Experienced Developer

Experienced PHP and Laravel Developer - Web and Software - Hybrid Working - Salary DOE

Are you an Experienced PHP and Laravel Developer with an obsession for technology and a passion for exploring AI powered development? Perhaps you've worked with other mature full stack frameworks like Symphony, Ruby on Rails, , Django or others, and you're excited about how AI is transforming the possibilities of what is possible as we enter a new age of Software Engineering

We're a midlands-based hybrid team and we meet every week in Birmingham to work together in a collaborative space and share ideas, conduct show-and-tell sessions, training workshops and maybe go out for a pizza.  We're a close team, supporting each other as we learn and adapt to a rapidly changing world.

If you are looking for a challenge and a role that will advance, push and build upon your skills within a team that will support, empower and help you grow and learn, then CLICK APPLY

About Us:

Powered by Retail Success and well established in Birmingham, magic42 excels in delivering web solutions and software applications. We take pride in our commitment to innovation, quality and client satisfaction so our team is at the forefront of technology. 

At magic42, we know AI will help us achieve amazing things, and we're excited to be at the forefront of AI adoption as we all learn together and unlock its full potential.

Don't take our word we're magic, just check out our Google Customer and GlassDoor reviews

About the role:

We've built a Laravel powered app that seamlessly integrates eCommerce stores with backend ERP systems.  At its core it enables the synchronisation of various elements like Order Management, Products, Fulfilment, Shipping, Payments and so much more.

We didn't stop there. We built an intuitive and user-centric dashboard with Filament that provides a comprehensive view and insights for our clients.

As we continue to evolve this platform, you'll be working at the cutting edge of AI-assisted development. You'll have the opportunity to leverage advanced AI tools - we're currently loving Claude Code -  use AI agents to directly edit codebases, implement automated code review processes, and experiment with agentic AI workflows. This isn't just about code completion, you'll be pushing boundaries and discovering creative ways AI can enhance every aspect of our development process.  These are exciting times

What you'll do:

• Application Development: Write quality, maintainable and scalable code and continue the development of our software application, leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity while maintaining code quality standards
•  Integration Development: Create robust integrations tailored to different eCommerce stores and ERP systems, utilising a variety of APIs and exploring how AI can streamline integration processes
• Codebase Maintenance: Play a vital role in maintaining and managing the current codebase, which may involve code refactoring and optimization efforts to enhance system performance and reliability, potentially using automated AI code review processes 
• Issue Refinement: Collaborate with the team to refine and prioritise new GitHub issues, ensuring that they align with project goals and integrate them into upcoming sprints
• AI Innovation & Adoption: Actively participate in the exploration and implementation of advanced AI development tools, from AI agents that directly edit codebases to command-line AI workflows, helping the team unlock AI's full potential in our development process
• Mentorship and Guidance: Provide mentorship and guidance to junior team members, supporting their growth and development within the project, including sharing knowledge about AI-assisted development techniques
• Client Support: Address technical questions and issues promptly and effectively

Our culture revolves around our people. We are fully committed to the continuous development of our team members. We invest in official qualifications, in-house and external training, mentoring programmes, and cutting-edge AI development tools. We build bespoke personal development and learning plans and much, much more. We even have a half day per week that is dedicated to learning - including exploring the latest AI technologies and how they can enhance our development processes.

About YOU and your background:

• You have been in a development role for a while and take pride in the code you write
• You have a progressive mindset when you work with tech and people, especially when it comes to embracing AI as a development partner
• You enjoy being a mentor and help upskill more junior developers, sharing your knowledge of both traditional development practices and cutting-edge AI tools
• You are a self-starter who is happy to create the vision, own the delivery and get code shipped, while exploring creative ways to leverage AI throughout the development process
• You have the ability to work quickly and flexibly, while making good technical decisions and knowing when and how to effectively use AI assistance
• You are a natural collaborator who enjoys working with the internal team but also speaking with clients to clarify technical issues
• You are willing to embrace all aspects of working in a growing business from strategic thinking to creating processes and instigating best practices
• You are invested in learning and experimenting with AI tools and you're curious about how AI can be integrated into the development process and motivated to deepen your understanding of advanced features like AI agents, automated workflows, and integration protocols.

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Solid experience of writing quality maintainable and scalable code
• Practical experience with AI-assisted development tools (such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or similar) and a deep understanding of their limitations and opportunities, going well beyond basic code completion
• Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools creatively while maintaining code quality and making sound technical decisions in collaboration with AI.
• Knowledge of message queue systems, and API integration techniques
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Proven experience as a PHP developer with a strong focus on Laravel framework (or any other mature full stack framework like Symphony, Ruby on Rails, , Django, LiveView etc.)
• Full proficiency in PHP and related technologies (MySQL, Linux CLI, Apache, Nginx, or Caddy, etc.)
• Familiarity with front-end technologies such as HTML5, CSS3 (and any CSS frameworks, ie:Tailwind, Bootstrap, etc.), JavaScript (and any JS frameworks)
• Experience with version control systems (preferably Git), and tools like Docker and Docker Compose
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment

Desirable Skills (Keen interest in learning and developing in this space)

• Experience with advanced AI development features such as AI agents that can directly edit codebases, automated code review processes, or command-line AI workflows
• Familiarity with integration protocols like MCP (Model Context Protocol) or similar AI enhancement technologies
• eCommerce knowledge and experience
• Experience in web security
• Familiarity with cloud providers such as AWS, Digital Ocean, etc.
• Familiarity with CI/CD technologies and processes
• Linux systems admin exposure or experience / infrastructure / DevOps experience

• Hybrid working - Flexibility to work where you're most productive
• All the Tech and all the Software Tools you'll need to excel - Including access to premium AI development tools like Gemini Code Assist and other cutting-edge technologies
• 33 days holiday with the ability to buy up to 5 more days and additional leave for length of service
• Dedicated learning time within the working week - Including dedicated time to explore and master the latest AI development tools and techniques
• Personal and professional development - Official qualifications, certifications, and specialized AI training opportunities
• Career progression paths and access to online courses and learning platforms, with opportunities to become an AI development leader
• Life insurance and pension (up to 6%)
• Yearly hackathons and bi-weekly workshops - Often focused on AI innovation and exploring new development paradigms
• Regular team outings and social meet ups (every month)
• Access to wellness applications and mental health support
• AI Innovation Budget - Resources allocated for experimenting with new AI tools and technologies that could benefit the team