Haystack
Senior Software Engineer
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Job Description: Senior Backend Developer
đź“Ť Location: 1-day per month in Manchester
đź•’ Type: Full-time
đź’Ľ Level: Senior
About the Role
We’re looking for an experienced Senior Backend Developer to lead backend development across multiple client projects. You’ll be responsible for defining architecture, mentoring junior developers, and ensuring our applications are secure, scalable, and easy to maintain.
This role is perfect for someone who can balance hands-on coding with system-level thinking, and who enjoys collaborating closely with designers, frontend developers, and Delivery Managers to bring complex digital products to life.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Leading backend architecture decisions across projects, ideally utilising both Laravel and Node.js/GraphQL.
- Designing and implementing clean, scalable APIs and services.
- Writing secure, reusable code with a sharp focus on performance and maintainability.
- Optimising database queries, caching strategies, and data models.
- Integrating complex business logic and third-party systems.
- Supporting deployment workflows and infrastructure decisions in collaboration with DevOps (e.g., CI/CD, staging, environment config).
- Guiding and mentoring junior and mid-level backend developers.
- Working with Delivery Managers to scope, estimate, and manage backend timelines.
- Ensuring backend systems meet high standards of security, scalability, and reliability.
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What We’re Looking For
- 4–6+ years of backend development experience (specifically PHP/Laravel and Node.js/GraphQL).
- Strong understanding of API architecture (RESTful or GraphQL), microservices, and database design.
- Solid experience with relational (MySQL/PostgreSQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB) databases.
- Knowledge of authentication, encryption, rate-limiting, and security best practices.
- Confident with Git workflows, pull requests, and team-based collaboration.
- Comfortable with infrastructure and deployment tooling (e.g., Docker, GitHub Actions, Vercel, Laravel Forge, or similar).
- Clear communication skills and experience working cross-functionally with technical and non-technical team members.
- Bonus: Experience with Redis, message queues, event-driven architecture, or serverless environments.
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What You’ll Gain
- Technical ownership and input on high-impact projects.
- The opportunity to influence company-wide backend standards and tooling.
- A rewarding role in mentoring and levelling up junior developers.
- A clear pathway to Lead Developer or Backend Architect roles.
- Collaboration with a motivated, cross-functional team where delivery and craft go hand-in-hand.
Why work for this company?
- Project-related bonus scheme
- Hybrid/remote flexibility
- On-site parking
- Company pension scheme
- Annual training allowance
- Day off for your birthday
- Flexible working hours (core hours between 8am and 6pm)
- Relaxed, modern working environment
- Defined personal progression paths tied to company growth and code reviews
- Opportunity to work on exciting and challenging client projects
- Monthly team social activities
- Private healthcare options (available after one year of service)
P.S. we're aware that a combination of node.js AND laravel experience is going to be rare, so we would also consider good node.js experience on its own.
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