Lead Laravel PHP Software Developer

Highland • Chicago, IL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Highland is seeking an experienced, hands-on PHP developer to join their team in the Chicagoland area. This role involves collaborating with product managers, clients, and other developers to define solutions, create detailed delivery plans, and adjust plans as needed. The ideal candidate is empathetic to user, client, and team needs, possesses strong technical consulting skills, and has experience consulting with C-level stakeholders in medium to large businesses. They are motivated by tough problems, enjoy improving developer experience (DX), and have high standards for code quality. This role also involves evaluating legacy code bases with a bias toward improvement and managing a team of developers and 3rd party vendor partners.

Requirements

• Significant experience in consulting as an employee of a consulting agency/firm.
• Experience consulting with C-level stakeholders in medium to large businesses.
• Experience evaluating legacy code bases with a bias toward improving rather than replacing.
• Strong, favorable opinions about TDD and pairing/ensemble programming.
• High standards for code quality.
• Experience managing a team of developers.
• Experience managing 3rd party vendor partners in areas such as managed services or hosting providers.
• Strong capability in Laravel and at least a working knowledge of client-side MVVM frameworks like Vue and React.
• Multiple years of experience modernizing legacy applications.
• Ability to effectively communicate trade-offs to both technical and non-technical team members.
• Experience being part of a team that has successfully built several medium-to-large scale applications.
• Experience estimating complex technical work through analysis and work breakdown.
• Strong technical consulting skills.
• 6+ years of proven experience developing custom software.

Nice To Haves

• Empathetic to user, client, and team needs.
• Motivated by tough problems, both in and out of the code.
• Enjoys improving DX (developer experience, like UX for devs).
• Web application system architecture & design.
• Configuring servers and automating deployments.
• A11y & W3C standards.
• Tailwind CSS.
• Other server-side languages.
• Laravel Livewire.
• Cloud based repository management.
• Linux system administration.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with product managers, clients, and other developers to define solutions, create detailed delivery plans, and adjust plans as needed.
• Create and deliver effective presentations, communicating complex information in a simple manner.
• Evaluate legacy code bases with a bias toward improving rather than replacing.
• Manage a team of developers.
• Manage 3rd party vendor partners in areas such as managed services or hosting providers.
• Advise and consult with clients and team members on product and technical direction.
• Keep end-user and business outcomes in mind to make the right trade-offs.
• Have frank, honest conversations with our clients and team members.

Benefits

• Full-time salary of $130,000 to $155,000 plus annual bonus target $5,000 to $10,000
• Health, dental and vision insurance
• 401k retirement savings plan
• Unlimited sick time
• 9 paid company holidays
• 4 weeks’ paid time off
• 40 hours of professional development time and a $1,000 learning stipend each year
• Fully paid parental leave: 12 weeks for birth mothers or 6 weeks for non-birth parents
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance (Highland pays 100% of the premiums)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree