Lead PHP Developer (Payments)

We’re building next-generation payment infrastructure for high-volume, high-risk merchants - fast, intelligent, and built for scale.
As our Lead Payments Engineer, you’ll own the architecture behind mission-critical payment flows, deep processor integrations, and the systems that power merchant success.

Your mission is to design, scale, and evolve a payment ecosystem that can outperform legacy processors in both speed and intelligence.
You’ll lead the development of our gateway integrations (with a major focus on RocketGate), build merchant-facing dashboards, and create resilient systems that handle disputes, fraud controls, and high-volume settlement pipelines - all while shaping the engineering culture of a rapidly growing fintech startup.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the architecture and development of advanced payment processing systems and APIs
• Integrate multiple acquirers, processors, and alternative payment methods
• Build merchant dashboards, reporting tools, and real-time monitoring systems
• Implement fraud, dispute, and chargeback workflows (VAMP, TC40, CE3.0, Ethoca, RDR)
• Ensure PCI DSS compliance and best-in-class data security
• Design high-availability, high-throughput backend systems built for scale
• Define and own the technical roadmap
• Mentor and grow an engineering team focused on speed, precision, and accountability
• Collaborate with operations, compliance, and commercial teams to deliver features merchants rely on
   

You’re a Strong Fit If

• You bring deep experience in payments — especially card-not-present and high-risk environments
• You’ve built or scaled transactional systems handling heavy throughput
• You naturally take ownership and thrive in fast, high-trust environments
• You communicate clearly, think strategically, and enjoy solving complex system challenges
• You enjoy leading teams while staying hands-on with architecture and development

Required Skills

• Payments Expertise (MUST):
  Deep understanding of acquiring, gateway architecture, CNP payments, and high-risk processing
• Backend Engineering (MUST):
  Strong proficiency in PHP/Laravel and modern backend patterns
• Integrations:
  Proven experience integrating processors, acquirers, and risk tooling
• Security:
  Solid knowledge of PCI DSS, tokenization, encryption, and secure coding practices
• Scalability:
  Experience designing high-availability, high-volume systems
• Leadership:
  Track record of managing engineering teams and owning technical strategy

Nice to Have

• Crypto payment processing experience
• Machine-learning or rules-based fraud detection systems
• Exposure to offshore acquiring and multi-geo merchant onboarding
• Experience in ISO/MSP environments

With Us You’ll Have

 • Fully remote setup with a flexible schedule

• Fast-moving environment where decisions are quick and clear
• Direct collaboration with founders & tech leadership — your work has real impact
• Competitive compensation based on experience
• A team that values ownership, clarity, and healthy communication