Senior PHP Developer
CV-LibraryLeedspermanentPosted: 6 May 2026
Apply NowSenior Back-end Developer - PHP / Symfony
Location: Leeds (Hybrid – 2 days per week onsite, Monday & Thursday)
Salary: Up to £65,000 (DOE)
The opportunity:
We’re looking for a Senior Back-end Developer, with expertise in PHP and Symfony to join a growing technology team building modern web platforms that support a globally recognised education-focused organisation.
This is a hands-on senior engineering role, ideal for someone who enjoys owning backend development, solving complex technical problems, and contributing to the ongoing evolution of scalable web applications and APIs used by thousands of users.
You’ll join a close-knit engineering team where collaboration, openness, and culture are genuinely valued. The environment is modern, supportive, and delivery-focused, with a strong emphasis on continuous improvement, technical quality, and shared ownership.
The business is investing heavily in its digital platforms, with an ambitious roadmap focused on improving user experience, expanding platform capability, and supporting long-term growth. You’ll play a key role in shaping backend architecture and helping drive engineering standards across the team.
What you’ll be doing:
As a Senior Back-end Developer, you’ll take ownership of backend development across a modern Symfony-based platform and API ecosystem, working closely with frontend developers, stakeholders, and leadership teams.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading backend development across web applications and APIs
Designing, building, and maintaining scalable Symfony-based services
Developing and improving RESTful API endpoints
Supporting ongoing platform scalability, reliability, and performance
Refactoring existing functionality to reduce technical debt and improve maintainability
Collaborating with frontend developers working within React / Next.js applications
Supporting architectural decisions and promoting engineering best practices
Participating in code reviews and mentoring less experienced developers
Contributing to technical discussions, sprint planning, and delivery processes
Supporting integrations with third-party platforms including CRM, payment, and analytics tools
Core technology stack:
PHP 8
Symfony
Symfony API Platform
MySQL
Docker
AWS
React / Next.js frontend environment
Jira, Bitbucket, Slack
What we’re looking for:
Essential experience:
Strong commercial experience with PHP and Symfony
Experience building and maintaining APIs and backend services
Solid understanding of MySQL and relational database design
Experience supporting and improving complex web applications
Strong understanding of software architecture and backend best practices
Experience working within collaborative Agile development teams
Ability to write clean, scalable, and maintainable code
Excellent problem-solving and communication skills
Desirable / bonus experience:
Experience with Symfony API Platform
Experience working with Docker-based local development environments
Exposure to AWS and cloud-based deployments
Experience integrating third-party platforms and services
Experience mentoring junior developers
Frontend exposure with React or Next.js
About you:
You’re a hands-on engineer who enjoys solving real technical problems
You take ownership and care about building high-quality systems
You enjoy working as part of a collaborative, close-knit team
You’re comfortable contributing ideas and influencing technical direction
You value clean architecture, maintainability, and continuous improvement
You’re adaptable, proactive, and motivated by meaningful work with real-world impact
Location: Leeds (Hybrid – 2 days per week onsite, Monday & Thursday)
Salary: Up to £65,000 (DOE)
The opportunity:
We’re looking for a Senior Back-end Developer, with expertise in PHP and Symfony to join a growing technology team building modern web platforms that support a globally recognised education-focused organisation.
This is a hands-on senior engineering role, ideal for someone who enjoys owning backend development, solving complex technical problems, and contributing to the ongoing evolution of scalable web applications and APIs used by thousands of users.
You’ll join a close-knit engineering team where collaboration, openness, and culture are genuinely valued. The environment is modern, supportive, and delivery-focused, with a strong emphasis on continuous improvement, technical quality, and shared ownership.
The business is investing heavily in its digital platforms, with an ambitious roadmap focused on improving user experience, expanding platform capability, and supporting long-term growth. You’ll play a key role in shaping backend architecture and helping drive engineering standards across the team.
What you’ll be doing:
As a Senior Back-end Developer, you’ll take ownership of backend development across a modern Symfony-based platform and API ecosystem, working closely with frontend developers, stakeholders, and leadership teams.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading backend development across web applications and APIs
Designing, building, and maintaining scalable Symfony-based services
Developing and improving RESTful API endpoints
Supporting ongoing platform scalability, reliability, and performance
Refactoring existing functionality to reduce technical debt and improve maintainability
Collaborating with frontend developers working within React / Next.js applications
Supporting architectural decisions and promoting engineering best practices
Participating in code reviews and mentoring less experienced developers
Contributing to technical discussions, sprint planning, and delivery processes
Supporting integrations with third-party platforms including CRM, payment, and analytics tools
Core technology stack:
PHP 8
Symfony
Symfony API Platform
MySQL
Docker
AWS
React / Next.js frontend environment
Jira, Bitbucket, Slack
What we’re looking for:
Essential experience:
Strong commercial experience with PHP and Symfony
Experience building and maintaining APIs and backend services
Solid understanding of MySQL and relational database design
Experience supporting and improving complex web applications
Strong understanding of software architecture and backend best practices
Experience working within collaborative Agile development teams
Ability to write clean, scalable, and maintainable code
Excellent problem-solving and communication skills
Desirable / bonus experience:
Experience with Symfony API Platform
Experience working with Docker-based local development environments
Exposure to AWS and cloud-based deployments
Experience integrating third-party platforms and services
Experience mentoring junior developers
Frontend exposure with React or Next.js
About you:
You’re a hands-on engineer who enjoys solving real technical problems
You take ownership and care about building high-quality systems
You enjoy working as part of a collaborative, close-knit team
You’re comfortable contributing ideas and influencing technical direction
You value clean architecture, maintainability, and continuous improvement
You’re adaptable, proactive, and motivated by meaningful work with real-world impact