Lead PHP Engineer

About The Company Jobot is recruiting on behalf of an innovative entertainment startup that is modernizing the backend systems behind global data and rights management. The company is investing in the transformation of its core applications, replacing legacy systems with faster, more reliable, and more automated solutions built with Laravel. Its engineering team works on data-driven products and workflows that support publishing operations and third-party integrations. The organization offers a collaborative, talented team and a welcoming work culture, with a headquarters in San Francisco and a hybrid approach to working. About The Role The Lead PHP/Laravel Engineer will guide backend development for the company's publishing-focused systems. This is a hands-on technical leadership opportunity for an experienced engineer who can modernize established applications while maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and performance of critical data and rights workflows. You will contribute to system architecture, API design, data modeling, and migrations, helping move legacy code into maintainable Laravel applications. You will also partner with colleagues across engineering and business functions to understand operational needs and deliver practical, dependable solutions. The position is hybrid and based in San Francisco, California, with an annual base salary range of $140,000 to $165,000, plus eligibility for a bonus. Qualifications Candidates should have at least six years of backend engineering experience, including substantial hands-on work with PHP and Laravel. You should bring a strong understanding of system migrations, data modeling, API integrations, and the development of data-intensive or transactional applications. Experience working within legacy codebases and refactoring them for modern frameworks is essential. The ideal candidate can assess existing systems, identify technical risks, and make thoughtful improvements without compromising business-critical workflows. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to data integrity, and the ability to communicate technical decisions clearly are important. Familiarity with JavaScript for light frontend integration or API testing is a plus. Experience with entertainment, publishing, rights management, or similarly complex data domains may be helpful, but the key requirement is the ability to deliver reliable backend systems in a changing environment. Responsibilities Lead and contribute to the modernization of core publishing and rights management applications using PHP and Laravel. Design, build, and maintain backend services and APIs that support internal workflows and integrations with third-party platforms. Plan and execute system migrations, including translating legacy behavior, validating data, and helping ensure continuity during transitions. Develop and refine data models for complex, high-volume, or transactional use cases, with a focus on accuracy, scalability, and maintainability. Review existing code, identify performance or reliability concerns, and refactor applications to align with modern engineering practices. Collaborate with engineers and stakeholders to clarify requirements, evaluate solutions, and deliver improvements that support operational goals. Contribute to technical planning, documentation, testing, and code reviews while helping establish consistent approaches to backend development. Monitor system performance and troubleshoot issues, prioritizing solutions that improve the speed, stability, and automation of essential workflows. Benefits The compensation package includes a competitive annual base salary of $140,000 to $165,000 and a bonus opportunity. Employees have access to healthcare benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as a 401(k) plan. You will join a talented engineering team and a collaborative workplace focused on meaningful modernization work. The role offers hybrid flexibility and is connected to the company's San Francisco headquarters. Equal Opportunity Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to protected characteristics, including race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law. Jobot provides an inclusive work environment, prohibits harassment based on protected characteristics, and complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Qualified candidates with criminal histories will be considered in accordance with applicable fair-chance laws. Candidate information is handled under Jobot's applicable privacy notices. By applying, candidates may receive calls, text messages, or emails from Jobot and its representatives; message and data rates may apply, and candidates may opt out of texts by replying STOP.