Senior Backend Engineer (PHP) (m / w / d)

Studydrive is Europe's leading student community! With more than 3 million registered students, we are transforming the education market. For our users, we are an integral part of their daily lives, as they find direct access to their fellow students, helpful learning materials and all the answers to their most important questions about their studies.

Design, build, and maintain reliable, scalable backend systems with Laravel.

Collaborate closely with product managers, frontend engineers, and other backend developers to deliver impactful features.

Mentor and support junior and mid-level engineers, fostering a culture of growth and collaboration.

Proactively identify and drive improvements in system architecture, performance, and processes.

Troubleshoot and resolve complex challenges with a structured, analytical mindset.

Balance speed and long-term maintainability, making pragmatic trade-offs when needed.

Proven experience as a backend engineer, with deep expertise in Laravel.

Strong track record in building scalable web applications and APIs.

A pragmatic and analytical approach to problem-solving and decision-making.

Excellent collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

Experience mentoring and guiding teammates, helping them grow professionally.

A mindset that values both technical excellence and practical, business-oriented solutions.

All positions (including leadership roles) available in full-time & part-time

Flexible trust-based working hours

Remote-first company (100% remote work possible)

Onboarding program

Modern office space in Cologne's Südstadt, within walking distance of the main train station

Development opportunities (Internal academies, workshops, and individual external training)

Regular team events

Company celebrations (3 times a year)

Germany-wide public transport ticket

Business bike option

• Dog-friendly office
• Sabbatical option

Working from abroad for up to 3 months per year within the European Economic Area

Choice of hardware

Anonymous crisis counseling through external service provider

30 days of vacation + New Year's Eve, Christmas, and 1 Culture Day (So actually 33 days)

JBRP1_DE