Junior Software Developer (PHP + React)

Create once. Distribute forever.

Distribution.ai helps creators and marketers repurpose one great piece of content into many, across blogs, YouTube, podcasts, and every social platform that matters.

We're a small-but-mighty startup based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, led by Ross Simmonds (Founder of Foundation Marketing). We move fast, ship often, and care deeply about building a product creators rely on every day. We're looking for a Junior Software Developer who enjoys solving problems, writing clean, reliable code, and working across the entire stack.

Why this role is fun

• You'll ship real features used by creators and teams daily.
• You'll own work end-to-end—from database to UI—using Laravel, React, and Inertia.js.
• You'll move quickly and iterate often, with lots of variety in what you build.
• You'll work with a small team that values clarity, autonomy, and thoughtful engineering.
• You'll learn from experienced developers and a founder who's obsessed with creativity and growth.

What you'll do

• Build product features across Laravel (PHP) and React (JavaScript) using Inertia.js.
• Write clean migrations, controllers, and API endpoints using consistent patterns.
• Create intuitive, responsive UIs with Tailwind, Headless UI, and Heroicons.
• Integrate with APIs for social media, storage, payments, and authentication.
• Implement small-but-impactful UX details: autosave, previews, toasts, state management, etc.
• Jump between backend logic, frontend components, debugging, and integrations; no two weeks look the same.
• Break down features into clear technical tasks and deliver reliable, maintainable implementations.
• Help test, improve, and polish existing features as the product evolves.
• Write documentation and comments that future-you (and the team) will appreciate.

Our stack

• Backend: PHP 8.3, Laravel 10, Redis queues, Eloquent ORM
• Frontend: React 18 + Inertia.js, Vite, Tailwind, Zustand
• Database & Infra: MySQL, DigitalOcean, S3-compatible storage (Spaces)
• Integrations: OAuth logins (Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), Stripe, analytics tools
• Tooling: GitHub, CI/CD, ESLint/Prettier

You'll fit right in if you…

• Have some web development experience. Personal projects, bootcamp work, or school projects count.
• Know your way around both PHP and JavaScript.
• Have built at least one CRUD app with login/authentication.
• Understand React components, props/state, and API calls.
• Care about clean, readable code and consistent patterns.
• Enjoy a fast-moving environment where shipping small, high-quality improvements is the norm.
• Work well independently and like having ownership of your tasks.
• Prefer clarity, direct feedback, and lightweight processes over long meetings or chaos.
• Bonus points if you've explored: Inertia.js, Tailwind, Zustand, Stripe, OAuth flows, or social media APIs.

What success looks like after 90 days

• You've shipped several features independently.
• You understand our conventions, patterns, and architecture.
• You consistently deliver work that's both fast and high-quality.
• You've contributed clean Laravel endpoints, React components, and UI polish.
• You spot small improvements and ship them without needing to be asked.
• You feel confident taking a feature from spec → PR with minimal friction.

What you'll learn here

• Turning product ideas into simple, lovable features.
• How to design maintainable Laravel domains and React components at startup speed.
• Real-world API design: rate limits, retries, idempotency, and edge cases.
• Observability habits (logging, metrics, alerts) that keep production stable.
• How fast-moving, high-quality engineering works inside a modern SaaS product.

Working with us

• Our values: We dig the work. We elevate culture. We are growth-driven. We bring the guac.
• Remote-first: We're a Canadian company with a distributed team.
• Flexible schedule: We care about output and craft, not clock-watching.
• Lightweight collaboration: Clear communication, async-first, minimal meetings.

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive salary for a junior developer
• Opportunities for real growth and hands-on mentorship
• Modern hardware/software support
• Paid time off and holidays
• Learning budget for courses, books, and fitness