Job Description & Details
This Menlo Park-based contract role asks for a Java Full Stack title, but the actual tech stack heavily leans into React, PHP, Hack, and Python. If you are comfortable bouncing between frontend components and backend microservices while optimizing for scale, this gig offers a solid 6-month runway with potential extensions.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
You will spend your days bridging the gap between sleek user interfaces and heavy backend logic. Expect to build responsive React components, tie them into backend APIs built on PHP and Python, and constantly troubleshoot performance bottlenecks in relational databases like MySQL or PostgreSQL. You are also expected to actively participate in architectural discussions and code reviews, meaning you need to hold your own when defending your design choices.
The Core Tech Stack
Your bread and butter here will be React on the frontend paired with PHP, Hack, and Python on the backend. Because the role requires building scalable web applications, having a rock-solid grasp of RESTful APIs, modern JavaScript/TypeScript, and relational database management is non-negotiable. They aren't looking for someone who just knows one side of the stack; you need to be genuinely comfortable owning features from the database schema up to the UI state.
Interview Expectations
Expect the interviewer to test your ability to debug complex asynchronous operations by asking how you would handle a race condition between a React frontend and a slow Python backend. They want to see your troubleshooting methodology, not just a memorized answer. You will also likely be grilled on database optimization; be prepared to explain how you would index a large MySQL table experiencing slow read times under heavy concurrent traffic, as they care deeply about web application performance.
Application Advice
Make sure your resume doesn't just list Java because of the job title—you need to heavily spotlight your React, PHP, Hack, and Python experience to pass the automated filters. Explicitly mention your work with RESTful APIs, relational databases, and automated testing pipelines. If you have shipped scalable web apps in a collaborative environment, bring those metrics and architectural examples front and center.