Key skills
Node.jsTypeScriptReactAPI developmentPHP/LaravelMySQLStripe integrationKubernetesCI/CD familiarityCloud infrastructureCommunication skillsPHPLaravelGCPGoogle CloudRESTfuliOSAndroidCI/CD
About this role
Helpr is a technology platform that connects families with trusted childcare providers, handling booking, payments, background checks, and scheduling. They are seeking a Full Stack Engineer to own the entire backend, shipping features, migrating the stack, and making architectural decisions that will define the platform for years.
Responsibilities:
- Own all backend and API development — new features, bug fixes, integrations, and infrastructure
- Lead the incremental migration from Laravel (PHP) to Node.js/TypeScript/React, starting with new features and high-churn areas
- Build and maintain integrations with Stripe (payments, ACH, Checkout Sessions), identity verification providers, and partner APIs
- Design and implement the backend architecture for new product features alongside the product team
- Improve developer experience: CI/CD, testing, monitoring, and deployment workflows
- Collaborate with the offshore mobile team (iOS/Android) on API contracts and shared data models
- Participate in on-call rotation for production issues
Requirements:
- 5+ years of professional software engineering experience
- Strong Node.js and TypeScript/React skills — this is the target stack
- Working experience with PHP/Laravel — you'll need to read, debug, and modify the existing codebase before migrating it
- Experience with relational databases (MySQL) — schema design, migrations, query optimization
- Solid understanding of RESTful API design and third-party API integrations
- Experience with Stripe or similar payment platform integrations (payment intents, webhooks, subscription billing)
- Comfortable owning production systems — deployments to kubernetes in GCP
- Kubernetes and container orchestration experience
- Strong communicator who can articulate technical decisions and trade-offs clearly
- Comfortable with using LLMs to help deliver accurate and maintainable code
- Google Cloud infrastructure experience
- Experience in a marketplace, booking, or payments-heavy product
- Experience migrating legacy codebases to modern stacks incrementally (strangler fig pattern)
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing strategies, and deployment automation