Backend Developer (PHP / Containers) – Volunteer (f/m/d)

Are you passionate about open-source technologies and digital learning?

Do you enjoy working with containerized systems and contributing to scalable, inclusive, and privacy-respecting platforms that empower people across Europe?

The Volt Europa Academy is our digital hub for learning, growth and impact. It provides scalable and GDPR-compliant learning opportunities to empower members, volunteers, and candidates across Europe. The Academy platform is built using ILIAS LMS, an open-source European learning management system, hosted within Volt’s infrastructure through Kubernetes.

Join Volt Europa’s Academy as a Backend Developer (Volunteer) and help us build the foundation for a European learning ecosystem that supports training, onboarding, and activism across the continent!


Do you want to contribute to Europe's future?

Volt stands for a united and federal Europe, where everyone has equal opportunities to fulfil their unique potential. We strive to achieve the highest human, environmental, social, and technological development together. We are a pan-European political movement with 200 elected representatives across Europe, including 5 members of the European Parliament, over 30,000 members and hundreds of volunteers who work hard to make our vision a reality. 

Volt is an inclusive movement that wants to provide space for everyone to thrive. We believe the power of diversity achieves better results for our society at large. We can only be the inclusive political movement we aspire to be, if we represent different voices and perspectives in our society. Your skin colour, gender identity, disabilities, sexual orientation or religious belief do not matter. You are welcome in our organisation, and we want to work together with you to create a better Europe for everyone. 


What will you do?

As a Backend Developer (PHP / Containers), you will:

  • Support the setup, maintenance, and optimization of the ILIAS LMS (www.ilias.de/en) platform (containerized environment).

  • Collaborate with the Volt Infrastructure Team and the Academy Coordination Team to ensure stability, security, and scalability.

  • Manage or troubleshoot plugin deployments that can be handled through the ILIAS web interface.

  • Investigate and resolve issues related to container persistence, database connectivity, or configurations.

  • Suggest lightweight improvements or automations within Volt’s hosting and security policies.

  • Document technical steps and support onboarding for future volunteers joining the project.


What skills do you need to excel in this role?

Research shows that female candidates often apply only when they meet 100% of the requirements, while male candidates do so at around 60%.
We encourage everyone to apply — your motivation and potential matter most!


Essential skills:

  • Working experience with PHP (object-oriented, without frameworks).

  • Good knowledge of MySQL.

  • Good experience with Docker and containerized environments.

  • Basic understanding of Kubernetes concepts (pods, volumes, Helm).

  • Knowledge of Linux server administration (CLI, permissions, logs).

  • Familiarity with Git/GitHub workflows.

  • Comfortable working and communicating in English (main working language).

Nice to have:

  • Familiarity with ILIAS LMS or other open-source learning systems.

  • Knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript.

  • Interest in DevOps, automation, or e-learning infrastructure.

  • Previous experience in open-source or volunteer-based projects.

What requirements do we ask for this role?

  • Professional experience: You have around 2+ years of hands-on experience in backend or infrastructure development, ideally working with PHP, Docker, and Linux-based systems. Experience with container orchestration tools (Kubernetes, Helm) or open-source learning platforms (e.g. ILIAS or Moodle) is highly valued, but not mandatory.

  • Volunteer setting: You have experience working in collaborative or volunteer-driven environments, and you enjoy contributing to projects that have a social or civic impact. You’re comfortable working remotely, asynchronously, and in an international team of volunteers.

Nice to have

  • Experience with open-source communities and contribution workflows (Git, issue tracking, pull requests).

  • Understanding of data protection (GDPR) and good security practices in web hosting.

  • Interest in digital learning, education technology, or civic engagement.

  • A genuine passion for Volt’s mission and for using technology to empower people and make Europe stronger and more connected.

What do we offer?

  • A unique opportunity to contribute to a pan-European learning initiative that supports political education and empowerment.

  • Collaboration with international experts in digital learning and infrastructure.

  • A flexible, fully remote environment with a 4–6 hours/week volunteer commitment.

  • A welcoming and inclusive community driven by purpose and innovation.

  • Real experience working with Docker, Helm, and open-source platforms at scale.

How to apply: 

Does this opportunity excite you? We’d love to hear from you!

To apply, please provide:

Deadline: Rolling applications, priority given to candidates applying before 31 October 2025.

Any questions about the vacancy or application process?
📩 Contact: [email protected]  

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Questions you are asked to answer in the form: 

  1. What attracts you to Volt’s mission and to contributing to the Volt Europa Academy?

  2. Describe a technical challenge you solved using Docker or Kubernetes — what was the issue, and how did you approach it?

  3. The Academy platform is open-source (ILIAS LMS). Have you worked on open-source or collaborative codebases before? If yes, tell us about your experience.

  4. How would you handle troubleshooting or debugging in an environment where direct access to the file system is limited (Helm/Kubernetes deployment)?

  5. This role involves collaboration across countries and time zones. How do you ensure effective communication and project coordination in a remote team?

  6. What kind of support or resources would you need from Volt to make the greatest impact in this role?