Software Engineer I (Backend - PHP)

About Neon One

At Neon One, we believe that technology is the key to building vibrant communities of generosity. As a leader in nonprofit software since 2004, we create intuitive solutions that help small and mid-sized nonprofits connect with people, build trust, and make good happen every day.

Our culture is powered by empathy, innovation, and a shared mission to empower organizations making a difference. We operate with a customer-first mindset, take pride in extraordinary results, and grow together by supporting each other and embracing bold new ideas. If you’re passionate about using your skills to drive real impact and want to thrive in a collaborative, fully remote environment, Neon One is the place for you.

About the Role
As a Software Engineer I (Backend) on Neon One’s Payments team, your primary focus will be backend development using PHP (Laravel). You will help build, maintain, and optimize the core payment processing services that power all Neon products. While about 90% of your work will be backend, our frontend is built with VueJS, and you may occasionally collaborate with the frontend team as needed. You’ll join a close-knit Scrum team of 3-5 developers, a Scrum master, and a product owner, working in an agile environment with two-week sprints. Your work will ensure secure, scalable, and efficient payment integrations for nonprofit organizations, supporting a mission-driven product that has a tangible impact.

Responsibilities

• Write and test server-side code for web-based applications, primarily using PHP (Laravel)

• Collaborate with the frontend team and occasionally contribute to applications built with VueJS (role is approximately 90% backend)

• Maintain up-to-date libraries and packages to ensure code compatibility, security, and use of the latest features

• Follow release processes, participate in code reviews, support rollback requirements, and ensure all work meets the Definition of Done/Ready

• Troubleshoot and resolve software issues, optimizing for security, redundancy, and performance

• Collaborate with Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Designers, and other Engineers to refine requirements and deliver features

• Participate in daily stand-ups at 11am Central, biweekly sprint planning, and other Scrum events

• Share learning and support teammates through code reviews and technical discussions

• Create and maintain functional requirement documents and internal guides as needed

• Contribute to a fun and engaged team culture, participate in hackathons, and leverage AI tools like Copilot and Claude AI

Requirements

• 2+ years of recent, production-level experience developing backend systems with PHP (Laravel preferred); experience with VueJS or similar JavaScript frameworks is a plus but not required

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience

• Experience building and maintaining CRUD APIs and working with production software

• Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS or Microsoft Azure preferred)

• Solid understanding of relational databases such as MySQL or PostgreSQL

• Ability to work independently within 30 days, with strong support and onboarding during ramp-up

• Proven track record as a collaborative, proactive team player in a remote environment

• Strong communication skills and willingness to engage with the team, including video calls

• Passion for mission-driven work and supporting nonprofits

Nice to Have

• Experience with payment processors such as Stripe, PayPal, or Apple Pay

• Experience developing microservices with AWS (Lambda, EventBridge, etc)

• Experience with advanced features of the Laravel Framework

• Experience writing automated tests with PHPUnit

• Familiarity with other PHP frameworks (if not Laravel)

Why Join Neon One?

At Neon One, our values are how we show up every day. We make good happen by putting empathy and passion at the center of our work, using technology to uplift mission-driven organizations. We stand for our customers, acting with care and intention in every decision. We own the solution, rolling up our sleeves to meet challenges head-on, and we grow together, valuing inclusivity, collaboration, and progress over perfection. We also innovate fearlessly, always exploring new ways to support our community and each other.

If you are energized by purpose-driven work and ready to thrive in a remote, people-first environment, we would love to connect with you.

Benefits and More

Our people are at their best when they are happy, healthy, and have the resources and support they need.

• Unlimited paid time off

• Comprehensive health plans (medical, dental, vision)

• 401(k) with up to 3.5% company match

• Paid parental leave after 1 year

• Company-paid life insurance and long-term disability

• Pet insurance

• 11 company holidays

• Paid sick time and a monthly paid volunteer day

• Medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts

• Commuter benefits, identity theft protection

• Fully remote workplace

How We Hire (and How We Use AI)

We use AI tools to support our recruitment process, including helping us organize applications and identify early matches based on role criteria. Every rejection decision is made by a human. We encourage candidates to apply authentically and avoid relying solely on AI-generated responses, especially during interviews. We want to get to know you, not ChatGPT.

This opportunity is offered through HighlightTA, the on-demand talent team supporting Neon One’s growth.

Connect with us and learn more:
Neon One on LinkedIn

HighlightTA on LinkedIn