Senior PHP Engineer

Located in Netherlands (CET timezone), I provide remote PHP backend development services across the World.
As a freelance Senior PHP Engineer, I work with startups and established companies building scalable backend systems and APIs.

Remote PHP development services
Available for contract work across Europe and Asia with overlapping business hours
Senior-level PHP backend expertise with 8+ years of production experience
European GDPR-compliant development practices and data handling

Laravel Backend Specialist

Expert Laravel developer specializing in API-first architecture and scalable backend systems. I build Laravel applications that grow with your business, from MVP to enterprise scale.

Laravel 9, 10, and 11 expertise with modern PHP 8.x features
Laravel API development with Passport/Sanctum authentication
Eloquent optimization and database performance tuning
Laravel Queue systems for background job processing
Laravel package development and custom service providers

Symfony API Developer

Symfony framework specialist building enterprise-grade APIs and microservices. I leverage Symfony's component system to create maintainable, testable backend architecture.

Symfony 6 and 7 API development with API Platform
Doctrine ORM with advanced query optimization
Symfony messenger for event-driven architecture
Custom Symfony bundles and reusable components
Symfony security component for robust authentication

Backend API Specialist for Hire

Freelance PHP backend developer available for contract work. I help companies build reliable backend systems, optimize API performance, and scale their PHP applications.

Contract PHP backend development (3-12 month engagements)
API architecture consulting and implementation
Legacy PHP application modernization and refactoring
Performance optimization for high-traffic PHP applications
Remote-first collaboration with European timezone alignment

Linux Administration & SLA Services

Beyond PHP development, I provide comprehensive Linux server administration and managed hosting services with tailored SLA packages. From simple VPS management to enterprise infrastructure.

Essential VPS Support

€75/month

Includes 5 hours support

24/7 system monitoring and basic alerting
Security patch monitoring and notification
Daily backup verification and reporting
Business hours support (2h response time)
99% uptime SLA guarantee
Monthly system health reports • Additional hours: €65/hour

Professional Infrastructure

€275/month

Includes 15 hours support

24/7 comprehensive monitoring with instant alerts
Multi-server environment oversight
Automated backup monitoring and verification
Performance monitoring and threshold alerts
Priority support (1h business hours, 4h after hours)
99.5% uptime SLA with financial compensation
Weekly detailed performance reports • Additional hours: €65/hour

Enterprise Support

€850/month

Includes 8 hours support

Premium 24/7 monitoring with immediate escalation
Advanced performance and security monitoring
Real-time infrastructure health oversight
Emergency response (1h guaranteed, 24/7 on-call)
99.9% uptime SLA with financial penalties
Dedicated senior infrastructure consultant
Daily status reports and monthly reviews • Additional hours: €65/hour

Linux Administration Expertise

Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL server administration
Docker containerization and orchestration
Nginx and Apache web server optimization
MySQL/PostgreSQL database administration
SSL/TLS certificate management and automation
Firewall configuration and security hardening
Server monitoring with Prometheus, Grafana, and custom scripts
Performance tuning and resource optimization

How I Work

Backend development requires clear thinking about system boundaries and responsibilities. My approach prioritizes clarity and predictability.

API-first design: The frontend is just another API consumer. This ensures consistency and reusability.
Clear ownership: Each service knows its responsibilities. No ambiguity about where logic belongs.
Boring is good: Proven patterns over clever solutions. The 3am debugging session will thank you.
Documentation as code: API specs, database schemas, and system flows documented where developers look for them.

Example API Endpoint

GET/api/time?region=europe

{
  "region": "europe",
  "timezone": "Europe/Amsterdam",
  "iso": "2026-01-07T14:30:00+01:00",
  "unix": 1736256600
}

This endpoint demonstrates clean API design principles: consistent structure, clear parameter naming, multiple time formats for different consumers, and predictable error states. Real-world APIs I build follow these same patterns whether handling authentication, data processing, or system integration.

Systems Built

Multi-tenant SaaS Platform

Designed and implemented a complete backend API serving multiple web and mobile applications. Built tenant isolation at the database level, role-based access control with granular permissions, and webhook system for third-party integrations. Handled 2M+ API calls daily with sub-100ms response times.

Authentication & Authorization Service

Created a centralized authentication system handling OAuth2, API tokens, and session management. Implemented rate limiting, audit logging, and automated threat detection. Served as the authentication layer for 15+ internal services with zero downtime over 18 months.

Data Processing Pipeline

Built an API-driven system for ingesting, validating, and processing structured data. Implemented idempotent operations, retry mechanisms, and comprehensive error tracking. Processed 500K+ records daily with automated validation and correction workflows.

Technical Stack

PHP 8.2+

Laravel

Symfony

REST APIs

MySQL / MariaDB

PostgreSQL

Redis

Docker

Linux

Git

PHPUnit

OpenAPI

Contact

Direct Email:

Location: Netherlands (CET/CEST timezone)

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-verheij68

Available for remote contract work