Senior Back End Engineer - PHP

Tens of thousands of businesses — from newly incorporated startups to public enterprises — rely on Firstbase to streamline compliance, finance, analytics, and every part of the back office. It is one platform to run your entire company.

Our goal is to make running a business feel like magic. We make it possible by owning the general ledger and unifying data across all business functions. Compliance tasks are flagged — and often resolved — automatically. Real-time business metrics are accurate, accessible, and easy to understand. And if you need to hire a new employee, send an invoice, or file taxes, you can do it from the same interface.

We’re bundling what’s never been bundled. We’re not building an incorporation tool. We’re not building an ERP. We’re not building an "AI accountant." We are creating a new category entirely: the Company OS.

We cherish the moments when noise fades and we move with clarity, confidence, and focus — doing the right thing at the right time. These moments are when our best work happens, and we strive to create more of them.

We value craftsmanship over busyness, clarity over complexity, and resilience above all — whether it takes hard work or patience. We aim high, avoid mediocrity, and speak with fearless transparency.

We believe in upward mobility and take pride in growing talent from within, always preferring to promote our own before looking externally.

We’re a small, nimble, and ambitious product team that thrives on collaboration, creativity, and impact. We value engineers who care deeply about clean code, strong architecture, and delivering an exceptional user experience to a global community of founders. From writing and reviewing code to shaping key product decisions, we’re building software that’s fast, scalable, and beautifully simple.

Our product is built using PHP, Golang, Node.js, Vue, MySQL, PostgreSQL, AWS. We also use Redis, Vue Router, Vuex, Docker Compose, Docker, GitLab CI, and Graylog, and some third-party API's like Stripe. We use Slack, Clubhouse, Notion, Whimsical, Figma, and G Suite to collaborate and build together.

Step into one of the most pivotal engineering roles at Firstbase — where you’ll scale a high-growth org, lead mission-critical architecture, and shape the future of our platform through world-class execution, innovation, and technical excellence.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Rapidly scale the engineering org alongside product and design leaders in a high growth environment 

• Structure our engineering team to consistently ship high-quality work on time and on budget 

• Influence change and deliver sustainable technical and architectural decisions to improve efficiencies across our systems

• Advocate for technical engineering excellence and guide career growth development for the engineering team

• Be willing to jump in and help triage issues with the team as the need arises

• Develop high-quality software design and architecture

• Identify, prioritize and execute tasks in the software development life cycle

• Develop tools and applications by producing clean, efficient code

• Write, Test and Review code

• Collaborate with internal teams and vendors to improve our products

• Work with product and design to define, shape, and plan deliverables

• Make technical decisions following best practices

• Identify and resolve technical risks to the product and business

• Be based in a LatAm country (although the position is remote)

• 5+ years of experience with PHP

• 2+ years of experience in a similar role at a high-growth startup

• Hard-working and dedicated team player that needs little to no supervision, but enjoys working a team toward a common goal

• Analytical mind with problem-solving aptitude

• Self-motivated with an ability to work in the unknown

• Ability to communicate technical topics to both technical and non-technical team members

• Demonstrated collaboration with product managers, designers, other engineers to drive outcomes

• Proficient in both oral and written English communication

• Familiarity with PHP/Symfony and or laravel frameworks, Vue, PostgreSQL, AWS, Redis, Vue Router, Vuex, Docker Compose, Docker, GitLab CI, Datadog, and/or Stripe is a plus
  Mediocrity is your enemy. You don’t stop until you get to "great." You’re relentless in pursuit of excellence.

• You speak your mind, challenge assumptions, and present ideas clearly — no fear of conflict. Proficiency in English is essential for effective communication across teams and with international stakeholders.

• Competitive Salary & Equity: We pay top-tier because you deserve it, plus equity so you can share in the success of the future we’re building together.

• Flexible Work Setup: We offer the freedom to work remotely, embracing diverse work styles, while NYC-based team members can opt for a hybrid setup, spending some days in the office to foster collaboration.

• 21 Days of PTO & Other Time Off Benefits: Take the opportunity to rest and recharge. No questions asked — it’s time to disconnect and come back stronger. Plus, you’ll receive 5 sick days, your birthday off, unlimited out-of-office days, and national holidays (US or Brazil).

• Build Your Ideal Work Setup: We provide a renewable stipend every two years to create your perfect home office. It’s about giving you the tools to do your best work.

• Comprehensive Health Benefits: Comprehensive health insurance reimbursement for US and international employees. No matter where you are, you’re covered.

• Learning & Development: We invest in your growth. Use your stipend to continue expanding your skills and advancing your career.

• Annual Anniversary Gift: Receive a special gift each year to celebrate your journey with Firstbase as a thank you for your dedication!

• Parental Leave: We stand by you during life's most important moments. You’re entitled to 4 weeks of paid Parental Leave, covering maternity, paternity, and adoption.

• Performance-Driven Annual Bonuses: Expect a bonus that reflects your hard work — usually about 10% of your OTE. From your second year, a 20% annual multiplier boosts this, rewarding your consistent performance.

• Vacation Bonus: After 3 years at Firstbase, you'll receive a generous vacation bonus to take that dream trip. It’s our way of saying "thanks" for your commitment — we’re here for the long haul, and we want you to enjoy the ride. 🌍✈️

Even if you don’t check every single box but you’re passionate about the role and want to help build something great, we still want to hear from you. We value diverse experiences and unique perspectives.
Want to work at Firstbase but don’t see an opening that fits your experience? Email us at [email protected] — we will often “create” a role around a great candidate.