Senior Backend Engineer (PHP / GO)

About Tandem

Tandem is the leading global language learning community, where more than 20 million members from over 180 countries practice languages together. The concept of learning from each other is not only an integral part of the Tandem community but it is also at the heart of our everyday lives at Tandem. This shared connection through learning helps us to grow and enhances the language journeys of our members.

We are based in Berlin and are backed by top European investors. We are highly international and driven by a shared passion for languages, technology, and culture. Together, we are on a mission to build a product that not only teaches a new skill but also encourages meaningful cross-cultural conversations.

We are looking for a new Backend Engineer that is proficient in both Go and PHP to join our team here in Berlin!

Your role will be to:

We’re looking for a Senior Backend Engineer to join our team as we transition from legacy PHP to Golang microservices. If you enjoy working with data, exploring new technologies, and taking on big challenges, you’ll fit right in. Experience with large datasets and an interest in machine learning are great pluses.

Examples of things you could work on:

• Design and build innovative features that enhance language learning experiences.
• Architect and scale real-time chat systems to support our growing user base.
• Help transition our existing monolithic architecture into scalable microservices.
• Work with and learn about cutting edge ML and generative AI services.

You are the right fit for the role if you:

Ideal Candidate:

• 3+ years of experience with PHP and frameworks like Symfony or Laravel.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with Golang.
• Proven ability to contribute to complex projects and learn from experience.
• Experience in developing and managing high-traffic APIs.
• Proficiency with Docker and containerization.

What would make your application stand out:

• A passion for language learning and experience using our product.
• Knowledge of modern infrastructure, with a preference for AWS experience.
• Experience in backend development for high-traffic mobile applications.
• Familiarity with Python
• Interest in data engineering and machine learning

The benefits

Passion for languages
We’re a team of 30 people speaking 20 languages fluently between us. For those wanting to improve their German (or Denglisch!), you can join one of our German classes on us. We also run regular Spanish, Russian, and German lunches!

Take a deep dive
As a Tandem team member, we’ll give you a budget for up to 6 “Deep Dive Days” per year. Pick a topic you’ve always wanted to explore for your professional development that has never made it out of your backlog. Then book a cabin in the woods or whatever matches your individual learning style.

Teams who train together, stay together
We offer Urban Sports Club gym memberships to boost our team’s physical and mental health. If you prefer, we can contribute to your monthly public transport ticket instead.

It takes a team to Tandem
Bonding with our teammates outside of our normal work routine is important to us. We organize regular team events: from day trips to weekly lunches, to Friday beers, summer BBQs, and board games.

Balance matters
Life isn’t just about work. We know when to snooze Slack notifications, recharge our batteries, and take time out for our personal hobbies. As we’re mostly working from home right now, it’s even more important to be able to switch off from work and relax.

Modern family
As part of our family-friendly company philosophy, we embrace flexible working hours, welcome families to our events, and love for our kids to visit the office and get a taste of life at Tandem.

Relocation without the stress
If you’re looking to relocate to Berlin, we’re ready to assist you with the infamous German bureaucracy. Many of us have been through it before, so we have plenty of tips to share. You’ll feel settled in no time.

One size doesn’t fit all
Nowadays, we’re all about a flexible and modern approach to working. Whether you’d like to work from our office in the heart of Berlin-Mitte, from the comfort of your home, or even a mixture of both, we’ll contribute to your work setup.