Senior Backend Developer (PHP)

TL;DR

Senior Backend Developer (PHP): Develop and maintain backend services for a high-load citybuilder game (~100k DAU) with an accent on API design, monolithic architecture evolution, and performance optimization. Focus on optimizing data storage, caching strategies, and system reliability under production load using MongoDB, Redis, AWS, and monitoring tools.

Location: Flexible work setup - office, remote from home, or hybrid.

Company

Successful international game studio with Supercity, a top 10 Facebook Top Grossing game and mobile version launched in 2017.

What you will do

• Develop and maintain PHP backend services in a high-load production system.
• Design, implement, and maintain APIs using JSON Schema and jRPC for internal communications.
• Work with MongoDB, Redis, AWS, and Centrifugo for data storage, caching, and background processes.
• Analyze performance with Grafana, identify bottlenecks, and optimize queries and heavy flows.
• Extend monolithic backend architecture, improving stability and scalability without disruptive rewrites.

Requirements

• 5+ years commercial PHP backend development experience.
• Experience in GameDev or high-load systems.
• Strong OOP and software design principles.
• Hands-on with MongoDB, Redis, AWS, Grafana, API contracts, JSON Schema, jRPC.
• Deep understanding of high-load challenges: caching, concurrency, fault tolerance, scalability, bottlenecks.
• Comfortable with monolithic architectures and evolutionary improvements.

Nice to have

• Experience with Centrifugo or real-time systems.
• Live game servers, live-ops, event-driven logic.
• PHP profiling and optimization.
• CI/CD, observability, production workflows.
• Evolutionary development of legacy systems.

Culture & Benefits

• Stable international company with open game earnings statistics.
• Competitive salary reviewed every 6 months.
• Flexible work: office, remote, or hybrid.
• $1000 annual perks budget for health insurance, sports, therapy, education, languages.
• Full pay for sick/personal leaves + 20 vacation days.
• Epic team sharing knowledge and experience.