Staff Software Engineer PHP - Chapter Lead

About the Position

We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer PHP - Chapter Lead with over 10 years of experience in PHP development to join our e-commerce platform in Gdańsk, Poland.

Responsibilities

Standards & Engineering Excellence

• Define, codify, and evolve PHP coding standards, architectural guidelines, and quality criteria that apply across all PHP teams.
• Translate engineering excellence from individual judgment into shared, documented, and (where possible) machine-enforceable rules, especially through adoption of AI-ready documents, skills, and similar solutions.

Strategic Initiatives

• Identify, prioritize, and drive cross-cutting initiatives that elevate the entire chapter - shared libraries, frameworks, tooling, AI-assisted development workflows, observability practices, and modernization efforts.

Assessment & Career Development

• Own the PHP competency framework and define what "good" looks like at each seniority level.
• Design assessment, calibration, and feedback processes that work consistently across teams and divisions, replacing ad-hoc evaluation with repeatable structure.

Recruitment & Hiring Standards

• Define interview formats, technical evaluation criteria, and hiring bar for PHP roles across the organization.
• Train and calibrate interviewers to ensure consistent, fair, and high-quality hiring decisions at scale.

Community of Practice

• Build and sustain a strong PHP community across teams - through chapter meetings, knowledge-sharing formats, internal talks, and structured programs.

Governance & Decision-Making

• Establish lightweight governance structures that enable consistent technical decisions across teams without becoming bottlenecks.
• Facilitate alignment on contested topics and document decisions for organizational memory.

Cross-Functional Influence, Hands-On Credibility

• Maintain enough hands-on involvement.

Enablement Over Tutoring

• Scale impact through programs, documentation, internal courses, workshops, and self-serve resources rather than 1:1 mentoring.

Travel

• Occasionally travel between company offices across different locations to engage with PHP teams in person, participate in chapter events and workshops.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in software development with a focus on PHP.
• Deep understanding of PHP language specifications and experience in developing and maintaining complex backend systems.
• Proven experience in defining coding standards, security guidelines, and best practices for PHP.
• Excellent skills in conducting code reviews and providing constructive feedback.
• Experience in training and mentoring developers to improve their skills and knowledge.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to tackle complex technical challenges.
• Team player and good communication skills to work effectively with other teams and solve conflicts.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently, in a goal-oriented manner without supervision.
• Good understanding of AI tools in day-to-day usage.
• Fluent English.

Nice to Have

• Experience with legacy systems modernization.
• Open Source Contributions or Public Speaking.

We Offer

• Employment based on an employment contract or B2B.
• Full support during the onboarding period under the supervision of an engaging leader/buddy.
• Real influence on business decisions, the ability to take initiatives and implement your ideas.
• Individual Development Plan.
• Participation in training courses and conferences to enhance professional competencies.
• Benefits package including Lux Med medical care, Health and Life Insurance (PZU and Warta), Multisport card, shopping and lunch vouchers, and other cafeteria offers via Worksmile platform.
• Study Tour – trips abroad to explore product offerings (destination tours and hotel audits).
• Training and webinar package supporting professional and personal development.
• Discounts on products for employees and their families.
• Work in a hybrid model from one of the offices: Alchemia office in Gdańsk or Business Garden in Wrocław.
• Teambuilding events for the start and end of the tourist season.
• Mini events, delicious coffee, and on Mondays, hot chocolate.
• Casual dress code.
• Private healthcare.
• Flexible working hours.
• Life insurance.
• Discounts.
• Free coffee.
• Bike parking.
• Free parking.

About the Company

We are an e-commerce platform and a network of travel agencies offering a wide range of travel products. Since 2015, we have been part of Wirtualna Polska Holding – Poland’s largest group of media and e-commerce companies. Together with Travelplanet.pl and the Invia brands across CEE, we are building a unified travel group driven by a shared #TravelMindset.