Senior ERP / PHP / MySQL Engineer to Take Ownership of Legacy Business System

We are an established U.S. business looking for an exceptionally strong senior software engineer to take technical ownership of our core ERP/business operating system. This is not a routine PHP development project and we are not looking for someone who simply completes tickets. We need a senior engineer who can enter an existing, business-critical system, understand how it works technically and understand the business processes behind it, diagnose difficult problems, improve the architecture and performance, and progressively modernize and extend the platform. For the right person, this could become a major long-term engagement and potentially a full-time role. The System Our ERP is a highly customized business application built using nuBuilder Forte, an open-source, browser-based low-code application development platform. The environment uses: • PHP • MySQL / MariaDB • JavaScript • nuBuilder Forte • Custom business logic and integrations The system has been developed and customized over many years and contains substantial business logic covering much of our operation. It supports functions including: • Sales and quotations • Customer management • Order processing • Purchasing • Inventory • Inventory costing • Operations • Shipping and logistics • Invoicing • Financial and management information We are not looking to throw the existing system away and start again. We want someone capable of understanding what we already have, identifying what is good and what needs improvement, and then systematically stabilizing, improving, modernizing and extending it. The Person We Need We are looking for an unusual combination of three capabilities: 1. Exceptional Technical Capability You should be genuinely senior in PHP/MySQL business application development. We need someone comfortable with: • Large existing PHP applications • Advanced MySQL • Database architecture • Complex queries • Query and application performance optimization • JavaScript • APIs and integrations • Legacy application modernization • Debugging and root-cause analysis • Git/source control • Testing and deployment • Application security • Technical architecture • Refactoring existing code safely Experience with nuBuilder Forte would be valuable, but it is not essential. We would rather hire an outstanding PHP/MySQL engineer who can quickly learn nuBuilder than an average developer who happens to have used nuBuilder previously. 2. Strong Business / ERP Understanding This is extremely important. You must be able to understand how a business actually works, not simply how software works. Our ERP connects multiple business functions, including sales, customer service, purchasing, inventory, operations, logistics and finance. You should be comfortable understanding concepts such as: • Quote-to-order and order-to-cash • Purchasing and procure-to-pay • Inventory on hand, available, allocated and inbound • FIFO inventory costing • Landed cost • Cost of goods sold • Revenue • Gross profit • Gross margin versus markup • Inventory valuation • Customer profitability • Shipping and freight • Accounts receivable • Management reporting You do not need to be an accountant. However, if a business manager explains that inventory is being costed incorrectly and therefore gross profit is wrong, we need you to understand why that matters, investigate the underlying business process and data flow, and architect the correct solution. We need someone who can understand the complete lifecycle of a transaction through an ERP system. 3. Excellent English and Communication Excellent spoken and written English is mandatory. You will work directly with U.S.-based executives, managers and employees. You must be able to: • Conduct business-process discovery meetings in English • Ask intelligent questions • Understand business terminology and nuance • Listen carefully to users • Determine the real business problem • Challenge assumptions when appropriate • Explain technical issues in plain business language • Document requirements clearly • Recommend solutions and explain the trade-offs If you are an excellent programmer but cannot confidently conduct a detailed business conversation in English, this project will not be the right fit. Initial Assignment We expect the engagement to begin with a structured assessment of the existing system. You will: 1. Understand the current application and database architecture. 2. Review the PHP/MySQL environment and existing customizations. 3. Understand the major business workflows. 4. Identify performance, reliability and security issues. 5. Assess technical debt. 6. Review our development and deployment practices. 7. Help establish proper source control, testing, documentation and change management. 8. Review our existing development backlog. 9. Recommend priorities under three categories: Stabilize, Improve and Extend. 10. Begin solving selected high-value problems. We do not want a consultant who produces a report and disappears. We want someone who can assess the system and then personally do the engineering work. Longer-Term Opportunity If we find the right person, there is a substantial amount of ongoing work. Our longer-term technology strategy includes: • Major continued development of the ERP • Salesforce integration • E-commerce integration • Customer self-service • APIs • Automation • AI applications • Inventory and purchasing systems • Improved reporting and analytics • Additional developers working under a senior technical lead The right person could ultimately become the technical lead for the ERP platform and lead other developers. Who Should Apply Please apply if you are a genuinely senior engineer who has previously inherited, understood and improved a complex existing business application or ERP. We are particularly interested in people who have worked with systems involving: • Distribution • Manufacturing • Wholesale • Inventory • Order management • ERP • Supply chain • Logistics • Accounting or financial transactions Location is not important. We are open to exceptional candidates globally. Capability is more important to us than geography. When You Apply Please do not send a generic proposal. Start your proposal with the words: ERP OWNERSHIP Then answer these questions: 1. Tell us about the most complex existing PHP/MySQL or ERP system you have inherited from another developer or development team. What condition was it in, and what did you personally do? 2. Give an example of a difficult MySQL/database performance problem you diagnosed and solved. What was actually causing the problem? 3. Explain, in your own words, why accurate inventory costing can affect gross profit in an ERP system. 4. What experience do you have with FIFO, landed cost, COGS, inventory valuation, purchasing or order-to-cash processes? 5. Have you previously led or reviewed the work of other developers? If so, explain your role. 6. Have you worked with nuBuilder Forte? It is completely acceptable to answer no. If not, briefly explain how you would approach learning an unfamiliar PHP/MySQL application framework. 7. What is your current availability? How many hours per week could you initially commit to this project? We will shortlist candidates for a live English-language interview and practical technical assessment. We are looking for quality rather than the lowest hourly rate.