software going forward.
The Technical Challenge
Current state
- Mostly similar architecture but evolved independently
- Blade templates primarily, some Vue.js components
- WordPress integration for certain content
- AWS infrastructure with dedicated DevOps support
- ~44 items in active backlog (Jira)
What needs to happen
- Upgrade from Laravel 10 to latest stable
- Consolidate 5 codebases into modern multi-tenant architecture
- Clear substantial backlog of features and improvements
- Establish scalable foundation for 16+ courses
- Improve deployment processes and code quality standards
What You’ll Do
Month 1-2
- Audit all 5 codebases – document architecture, dependencies, technical debt
- Review and understand existing AWS infrastructure
- Get access to all systems and establish development workflow
- Take on first backlog items to understand codebase hands‑on
Month 3-4
- Execute Laravel upgrade path
- Start platform consolidation work
- Clear high-priority backlog items
- Define technical standards and processes
Month 5-6
- Build AI automation system for case management
- Interview and hire 2 additional developers
- Begin knowledge transfer and onboarding of new team members
- Transition to full technical ownership
Ongoing
- Own all technical decisions and architecture
- Lead small development team (eventually 3-4 people)
- Work directly with me on product roadmap and priorities
- Ensure code quality, security, and performance standards
Requirements
Technical must-haves
- 7+ years professional Laravel development
- Strong experience with Blade templating
- Database design and optimization (MySQL/PostgreSQL)
- RESTful API design and integration
- Git workflow and code review experience
- Laravel upgrade experience across major versions
- Experience with legacy codebase modernization
Experience we value
- Leading or mentoring other developers
- E‑learning or EdTech platforms
- Python (for automation project)
- Stripe or payment integration
- Security best practices for PII/payment data
Working style
- Self‑directed and proactive – you see problems and solve them
- Strong written communication (we’re async‑first)
- Comfortable with ambiguity and making technical decisions
- Patient with knowledge transfer and documentation
- Pragmatic about shipping vs perfection
- Comfortable using AI to scale output
How We Work
- Fully remote – work from anywhere
- Async‑first – no fixed hours, overlap as needed
- Tools : GitHub, Jira, Slack, AWS
- Communication : Slack for daily updates, video calls for planning/decisions
- You’ll work with : Me (founder), DevOps engineer, eventually 2‑3 developers you help hire
- Salary : $70‑80k USD annually (based on experience)
- Time off : 10 days PTO + your local public holidays
Hiring Process
- Application – Resume + answers to questions below
- Initial call – 30 minutes to discuss experience and fit
- Technical assessment – Take‑home Laravel project, 3‑4 hours, $200 compensation
- Technical interview – 60 min discussion of your solution + architecture scenarios
- Offer – Start within 2‑4 weeks
Total timeline: 4‑6 weeks
To Apply
Email with:
- Resume/CV (including GitHub or code samples if available)
- Answers to these questions :
Describe a legacy codebase you inherited. What was the biggest technical challenge and how did you approach it?
You’re auditing 5 similar Laravel codebases that need consolidation. Walk me through your first 2 weeks – what do you analyze, what do you document, how do you prioritize?
What’s your experience with Laravel version upgrades? What’s the trickiest upgrade you’ve done?
Optional : Anything else you think is relevant