Staff Backend Engineer - Database Change Management

GitLab is the intelligent orchestration platform for DevSecOps. GitLab enables organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risk, and accelerate digital transformation. More than 50 million registered users and more than 50% of the Fortune 100* trust GitLab to ship better, more secure software faster. The same principles built into our products are reflected in how our team works: we embrace AI as a core productivity multiplier, with all team members expected to incorporate AI into their daily workflows to drive efficiency, innovation, and impact. GitLab is where careers accelerate, innovation flourishes, and every voice is valued. Our high-performance culture is driven by our values and continuous knowledge exchange, enabling our team members to reach their full potential while collaborating with industry leaders to solve complex problems. Co-create the future with us as we build technology that transforms how the world develops software. * Fortune 500® is a registered trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, used under license. Claim based on GitLab data. Fortune 100 refers to the top 20% ranked companies in the 2025 Fortune 500 list, published in June 2025. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of GitLab. Staff 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. 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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