Staff Backend Engineer - Database Change Management

We're open to hiring this role at Staff level for a candidate whose experience matches that scope. At Staff level, you'll also own architecture decisions for the migration system and lead design work across teams.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Lead the design and delivery of the migration validation and test framework from initial approach through production use.
• Contribute to a dependency graph migration system that supports safe ordering, parallel execution, and three-phase, low-downtime upgrades.
• Mentor intermediate engineers through pairing, code review, and design feedback.
• Make and document technical decisions asynchronously so team members can build on them across time zones.
• Review schema migrations from engineers across GitLab for safety, backward compatibility, and reliability.
• Collaborate with Distribution, Quality Assurance, Database Architecture, Database Automation, and database framework teams to support GitLab.com and self-managed deployment methods.
• At Staff level, author and defend architecture proposals and represent the team in technical reviews across GitLab.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Deep experience with Ruby on Rails in large production codebases, including Active Record migration internals, or comparable depth in another framework's migration system, such as Django or Ecto.
• Production PostgreSQL experience, including schema changes on large tables, locking behavior, and data definition language failure modes under load.
• A track record of leading delivery of a system from design through implementation and adoption.
• Experience mentoring engineers through pairing, code review, and technical feedback.
• Strong written communication and the ability to make progress independently in an asynchronous, distributed environment.
• Sound judgment when balancing reliability, safety, backward compatibility, and delivery needs.
• An interest in serving as a senior technical presence for an India-based engineering group while collaborating across regions.

ABOUT THE TEAM

We’re working on the largest change to GitLab's migration system in its history, with a focus on making upgrades safer and easier for customers, including the roughly one-third of self-managed customers who are two or more required upgrade stops behind.

HOW GITLAB SUPPORTS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES

• Benefits to support your health, finances, and well-being
• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Team Member Resource Groups
• Equity Compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Growth and Development Fund
• Parental Leave

Please note that we welcome interest from candidates with varying levels of experience; many successful candidates do not meet every single requirement. Additionally, studies have shown that people from underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to a job unless they meet every single qualification. If you're excited about this role, please apply and allow our recruiters to assess your application.

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