At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and maintain backend applications using PHP and Symfony.
- Company: Join a leading travel club with a vibrant tech team.
- Benefits: Remote work, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic, agile environment with a focus on continuous learning.
- Why this job: Make an impact on a platform used by millions of travellers.
- Qualifications: Experience in PHP development and a passion for collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 47250 - 57750 £ per year.
In under two decades, Mr & Mrs Smith has grown from a cult guidebook to the travel club for hotel lovers with over 1.3 million members and a hand-picked collection of more than 2,400 hotels. The role of the Backend Developer is critical to the next phase of Mr & Mrs Smith’s growth as we continue to curate the world’s most desirable hotel collection.
About our team
The Mr & Mrs Smith technology team takes responsibility for creating and updating a large variety of global systems. We are a growing team, with back-end and front-end developers, QAs, designers/UX, DevOps engineers and product owners, organised into cross-functional scrum teams. We continuously evolve our platform and adopt new technologies when they provide clear value to our customers, our developers and our business. While the company is London based, our teams now operate fully remotely, with members across Europe, Asia and Americas.
About you
You enjoy understanding how things work and aren't afraid to challenge the status quo when you see a better way. You're pragmatic, curious and take ownership of the work you do. Whether you're implementing a new feature, improving existing code or helping investigate a production issue, you focus on delivering solutions that are simple, reliable and maintainable. You value collaboration, enjoy sharing knowledge with your teammates and appreciate constructive feedback through code reviews and technical discussions. You have experience building backend applications in PHP and are excited by the opportunity to help evolve a platform used by millions of travellers.
Role
This is a backend developer role focused on building and maintaining our core platform in PHP and Symfony. You'll work across both our established applications and the ongoing evolution of our architecture, contributing to new features, system improvements and technical initiatives. Our backend platform is primarily built with PHP, Symfony and MySQL, running on AWS and deployed using Docker and Kubernetes. We make extensive use of Amazon SQS, SNS and EventBridge for asynchronous communication, alongside technologies such as Redis and Elasticsearch. You'll also have the opportunity to contribute to services written in Go as our platform continues to evolve. You'll work closely with Product Managers, QA Engineers and fellow developers to deliver reliable, high-quality software.
Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain backend applications and services in PHP and Symfony
- Contribute to both our existing platform and the evolution of our architecture, helping modernise the platform over time
- Build reliable, well-tested and maintainable code following engineering best practices
- Work closely with Product Managers, QA Engineers and fellow developers to deliver new features and improvements
- Participate in technical discussions, code reviews and collaborative problem solving
- Investigate and resolve production issues, with a focus on reliability and performance
- Identify opportunities to improve existing systems, reduce technical debt and simplify solutions where possible
- Contribute to our Agile development process through planning, refinement and retrospectives
- Share knowledge with the team and contribute to a culture of continuous learning and improvement
Key technical skills
- PHP 8+
- Frameworks e.g. Symfony, Laravel, Zend
- JIRA - Agile, Scrum experience (sprints, retrospectives)
- Excellent development principles such as DRY and SOLID
- TDD/Unit testing (PhpUnit/ PhpSpec)
- Relational databases ideally MySQL
- Knowledge of design patterns and able to apply them appropriately
Nice-to-have skills
- Excellent knowledge of Symfony
- BDD (Behat)
- DDD
- Experience with queuing technology and Event Driven Architecture
- Experience working in the travel industry. Understanding how rates and availability work would be a major plus.
- Experience working with high-traffic websites
Backend Developer employer: Mr & Mrs Smith
Mr & Mrs Smith is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work culture that thrives on innovation and continuous learning. As a Backend Developer, you'll be part of a talented team that values knowledge sharing and creative problem-solving, all while enjoying the flexibility of remote work across multiple continents. With a commitment to employee growth and the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, this role promises a rewarding experience in the vibrant travel industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Backend Developer
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Mr & Mrs Smith or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Mr & Mrs Smith.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Mr & Mrs Smith.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Mr & Mrs Smith that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Backend Developer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Mr & Mrs Smith.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Mr & Mrs Smith and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Mr & Mrs Smith
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Mr & Mrs Smith uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
