Quick Summary
Company Description
An enterprise client is seeking an exceptionally strong Backend Engineer with deep expertise in C++ and PHP. This role is for a small, senior, fully remote engineering team operating in a high-trust, high-ownership environment with minimal process, no standups, and no sprint ceremonies.
This position is specifically designed for engineers who excel with autonomy, clear ownership, and written communication. The successful candidate will be highly visible, trusted, and expected to operate independently from day one.
As part of our rigorous vetting process, all shortlisted candidates will complete a paid C++ and PHP technical challenge before advancing.
Job Description
What You’ll Be Responsible For:
- Designing, building, and maintaining backend systems primarily using C++ and PHP.
- Owning features and systems end-to-end, from architectural design through production delivery.
- Solving complex technical problems independently and proactively.
- Providing daily written updates on progress, decisions, and blockers.
- Actively participating in technical and product discussions via Slack in a chat-driven environment.
- Collaborating with a small, senior team within a fully asynchronous operating model.
Qualifications
Technical Requirements (Non-Negotiable):
- Expert-level proficiency in both C++ and PHP.
- Clear commitment to C++ and PHP as long-term backend technologies.
- Demonstrated problem-solving ability, validated through a paid C++ and PHP technical challenge.
- Strong backend systems thinking, including performance, reliability, and maintainability.
- SQL experience is a plus, but not required.
Communication & Collaboration Expectations:
- Extremely strong English proficiency, encompassing nuance, tact, and professional judgment.
- Comfortable being highly visible and actively engaged in written discussions.
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in a fully asynchronous, Slack-based environment.
- Proactive in surfacing risks, questions, and recommendations without prompting.
Work Style & Autonomy:
- Thrives without traditional management, standups, or sprint structures.
- Strong self-management, ownership mentality, and a bias toward action.
- Able to operate effectively in a flat, non-hierarchical organization.
- Comfortable making decisions independently and being accountable for outcomes.
Time Zone & Availability:
- Must have at least 6 hours of daily overlap with either US Pacific Time (PT) or Central European Time (CET).
- Time zone overlap is particularly critical during the initial 3 months for onboarding and alignment.
Hardware Requirements (Strict):
- MacBook with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer).
- Minimum 36GB RAM (64GB+ strongly preferred).
- Latest version of macOS installed prior to start date.
Additional Information
Selected candidates will be invited to complete a paid C++ and PHP technical challenge. This challenge is estimated to take approximately 10 hours and will be compensated at a flat rate of $500. Performance in this challenge will assess problem-solving ability, code quality, and communication clarity.