Core PHP Developer

We are looking for an experienced Core PHP Backend Developer with strong hands-on experience in production environments. The candidate must be capable of diagnosing, troubleshooting, and fixing live production issues, optimizing database performance, and maintaining existing web applications. Key Responsibilities Develop, maintain, and optimize web applications using Core PHP. Diagnose and resolve live production issues, backend errors, and application failures. Troubleshoot issues using application logs, Apache logs, error logs, and server diagnostics. Identify root causes of production problems and implement permanent fixes. Optimize MySQL queries, database indexes, and overall database performance. Improve website speed, server response time, and application reliability. Debug existing codebases and resolve complex backend issues. Handle URL routing, redirects, HTTP status codes, dynamic sitemaps, and SEO-related technical issues. Implement secure coding practices and protect applications against common vulnerabilities. Work with Linux/Ubuntu servers and Apache web server configurations. Integrate REST APIs and third-party services. Collaborate with team members to deliver stable, scalable backend solutions. Required Skills Strong expertise in Core PHP and object-oriented programming (OOP). Hands-on experience with MySQL and database optimization. Proven experience diagnosing and fixing production issues in live applications. Ability to investigate root causes rather than relying only on temporary fixes. Knowledge of Apache, Linux/Ubuntu, server logs, and basic networking. Experience with REST APIs, AJAX, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Understanding of website performance optimization, caching, and debugging. Knowledge of Git and version control. Understanding of HTTP status codes, redirects, 404 errors, soft 404s, canonical URLs, and XML sitemaps. Experience Requirements Minimum 5+ years of professional Core PHP backend development experience. Mandatory hands-on production experience, including diagnosing, troubleshooting, and fixing live website issues. Experience maintaining existing applications and resolving critical backend and database problems. Ability to independently investigate technical issues and implement reliable fixes. Preferred Qualifications Experience with Laravel or other PHP frameworks. Experience with production server troubleshooting and performance monitoring. Experience handling high-load websites and improving application scalability.