Senior Software Engineer (RoR/Go), SSCS: Authentication - GitLab

About the Role

Help us build the next generation of authentication services at GitLab. As a Senior Backend Engineer on the Authentication team, you will work on authentication features across the Rails monolith and GATE, our new identity and access management control and data plane that supports every GitLab deployment model.

In this role, you will expand authentication mechanisms such as support for agentic identities while helping keep GitLab and its customers secure through robust access management tooling and by addressing vulnerabilities reported through our HackerOne program.

Key Projects

• Building GATE as the centralized service for token issuance and validation.
• Token consolidation and migration of authentication paths out of the Rails monolith.
• Implementing Passkeys and passwordless authentication.
• Developing composite identities to merge machine and human authorization for AI.
• Enhancing Service accounts and secure automation.
• Improving SAML, LDAP, OIDC, and SCIM for automated user provisioning and SSO.

What You’ll Do

• Contribute to the team's overall direction and shape the future roadmap of GATE.
• Design and implement authentication features across the Rails monolith and GATE.
• Migrate authentication and token management paths while maintaining reliability.
• Build authentication mechanisms from the ground up, such as Workload Identity Federation.
• Bolster security posture by addressing vulnerabilities and improving access management.
• Solve complex technical problems across Go and Ruby codebases.
• Define and improve internal standards for style, maintainability, and best practices.
• Collaborate on larger projects and strive to become a project maintainer.

What You’ll Bring

• Professional experience with Go and/or Ruby in scaling or mission-critical SaaS products.
• Familiarity with authentication/authorization technologies (OAuth, OIDC, SAML, SSO, SCIM, LDAP, JWT, RBAC, IAM).
• Knowledge of token systems, cryptographic signing, and key management.
• Experience building or contributing to a service from concept to production.
• Proficiency in written and verbal English for a remote, asynchronous environment.
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose and prevent performance and optimization issues.
• Experience working in a highly agile, iterative software development process.

Benefits

• Support for 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.