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Senior Backend Engineer - Database Change Management
An overview of this role
As a Senior Backend Engineer, Database Upgrades, you'll help replace GitLab's sequential database migration system with a dependency graph model that makes upgrades faster and safer for GitLab.com and self-managed customers. You'll lead the design and delivery of a migration validation and test framework, including versioned fixture data across about 1,000 tables, a continuous integration (CI)-integrated test runner, and required correctness checks. You'll also serve as the senior technical anchor for our India-based engineering group, using clear written decisions to influence a team working across India, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States. The manager for this role is based on the US West Coast.
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
Country Hiring Guidelines: GitLab hires new team members in countries around the world. All of our roles are remote, however some roles may carry specific location-based eligibility requirements. Our Talent Acquisition team can help answer any questions about location after starting the recruiting process.
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GitLab is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. GitLab’s policies and practices relating to recruitment, employment, career development and advancement, promotion, and retirement are based solely on merit, regardless of race, color, religion, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information (including family medical history), discharge status from the military, protected veteran status (which includes disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans), or any other basis protected by law. GitLab will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. See also GitLab’s EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know during the recruiting process.
Skills Required
- Deep experience with Ruby on Rails in large production codebases, including Active Record migration internals, or comparable depth with Django or Ecto
- Production PostgreSQL experience, including schema changes on large tables, locking behavior, and DDL failure modes under load
- 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 ability to work independently in an asynchronous, distributed environment
- Sound judgment balancing reliability, safety, backward compatibility, and delivery needs
- Interest in serving as a senior technical presence for an India-based engineering group while collaborating across regions
GitLab Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Medical coverage offers multiple U.S. plan options (Cigna in most states and Kaiser in CA/HI) alongside dental, vision, and an Employee Assistance Program. Handbook materials also note HSA availability with company contributions when enrolled in the HDHP.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is documented at 16 weeks, with U.S. leave administration supported by Tilt as of February 2, 2026. Caregiving and backup care resources are also referenced for many roles and locations.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Compensation practices are described in a public handbook with standardized, market‑based frameworks, annual reviews, equity refreshes, and clear ranges visible internally as of May 2026. This documentation helps candidates and employees see current specifics and understand how pay is set.
GitLab Insights
What We Do
GitLab is the Intelligent Orchestration Platform where software teams and their AI agents stay in flow to amplify their capacity for innovation. Together, they automate repetitive tasks to plan, build, secure, test, deploy and maintain software. With GitLab, software teams spend less time on coordination overhead and more time on the next big idea. What started in 2011 as an open source project to help one team of programmers collaborate is now the intelligent orchestration platform millions of people use to deliver software faster, more efficiently, while strengthening security and compliance. Since the beginning, we've been firm believers in remote work, open source, DevSecOps, and iteration. We get up and log on in the morning to work alongside the GitLab community to deliver new innovations every month that help teams and their AI agents ship great code faster.
Why Work With Us
GitLab is where careers accelerate, innovation flourishes, and every voice is valued. Co-create the future with us as we build technology that transforms how the world develops software.
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