Senior Software Engineer

Summary

Join our 800+ strong team at Smoobu, a fast-growing vacation rental startup, as a Senior Software Engineer (PHP) & Team Lead. You will lead a small team of backend engineers, driving technical best practices and architectural improvements. Responsibilities include collaborating with stakeholders, taking ownership of core components, shaping AWS migration strategy, mentoring junior engineers, and monitoring critical features. This role requires proven backend engineering experience with team leadership, deep PHP and AWS knowledge, and expertise in various development methodologies. We offer a collaborative and fun work culture, private medical care, training budget, flexible hours, work-from-anywhere options, and more.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Backend Engineer with team leadership responsibilities
• Deep knowledge of PHP, Symfony framework and AWS platform
• Strong command of MySQL, query optimization, and data modeling
• Hands-on experience with Docker, CI/CD pipelines, and production observability
• Experience in decomposing monolithic applications and building modular architectures
• Knowledge of Clean Code, SOLID, TDD, and testing at multiple layers
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work across distributed teams
• Professional working proficiency in English

Responsibilities

• Lead a small cross-functional team of backend engineers with a focus on growth, collaboration, and delivery
• Drive and enforce technical best practices (SOLID, TDD, clean code, code review standards)
• Collaborate with product stakeholders to break down features and define milestones
• Take ownership of core components—refactor, improve performance, and scale architecture
• Shape and implement the AWS migration strategy and help stabilize the new infrastructure
• Champion technical alignment between NFQ and Smoobu while mentoring less experienced engineers
• Monitor the health of critical features, set KPIs, and respond to production risks proactively
• Improve team productivity and technical consistency through guidance, pair programming, and knowledge-sharing rituals

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in Test-Driven Development (TDD), Domain-Driven Design (DDD), and scalable design patterns that promote reliability and maintainability
• Experience as a proactive mentor and team leader, thriving in fast-paced, high-growth environments with a high degree of ambiguity
• Experience in SaaS companies and/or a travel tech space (a strong plus)

Benefits

• A working culture that is high performing, ambitious, collaborative and fun
• Private medical care and Life insurance
• Yearly training budget (local and international conferences, language courses) and employee-led workshops
• Medicover sport package
• Flexible working hours
• For those who dream of traveling: WFA (work from anywhere) possibilities in NFQ - approved countries
• B2B contracts include paid annual leave and paid public holidays in Poland
• Bonus for referrals
• Office perks and team activities