Contract-to-Hire • $35–$45/hr Competitive Pay • Full-Time Remote (U.S. based only)

Raborn Media is seeking a driven Backend Developer to lead and support our backend services for various healthcare and education applications.

You’ll be a key owner of backend engineering quality to power the high-traffic (+80K users) SaaS platforms we support: secure-by-default design, pragmatic compliance controls, and operational excellence.

Tech you’ll use:

Laravel 12 / PHP 8.2+
PostgreSQL, Redis, Laravel Horizon
Laravel Sanctum (SPA auth) + Magic Link flow
React + Vite (frontend partner team)
REST/JSON APIs
Google Cloud Platform: Cloud Run, Cloud SQL, Memorystore (and related monitoring/logging)

What Success Looks Like:

Ship secure, fast Laravel services,

keeping scalability and reliability front-and-center

Own our API layer end-to-end

by working closely with the React frontend team on clean REST/JSON contracts, versioning, and auth/session behavior

Run authentication like a product feature.

Maintain and improve Magic Link + Sanctum flows with a great UX and strong security

Protect sensitive data by default.

Implement and maintain field-level encryption for PII/PHI and the operational practices that support it

Build compliance-ready systems without the bureaucracy

. Deliver audit logging and controls that support HIPAA/FERPA-style requirements

Keep production steady and improving.

Partner with DevOps on GCP deploys/monitoring, build bulk CSV import workflows, and jump into incident triage + RCA when needed

Minimum qualifications

5+ years as a backend or full-stack engineer with strong backend ownership
Strong Laravel experience (modern; 12 a plus) and modern PHP practices
PostgreSQL expertise (schema design, indexing, performance tuning)
Experience with Laravel Sanctum or similar SPA authentication patterns
Experience in regulated/security-sensitive environments (HIPAA, FERPA, SOC2, etc.)
Familiarity with RESTful API design and JSON API contracts
Experience with testing frameworks (Pest or PHPUnit) and CI/CD pipelines
Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently
Ability to work standard business hours (8

–

5 in your timezone)

Nice to Have (Not Required)

Experience with field-level encryption (CipherSweet or similar)
Redis + Horizon experience in production
GCP experience (Cloud Run, Cloud SQL, Memorystore, Cloud Armor)
Experience with large-scale CSV processing and batch job architecture
Familiarity with role-based access control (RBAC) systems
SSO integration experience (SAML, OAuth2, OpenID Connect) for future initiatives
Monitoring and logging tools (Cloud Logging, Datadog, etc.)

Not a Fit If

You are not authorized to work in the U.S.
You are early-career or have less than 5 years of professional experience
You are not comfortable working in regulated/security-sensitive environments
You're looking for short-term freelance work

Contract-to-Hire Framework

This role begins with a

6-month contract period

to ensure mutual fit. We strongly desire to make this transition to FTE with you! Successful performance leads to conversion into a full-time role with growth opportunities.

Compensation:

$35–$45/hour (~8 hours per day) during the contract period, based on experience and scope. If converted to full-time, compensation transitions to salary + benefits and is determined based on performance and responsibilities.

Full-Time Employment Opportunity & Benefits

(Available upon successful conversion after the contract period)

Competitive pay, growth opportunities, and performance-based bonuses
17 days PTO + company-paid holidays
Health Insurance: The firm pays 50% of the employee's monthly premium. All dependents added must be paid 100% by the employee
Dental & Vision: Optional employee-paid plans available
Vanguard 401(k) with Company Match
Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.*

Back End Developer

Job description