Backend Developer (PHP / Laravel)

This is a PHP/Laravel-focused role reporting directly to the CTO, working on API integrations, automation, pricing systems, availability management, and AI-driven product loading., As a Backend Developer (PHP / Laravel), your primary focus will be supporting the rapid growth of our product range by building robust systems that:

• Integrate with external supplier APIs
• Import and manage product content
• Update pricing and availability dynamically
• Automate product setup using AI APIs
• Improve scalability and performance of core systems

You will work on modern Laravel-based services while also improving and refactoring parts of our legacy systems., * Develop and maintain backend systems using PHP and Laravel

• Integrate third-party APIs to retrieve product content, pricing, and availability
• Build automated workflows to ingest and manage large product datasets
• Implement AI API integrations to automate product loading and enrichment
• Optimise MySQL database structures and queries for performance
• Refactor and modernise legacy codebases
• Build scalable RESTful APIs for internal and external use
• Write clean, well-tested, maintainable code
• Collaborate with product and commercial teams to support business growth

Do you have experience in SQL?, Do you have a Bachelor's degree?, * Strong PHP development experience

• Solid Laravel framework experience
• Experience integrating third-party APIs
• Strong understanding of RESTful API design
• MySQL database design and query optimisation
• Experience handling structured data and automation workflows
• Git version control

Desirable Experience

• Experience working with large product catalogues or e-commerce systems
• Experience with AI APIs (e.g., OpenAI or similar)
• Docker or containerisation
• AWS or cloud infrastructure
• Experience scaling backend systems under growth, * 3+ years commercial PHP development experience
• Strong problem-solving skills and systems thinking
• Comfortable working independently and taking ownership
• Ability to work across both modern and legacy systems
• Pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset

A degree in Computer Science or related field is preferred.

The role is based in Bristol - with a minimum of 3 days a week working in our Bristol office - with potential to work from home 2 days a week. If you enjoy building scalable backend systems, integrating external APIs, and automating complex workflows - this role is for you. About On The Go Tours Originating from modest beginnings that involved guiding intrepid travellers on budget-style excursions to Egypt, On The Go Tours now operates in over 50 countries and serves tens of thousands of customers annually across multiple international markets. We are a global company with teams in the UK, Australia, Canada and South Africa - and we are currently undergoing a major technology evolution to support rapid product expansion and operational automation. This is an opportunity to play a key role in that transformation., Why Join Us? * Be central to a major product expansion strategy * Work directly with the CTO * Build automation systems with real business impact * Use modern Laravel and AI APIs in production