We’re hiring a Full-Stack Laravel Developer to work on HelpSpot, our help desk application created in 2005. This role will also work on supporting services for HelpSpot, such as our online store, back office tools, and cloud services systems, as well as occasional work on LaraJobs and other smaller products.

This is a fully remote, full-time contract position with a rate of $120,000 USD per year. It is open to candidates in the Pacific (UTC-8) to Central European (UTC+1) time zones. We’re accepting applications until July 15th.

What you’ll do

As part of a small team, you’ll work on a wide range of tasks and projects:

Write feature specifications
Implement new features and create required user interfaces
Fix issues and bugs
Work with customers over Zoom to debug issues when needed
Help manage project priorities and scope
Assist in the ongoing conversion of HelpSpot to a fully Laravel-based system.

Here are some actual projects you could work on in this role:

Add a new HelpSpot feature to connect to Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 mailboxes via OAuth and API calls.
Fix a bug that throws an error when attempting to save an audit log entry to Microsoft SQL Server in an on-premise HelpSpot installation due to the data length not being checked.
Add a new report to the back office system which shows projected revenue for the following year.
Optimize queries and caching to improve performance.
Implement an updated UI design and dark mode using CSS.
Transition email providers for LaraJobs.

After you start, you’ll work on upcoming projects like:

Build a microservice used by HelpSpot to enable next-generation AI features.
Design and build a new customer self-service portal module for HelpSpot.
Design and implement updated user timezone handling in HelpSpot.
Maintaining HelpSpot on the latest PHP and Laravel releases promptly.
Implement a commercial tool to allow the creation and management of translations.
Help test a new HelpSpot cloud deployment system.

You’re unafraid to get your hands dirty in a code base transitioning to modern standards.
You’re excited about the challenge of working on a product deployed on-premise and in the cloud and the complexities that this presents.
You understand we’re here to support our customers before anything else and are happy to speak with them on the phone if your expertise is required.
You’re self-motivated and are comfortable in a small team environment.

On the tech side, you have deep experience with:

PHP - You’ve worked at least a bit with non-Laravel PHP applications
Laravel - All our systems are Laravel-based
MySQL - Our primary database for most systems, but experience with MSSQL and Postgres is a plus.
“AJAX”/Livewire - We have a good number of pure AJAX front-end elements, but we’re increasingly using Livewire. Experience with other front-end technologies is a plus.
CSS - You’re comfortable with pure CSS as well as Tailwind.
Network and Servers - At least a basic understanding of how the internet works on a technical level and how to navigate around a production server.

The compensation for this position is $120,000 per year:

Work remotely
Half-day Fridays all year long
Fifteen paid days off to start, with increases every two years.
$5,000 equipment budget

This is an independent contractor position that does not include healthcare or retirement benefits.

Why work with us

Our work has purpose & meaning.. We help thousands of people provide the great customer support they need for their businesses to thrive.
You’ll have a direct impact. This isn’t a Staff Programmer II role where you work on the same boring class every day. You’re involved in and responsible for the tiniest bugs to the biggest new AI-based features.
For 20 years, we’ve been fully remote. There’s no chance we’ll change this policy to require you to be in the office three days a week.
Bootstrapped and profitable since day one.
No hustle culture. You’ll rarely work beyond our standard 36 hours a week (we have half-day Fridays).

How to Apply

Write a short cover letter specifically for this position, telling us why you're a great fit for the role. We'd love to hear about your relevant experience, what you're excited about in and outside of software development, publishing you've done, and hobbies you have. Links to as many resources as possible are encouraged. Resumes are optional.

This position is for candidates in the Pacific (UTC-8) to Central European (UTC+1) time zones.

We'll be accepting applications through July 15th.

After a week to process applications, we'll be starting the interview process below with selected candidates:

For those who make it into the interview process, the first step will be answering a few questions over email so we can learn more about you and see if there's a fit. All three members of the hiring team will review these.
Next, we'll conduct an initial interview with two of our team members to get to know you better, discuss your skills, and answer any questions you have. This interview will take 15-30 minutes.
Then, we'll invite a small group of candidates to create a technical specification for a hypothetical new HelpSpot feature. You'll have a week to complete this (this shouldn't take more than a few hours) and you’ll be paid $300 USD for your time.
Finally, we'll have a technical interview with the founder, covering topics from both the cultural interview and the technical specification. This interview will take approximately 60 minutes.

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