Staff Backend Engineer - Database Change Management

About the Role

As a Staff Backend Engineer for Database Change Management, you will lead the transformation of GitLab's sequential database migration system into a dependency graph model. This initiative is critical for improving the speed and safety of upgrades for both GitLab.com and self-managed customers.

You will serve as the senior technical anchor for our India-based engineering group, driving architectural decisions and mentoring team members across global time zones.

What You’ll Do

• Architectural Leadership: Design and deliver a migration validation and test framework, including versioned fixture data for ~1,000 tables and CI-integrated test runners.
• System Design: Contribute to a dependency graph migration system supporting parallel execution and low-downtime upgrades.
• Technical Oversight: Review schema migrations for safety, backward compatibility, and reliability; author and defend architecture proposals.
• Mentorship: Provide technical guidance through pairing, code reviews, and design feedback to intermediate engineers.
• Asynchronous Collaboration: Document technical decisions clearly to enable progress across distributed teams in India, APAC, EMEA, and the US.

What You’ll Bring

• Framework Expertise: Deep experience with Ruby on Rails (Active Record internals) or comparable migration systems (e.g., Django, Ecto).
• Database Proficiency: Production-level PostgreSQL experience, specifically regarding large table schema changes, locking behavior, and DDL failure modes.
• Proven Track Record: Experience leading complex systems from initial design through production implementation and adoption.
• Communication: Strong written communication skills and the ability to thrive in an asynchronous, distributed environment.
• Leadership: Ability to balance reliability, safety, and delivery speed while serving as a technical mentor.

How GitLab Supports You

• Flexible Paid Time Off
• Comprehensive health, financial, and well-being benefits
• Equity Compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Growth and Development Fund
• Parental Leave
• Team Member Resource Groups