Senior Native PHP Developer

Job Description:

Company Description

We Dream. We Do. We Deliver.

At Merkle, a dentsu company, we power the experience economy. Whether we’re building the next great app, running CRM at scale for global brands, delivering technology architectures that support millions of users, or providing world-class data, identity, and insights solutions, it’s all in the name of crafting experiences that set brands apart from the competition. Backed by dentsu's legacy of innovation and creativity originating in Japan, we’ve spent over 35 years helping brands build loyalty, drive growth, and connect meaningfully with their audiences.

We’ve been named a global “Leader” by top industry analyst firms in categories as wide-ranging as digital transformation and commerce, experience design, engineering and technology integration, digital marketing, data science, CRM and loyalty, and customer data management.

Why choose Merkle?

Innovation at Our Core: As part of dentsu’s global network, Merkle pushes the boundaries of customer experience, integrating creativity, technology, and data to drive real-world impact. For over 35 years, we’ve been innovating to meet the changing needs of our clients.

Global Reach with Local Expertise: With over 16,000 employees across 30+ countries, and part of a 70,000 employees’ network at dentsu, Merkle blends global insights with a deep understanding of local markets to deliver personalized, effective solutions.

Collaborative Culture: At Merkle, your ideas and contributions truly matter. You’ll join a team that fosters innovation, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Together, we work on impactful international projects, making meaningful connections every step of the way.

We are looking for a Senior PHP Developer to strengthen our Open Source Solutions team!

Job Description:

Key responsibilities:

• Work independently with a broader overview on the project;
• Participate in communications with partners and clients, when needed;
• Understand and follow the release processes in the company;
• Participates in requirements analysis, development, unit testing and documentation;
• Write quality code to fit unique customer needs and configurations;
• Troubleshoot and debugs (with some guidance from senior team members if needed);
• Achieve better understanding of the company platform and processes and suggests improvements.

What we are looking for:

• Academic background in IT or a related field, or equivalent professional experience;
• Minimum of 6 years of hands-on experience with PHP in production environments;
• Extensive working knowledge of PHP versions 7.3 through 8.1, with a strong grasp of performance optimization and modern PHP practices;
• Deep understanding of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), Design Patterns, anti-patterns, and SOLID principles, with the ability to mentor others in these areas;
• Proven experience working with relational database management systems (DBMS), including performance tuning and complex query design;
• Proficient in using project and version control tools such as Atlassian suite, Git, or SVN in collaborative development environments;
• Strong background in testing methodologies, including unit, integration, and functional testing, with experience in test automation frameworks;
• Solid foundation in algorithms and distributed systems, with the ability to design scalable and maintainable solutions;
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly.

Nice to have:

• Experience with Ecom solutions such as Magento, Prestashop, CS-Cart, xCart OR any PHP CMS as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc;
• Knowledge in JavaScript (ES6) is a plus;
• Experience with services/microservices oriented architecture, ideally in an e-commerce scope;
• Familiar with SCRUM methodology.
• Work visa sponsorship is not available. For local documentation (NIF, NISS), please consult Portuguese authorities.

Additional Information

Benefits and perks:

🌴25 vacation days

🤝 Enjoy 2 additional volunteering days to support your passion project

💖 Mental Health: Benefit from 3 extra wellness days on top of your vacation days and a Mental Health First Aider and Employee Assisstance program to support your well-being

🏥 Health insurance (also possible for family members)

💻 Cutting Edge Technology & Latest IT tools

🏢 Software-house environment

⌛ Agile and Flexible working hours

🌍 Hybrid working: we combine flexibility with in-person collaboration, with an expectation of 1 day per week/ 4 days per month in the office

✈️ Digital nomad policy

🚀 Focus on career development

🎓 Full access to Dentsu Academy, our global online learning platform

🍻 Beers, foosball, and ping-pong! #workhardplayhard

🥐 Free breakfast every second Wednesday of the month

🛍️ Employee discounts

🎉 Team & Company events

💸 Referral bonus program

• At dentsu, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is central to our vision: "To be at the forefront of people-centered transformations that shape society."

We cherish the unique talents and perspectives of all individuals, welcoming applicants regardless of gender, gender identity, nationality, religion, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental ability. By embracing diverse perspectives, we create meaningful change and sustainable growth for our people, clients, and society. Our hiring decisions are guided by qualifications and role-specific requirements, ensuring a workplace free from discrimination and harassment.

Location:

Lisbon

Brand:

Merkle

Time Type:

Full time

Contract Type:

Permanent