Hey there, I'm Ben, the VP Engineering at Fergus. Are you looking for a Senior Engineering role where you can sink your teeth into meaningful work, see the direct impact of your efforts, and skip the soul-crushing corporate bureaucracy? If so, I think you'll genuinely enjoy working with us. We've got a lot to build and improve, but we're set up to let you get things done.
What We Do (And Why It Matters):
We're Fergus, a global B2B software and payments company helping tradespeople (think plumbers, electricians, builders) ditch the chaos and actually run their businesses smoothly. Our software genuinely gives them back time, reduces stress, and helps them make more money. We have teams and offices in New Zealand (HQ), Australia, and the UK, all focused on this mission. Seeing the difference we make for our customers is a huge part of why we love it here.
The Role & The Reality (The Honest Bit):
Alright, let's talk tech. As a Senior Engineer, you'll be working across our stack. Full transparency: a large part of that stack is a mature PHP application. Maybe "legacy PHP" might not sound like the coolest thing on a job ad. But here's what I've learned from experience, and why I personally find this stage exciting: this "boring" PHP is the engine of a profitable, growing business that solves real problems.
It's a pattern I know well; prior to Fergus, I helped lead the engineering team at Vend, scaling their largely PHP platform through to a successful USD $350M acquisition by Lightspeed. There's immense value and satisfaction in strategically evolving these robust systems for customer benefit and business growth.
Your job isn't just coding; it's about smart modernization.
You'll use your experience to identify opportunities to refactor, improve, and strategically introduce newer tech where it makes sense. We're already hosted in AWS, have microservices running alongside the PHP monolith, and have smart ways to integrate modern front-end code (like React).
The satisfaction comes from taking something solid and making it better – cleaner code, faster performance, happier customers, easier developer experience. It’s about tangible improvements, not just chasing the latest trends. This kind of pragmatic, impactful engineering is incredibly rewarding.
Our Tech Stack (The Tools You'll Use & Influence):
Cloud: Entirely hosted in AWS
Web Frontend: React, Typescript
Mobile: React Native, Typescript, GraphQL
Backend: PHP 8, NodeJS/Typescript (for newer services)
Database: MySQL
Who We're Looking For (Is This You?):
You've got solid experience building and maintaining multi-tenant web applications. You understand the complexities.
Experience with our specific stack is great, but we value strong engineering principles and transferable skills just as much. If you're a great engineer using different tools, we want to talk.
You're skilled, but you check your ego at the door. Collaboration is key – we learn from each other, challenge ideas constructively, and build things together. High-skill, low-ego is our mantra.
Why Fergus? (Beyond Just the Tech):
Look, benefits are important (and we've got good ones, see below!), but here's the core deal:
Impact: You're improving a product that genuinely helps thousands of small business owners thrive.
Stability & Growth: We're growing, profitable, have multiple revenue streams, and aren't dependent on the next funding round. We have an exciting roadmap for 2025/2026 and global plans in motion.
Real Modernization Opportunity: You get to be part of evolving a successful product, applying your expertise to make it technically stronger and deliver more customer value. That's satisfying work, led by someone who's done it before.
Culture: We aim for transparency and minimal BS. You'll have agency and the ability to influence things.
Perks & Benefits:
Wellbeing – 4 extra paid “ME” days per year, EAP support, inclusive team events
Equity – All team members join our ESOP (share scheme) after 1 year
Parental Leave – 10 weeks of additional paid leave + more support for new parents
Development & Culture – Annual L&D budget, company-wide training, transparent leadership, reward & recognition programs
Work Setup – Hybrid model: 3 days a week in our Eden Terrace office Tues, Wed, Thurs (our engineering teams have more flex)
Our Interview Process:
Talent Team Screening (30 mins)
Behavioural/Tech Assessment Interview (90 mins)
Peer Stage Interview (60 mins)