Application Guide

How to Apply for Software Engineer II - Backend - PHP

at Fandom

🏢 About Fandom

Fandom is the world's largest fan platform, serving 350 million monthly users with 4 billion page views. What makes it unique is its focus on community-driven content and its ownership of MediaWiki-based wikis, including Wikia. You'll work on a platform that powers fan engagement for beloved franchises, with a tech stack that includes PHP 8.3, MediaWiki, and over 100 microservices in Java & GoLang.

About This Role

As a Backend Software Engineer II on the Wiki Platform team, you'll maintain and improve Fandom's core wiki platform, focusing on reliability, observability, and performance. Your work directly impacts the experience of millions of fans and supports other engineering teams by providing robust tools and infrastructure. You'll own the full lifecycle of features, from development to post-release maintenance.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day starts with a standup to discuss progress on reliability initiatives. You might spend the morning profiling a slow endpoint using Xdebug and Blackfire, then collaborate with a backend engineer to design a caching strategy using Redis. After lunch, you'd review a colleague's pull request for a new MediaWiki extension, and end the day by deploying a hotfix to production and monitoring its impact via Grafana dashboards.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Fandom Is Looking For

  • Experienced with PHP 8.x and MediaWiki, or similar large-scale PHP frameworks, with a strong grasp of object-oriented programming and design patterns.
  • Proficient in building and maintaining microservices, ideally with exposure to Java or GoLang, and comfortable with distributed systems.
  • Skilled in observability and performance tuning, including profiling, caching strategies, and database optimization (e.g., MySQL, Redis).
  • A proactive problem-solver who takes ownership of tasks, writes maintainable code, and actively collaborates in team processes like code reviews and sprint planning.

📝 Tips for Applying to Fandom

1

Highlight any experience with MediaWiki or wiki platforms specifically; mention contributions to open-source wikis or MediaWiki extensions.

2

Emphasize your work on reliability improvements—describe specific metrics you improved (e.g., reduced latency, increased uptime) and tools you used (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana).

3

Showcase your experience with microservices architecture, especially if you've worked with Java or GoLang alongside PHP.

4

Tailor your resume to mention experience with high-traffic websites (millions of users) and performance optimization at scale.

5

Include a brief note in your cover letter about your passion for fan communities or pop culture, as Fandom values enthusiasm for its mission.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your experience with PHP and MediaWiki, including any specific contributions to wiki platforms or large-scale PHP applications.', "Your approach to improving system reliability and performance, with concrete examples of observability, fault tolerance, or caching strategies you've implemented.", 'Your ability to take ownership of features end-to-end, from design to maintenance, and how you collaborate with cross-functional teams.', "Your enthusiasm for Fandom's mission to empower fans and your familiarity with the platform (mention specific wikis or features you use)."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Fandom's wiki platform by visiting a few popular wikis (e.g., Star Wars, Game of Thrones) and note the features and performance.
  • → Read Fandom's engineering blog or tech talks to understand their current challenges and tech stack (e.g., how they use MediaWiki and microservices).
  • → Look into MediaWiki's extension system and recent changes in PHP 8.3 that could be relevant to the role.
  • → Check Fandom's career page and recent news about their growth or product updates to show informed interest.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach debugging a slow MediaWiki page? Walk through your process for identifying bottlenecks and implementing fixes.
2 Describe a time you improved the reliability of a microservice. What metrics did you track, and what tools did you use?
3 Explain how you would design a caching layer for a high-traffic wiki platform to reduce database load.
4 How do you ensure code maintainability and reduce complexity in a large PHP codebase?
5 Tell us about a conflict you had with a team member during a code review or sprint planning, and how you resolved it.
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't submit a generic application without mentioning Fandom or the specific role—tailor your resume and cover letter to the wiki platform and reliability focus.
  • Avoid downplaying PHP experience or focusing too much on other languages; this role is primarily PHP with MediaWiki.
  • Don't neglect to discuss metrics and impact; vague claims about performance improvements without data are less convincing.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Fandom!

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