Senior Full Stack PHP Developer - Vanilla Platform

Job Description

What you'll be doing

We are looking for a talented Senior Full Stack PHP Developer to join the "Vanilla Platform” team, responsible for building Future's flagship digital publishing platform.

In this role, you will work directly with the Tech Lead and other developers to build and maintain both new and existing applications. You will be responsible for working on a proven platform that delivers thousands of pages per second to hundreds-of-millions of people.

You will primarily be hands-on in a modern application utilising PHP, Alpine.js, TailwindCSS, Twig, while also contributing to services built with Laravel,

About the Department

The Technology & Engineering department at Future offers a collaborative, collegiate environment where the primary focus is on effective but well-engineered and scalable solutions. We look to answer critical business challenges posed both by our product and commercial teams as well as from within the department.

Our focus is on quality in all aspects of our systems, not only in function but also in terms of test coverage, observability, alerting, and documentation. We run regular hack days and have a strong focus on best practices led by tech-based guilds.

Key Responsibilities

• SEO & GEO: Working with our in-house Audience team to build systems that will attract new users to the platform and retain them
• API Integration: Build and consume robust APIs to connect the new creator platform with core internal services (Identity, Asset Management, Content APIs) and AI moderation tools.
• Code Quality & Testing: Write clean, strongly-typed code backed by comprehensive unit and integration tests. Champion best practices in code reviews.
• DevOps & CI/CD: Contribute to the setup and maintenance of CI/CD pipelines and local development environments (containers), ensuring rapid and reliable deployment.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the Tech Lead and product stakeholders to refine requirements, estimate tasks, and solve complex technical challenges.

Experience that will put you ahead of the curve

• Backend Proficiency: Solid experience with PHP-based backend services (whether that is Laravel or Symfony or another framework) and API development following best practices (modern tooling, typed code, building a culture around testing and maintainability)
• Modern Frontend Mastery: Strong experience building complex, dynamic web applications, with modern tools like TypeScript. You understand the nuances of Server-Side Rendering (SSR) vs. Client-Side Rendering (CSR).
• Component Architecture: The ability to build performant, reusable UI components in modern JS frameworks like Alpine.js and React with tools like Tailwind.
• Workflow Engine Awareness: Experience with (or a strong desire to learn) Temporal.io or similar orchestration frameworks to manage distributed systems and long-running processes.
• Data Handling: Experience working with databases and marshaling data from various external APIs.
• Operational Mindset: You are solution-oriented and understand that software is meant to solve real-world operational problems (e.g., automating manual finance work).
• Product Design Mindset: You care about the product you build and the people who use it. You care about and will actively shape UX, flows and features.
• You can mention your favourite animal in your cover letter, this helps us know you’ve thoroughly read the job requirements!

What's in it for you

The expected range for this role is £50,000- £55,000

This is a UK, Remote-based role

… Plus more great perks, which include;

• Uncapped leave, because we trust you to manage your workload and time
• When we hit our targets, enjoy a share of our profits with a bonus
• Refer a friend and get rewarded when they join Future
• Well-being support with access to our Colleague Assistant Programmes
• Opportunity to purchase shares in Future, with our Share Incentive Plan

Internal job family level Technology 5

Who are we…

We're Future, the global leader in specialist media. With over 3,000 employees working across 200+ media brands, Future is a prime destination for passionate people worldwide looking to consume trusted, expert content that educates and inspires action - both online and off - through our specialist websites, magazines, events, newsletters, podcasts and social spaces.

We've got ambitious plans that further build on our growth momentum and unlock new opportunities – and we're looking for driven people who want to be a part of it!

Our Future, Our Responsibility - Inclusion and Diversity at Future

We embrace and celebrate diversity, making it part of who we are.

Different perspectives spark ideas, fuel creativity, and push us to innovate. That's why we're building a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

When it comes to hiring, we keep it fair and inclusive, welcoming talent from every walk of life. It's not just about what you bring to the table — it's about making sure the table has room for everyone.

Because a diverse team isn't just good for business. It's the Future.

Find out more about Our Future, Our Responsibility on our website.

Please let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments made so we can give you the best experience!

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