We are looking for a senior-level PHP developer with deep experience integrating the eBay APIs, particularly around search relevance, aspect filtering, and query construction.
We are building a specialized product search platform that uses a custom database of categories, subcategories, and filters to generate targeted eBay searches. The UI and data structures are largely complete, and searches are executing somewhat successfully. However, our remaining blocker to launch is search accuracy and relevance.
The core challenge is translating a large, structured set of user-selected filters into effective eBay search logic, including:
-Proper use of eBay category constraints
-Intelligent application of aspect filters vs keyword (“q”) searches
-Handling filters that do not map cleanly to eBay aspects
-Avoiding overly restrictive queries that return poor or irrelevant results
We are not starting from scratch. A capable developer has already built much of the foundation, but we are looking for someone with stronger experience in search logic, API behavior, and pragmatic workarounds to help get this project across the finish line.
What We’re Looking For:
-Strong PHP development experience
-Proven hands-on experience with eBay APIs (Browse API, aspect filtering, category logic)
-Ability to reason about search relevance, tradeoffs, and fallback strategies
-Comfort proposing and implementing practical solutions, not theoretical perfection
-Willingness to work with existing code and improve it rather than rewrite everything
What Success Looks Like:
-User-selected filters consistently yield relevant eBay results
-Search behavior aligns with user expectations
-The platform is stable, predictable, and ready for public release
-Appropriate admin controls are available for refining search behavior as the need arises
If you enjoy solving messy real-world search problems and know how to bend APIs to your will when documentation falls short, we’d like to talk.