At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and extend a bespoke backend platform for critical business operations.
- Company: Join an innovative B2B trading organisation with a focus on technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £60,000, hybrid work, and career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a small, agile team with ownership over your work.
- Qualifications: Experience in PHP, modern frameworks, and API-driven systems required.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Bristol (Hybrid – typically 1 day per week in office)
Salary: Up to £60,000
About the Client
Our client is an innovative, fast-growing international B2B trading organisation, operating across retail and wholesale distribution for premium global brands. Technology sits at the heart of how the business runs, with bespoke internal software powering core commercial, operational, and reporting workflows rather than off-the-shelf platforms. The company is intentionally small and agile, enabling rapid decision-making, clear ownership, and visible impact. Software development is treated as a strategic capability, not a support function, giving engineers genuine influence over how systems are designed, built, and evolved. This is an environment where high-quality engineering, pragmatism, and continuous improvement are valued, and where good ideas are acted on quickly.
How you’ll spend your day
As a Senior Software Developer, you’ll play a key role in shaping and extending a bespoke backend platform that underpins critical business operations, analytics, and a B2B customer portal. While the role is backend-focused, you’ll work confidently across the stack, including a modern JavaScript frontend. Working closely with the Head of Development, you’ll have real ownership and influence over both delivery and technical direction.
Key responsibilities include:
- Designing, building, and maintaining backend-heavy features across internal platforms
- Contributing to architectural and technical decisions within a small, senior team
- Writing clean, maintainable, SOLID-compliant code with strong unit and functional test coverage
- Building and consuming API-driven services to support operational and customer-facing systems
- Collaborating directly with business users to ensure solutions are practical and effective
- Participating in code reviews and helping shape shared development standards
- Supporting the evolution of development practices, including the thoughtful use of AI-assisted tooling
- Communicating progress clearly and proactively addressing technical challenges
What you’ll bring to this role
You’ll be an experienced backend-focused developer who enjoys working in small, high-ownership teams, combining strong technical fundamentals with a pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset. You’ll bring:
- Strong commercial experience developing in PHP using a modern framework (Symfony or Laravel)
- Solid understanding of object-oriented design, SOLID principles, and maintainable architecture
- Proven experience building and testing API-driven backend systems
- Confidence working with modern JavaScript frameworks such as Vue.js or React
- Hands-on experience writing unit and functional tests as part of day-to-day development
- Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
- Ability to work autonomously while collaborating closely within a small team
Desirable experience includes:
- Production experience with PostgreSQL or other relational databases
- Working with Dockerised applications and AWS-hosted environments
- Experience influencing development standards or technical direction
- Practical use of AI tools to improve productivity, code quality, or system understanding
Technology Stack
- Backend: PHP 8.5, Symfony 8 (SOLID Principles)
- Frontend: Vue.js
- Database: PostgreSQL and Clickhouse
- Infrastructure: AWS, Docker
- Testing: Unit and functional testing as a core part of development
- Tooling: Modern CI/CD and increasing use of AI tools within the development workflow
What happens next?
One of our Recruitment Consultants will be in touch and inform you if you’ve been successful to the next stage of the process or not, which is a qualification call where we will tell you more about the role and the client, and understand more about you, your experience and career aspirations. Should we both wish to proceed, we will submit your details to the client and be in touch regarding the outcome and any further steps.
The interview process for this client consists of:
- 1st Stage: Phone interview - approx. 30 mins
- 2nd Stage: Skills test - approx. 1 hour
- 3rd Stage: Face-to-face interview - approx. 1hr 30 mins.
Equal Opportunities
We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all candidates and welcome applications from individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. As an employment agency for permanent and contract hires, we are dedicated to promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from underrepresented groups to drive innovation and equality within the workplace. Should you require any reasonable adjustments please let us know so we can accommodate for any interactions with us at Biometric Talent, but also inform the client to ensure reasonable adjustments are made to allow for a fair and equitable process.
Senior Software Developer in Bristol employer: BIOMETRIC TALENT
Contact Detail:
BIOMETRIC TALENT Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Software Developer in Bristol
✨Tip Number 1
Get your networking game on! Connect with folks in the industry, attend meetups, or join online forums. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews like a pro! Research the company and its tech stack, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs. Practise common interview questions and even do some mock interviews with friends.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or GitHub account, make sure it’s up to date. Share projects that highlight your backend development prowess and any cool features you've built using PHP or JavaScript frameworks.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we’re here to support you every step of the way, so let’s get you that dream job!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Software Developer in Bristol
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with PHP, Symfony, and backend development. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant projects!
Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, give examples of how you've tackled challenges in past projects. We love seeing candidates who can think critically and come up with practical solutions, especially in a fast-paced environment like ours.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language and avoid jargon unless it's relevant. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point—just like our coding practices!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website for the best chance of being noticed. It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application reaches the right people quickly!
How to prepare for a job interview at BIOMETRIC TALENT
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially PHP frameworks like Symfony or Laravel. Brush up on your knowledge of API-driven systems and be ready to discuss how you've implemented SOLID principles in your past projects.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to share specific examples of challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you tackled them. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail, which are crucial for a Senior Software Developer.
✨Be Ready for Code Reviews
Since code reviews are part of the role, think about how you can contribute to shared development standards. You might want to discuss your experience with code quality tools or how you've influenced technical direction in past teams.
✨Communicate Clearly
During the interview, practice clear and proactive communication. Be prepared to explain your thought process when addressing technical challenges and how you collaborate with team members and business users to ensure effective solutions.