Contract Developer — ColdFusion to PHP Migration

Contract Developer — ColdFusion to PHP Migration

Senior full-stack · Contract · Fully remote

Location: Fully remote (U.S.)

Engagement: Contract, hourly

Rate: $50–$75 / hour

Focus area: Legacy ColdFusion migration to a modern PHP framework

COLDFUSION FLUENCY IS REQUIRED ON DAY ONE

This engagement is too short to learn ColdFusion on. We need someone who can open an undocumented CFML codebase in week one and tell us what it does. Candidates with only casual exposure, or who plan to come up to speed on the job, will not be considered.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are looking for a senior full-stack contract developer with real depth in both ColdFusion and PHP to lead the migration of a legacy web application to a modern PHP framework.

This is a hands-on technical role, not an advisory one. You will read, analyze, and decipher an existing ColdFusion codebase — including undocumented logic and legacy patterns — and re-architect that logic into clean, scalable PHP. You will also build new functional capability in the new architecture as the migration proceeds.

Dynamic Digital modernizes outdated technology, builds on proven frameworks, and delivers efficient development that helps our clients grow with confidence. We are a small team, the feedback loop is short, and what you build goes live for real clients.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Codebase audit and deconstruction. Analyze existing ColdFusion (CFML/CFCs) application logic, data flow, background jobs, and business rules.
• Migration strategy and execution. Re-architect and rewrite ColdFusion features into modern PHP — Laravel, Symfony, or structured OOP PHP — keeping business rules intact while clearing legacy debt.
• Feature development. Design and build new functional modules and RESTful APIs directly in the new PHP architecture.
• Database and data integration. Maintain, refactor, and migrate relational schemas (MySQL, MS SQL, or PostgreSQL) and tune query performance through the transition.
• Dual-environment support. Keep the ColdFusion and PHP systems interoperable — sessions, data, and side-by-side execution — during a phased rollout.
• Documentation. Leave behind a written record of what the legacy system did and how the new one replaces it, so the next developer is not starting where you started.
• Code review and accountability. Review everything you ship, including anything produced with AI assistance, for correctness, quality, and security.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of professional development experience, with substantial production ColdFusion among it.
• ColdFusion expertise — non-negotiable. Extensive production experience with Adobe ColdFusion or Lucee. You can read, debug, and translate both tag and script syntax, legacy includes (cfinclude), custom tags, components (.cfc), and application lifecycle scopes (Application.cfc / Application.cfm).
• PHP expertise. Strong command of modern PHP (8.x), object-oriented architecture, design patterns, and current framework standards such as Laravel or Symfony.
• Migration track record. You have moved a legacy monolith onto a modern framework before without breaking production business logic. Be ready to talk through one in detail.
• Front-end proficiency. Modern JavaScript (ES6+), HTML5, and CSS3 — Tailwind or Bootstrap.
• Relational databases. Advanced SQL, query optimization, indexing, and data mapping.
• API design. Hands-on experience building and consuming RESTful endpoints.
• Version control. Solid understanding of Git.
• AI-assisted development. Comfortable using it, and accountable for what you ship with it. AI-generated code gets the same review for quality and security as anything you write by hand — which matters more than usual when the source logic is undocumented.
• Independent delivery. You work from a written scope and deliver with minimal oversight. Most of our coordination is asynchronous.
• Work we can review — a portfolio, public repositories, or a system you can walk us through in detail. Formal degree not required.

PREFERRED

• Lucee specifically
• Automated testing during migration
• CI/CD pipelines
• Hosting, DNS, and server migration
• WordPress / PHP CMS work
• Scheduled jobs and queue systems

HOW THE ENGAGEMENT WORKS

• Independent contractor (1099). You invoice us; you are not an employee of Dynamic Digital.
• Hours and the length of the engagement are set in the writt…