PHP/Python Software Engineer

The Company

We’re Octopus Legacy: one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the country, and part of the UK’s most exciting and best-trusted group. We have a mission.

We’re on a path to scale - aiming to become a household name while transforming a long-established industry and helping individuals and organisations prepare for, and find support after, death.

But we can’t do it alone. That’s why we’re building a team of self-starters, problem-solvers and people who bring energy to everything they do.

Ready to be part of something big?

The Role

We're looking for a Software Engineer skilled in PHP and familiar with Python, ready to make a real impact. You’ll split your time between maintaining and improving our existing PHP/Laravel codebases - powering products like our website, Life Insurance offering, and internal tools - and contributing to newer Python-based projects as our tech stack evolves.

You’ll code across the full stack, shipping real improvements that users notice, keeping our platforms healthy, secure, and performant. You’ll own the backlog of impactful changes that elevate our products and delight users, while also growing into Python projects and expanding your skillset.

This is a role full of variety and opportunity - every week brings new challenges, and your work will directly impact our customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and improve existing PHP/Laravel applications - bug fixes, enhancements, performance improvements, and application-level security.
• Build and contribute to Python projects - new services, internal tooling, and integrations as our tech stack evolves.
• Support platform security and compliance initiatives - pen testing remediation, dependency updates, and infrastructure hardening.
• Troubleshoot and resolve production issues - investigate bugs, diagnose root causes, and ship fixes confidently.
• Collaborate with the wider engineering team - participate in code reviews, sprint ceremonies, and contribute to engineering standards and best practices.
• Own small-to-medium projects end-to-end, delivering meaningful improvements across our tools and products.

Who Are You?

• Strong experience with PHP, ideally within the Laravel framework.
• Comfortable working with Python - whether in scripting, APIs, data processing, or frameworks like Django or FastAPI.
• Solid understanding of relational databases (PostgreSQL) and writing efficient queries.
• Experienced with version control (Git) and collaborative development workflows.
• Able to work independently, prioritise effectively, and ship reliably.
• Clear communicator who can explain technical decisions to non-technical stakeholder

Bonus points

• Understanding of event-driven architectures and messaging systems.
• Experience with front-end technologies (JavaScript/TypeScript, Vue or React).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and deployment processes.
• Interest in or experience with AI/LLM integration.

Why You’ll Love It Here

• This role is a stepping stone into Python development, giving you the chance to expand your skills in modern frameworks and integrations, and to apply AI and LLMs for real-world impact.
• You’ll have significant ownership - your work will directly impact our products, customers, and internal operations.
• We’re a growing, collaborative team - you’ll learn from experienced engineers, shape engineering practices, and contribute to the evolution of our tech stack.
• Every day you’ll be building meaningful products that make a difference.

Our Mission

Octopus Legacy is the place to plan for death and find support after loss. When people think about planning for death they think about wills, life insurance and funerals. We take these cold processes and turn them into something more human. Share more than money: leave voice notes, music, recipes. Shape a legacy that connects you while you're here. And after you're gone.

Founded by Sam after his mum died suddenly, we’re a group of people who work in death because we’ve been affected by it. We know the difference a good plan makes, and what it’s like when there isn’t one.

Death can come between us, leaving mess, legal fees, frustration. But it can also make us stronger. We see a world where people talk openly about death, and work out the real meaning of legacy, one that connects to them. We’re here to make that world happen. 

Benefits

• Octopus share incentive scheme
• 27 days holiday + extra day off for your Birthday
• Work from anywhere in the world for up to 4 weeks per year
• Vitality Health & Life Insurance
• Pension scheme
• Enhanced parental leave
• Free Will & LPAs + discounts on other Octopus services
• Cycle to Work Scheme and EV Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Octopus Giving: matched charitable fundraising up to £500
• Octopus Springboard: support to build your own ideas
• Dog-friendly office
• Breakfast every day, snacks and wellness activities

We know that to be truly innovative, we need to have a diverse team around us. That is why Octopus Legacy is committed to creating an inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.