Senior Backend Engineer - Database Change Management

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of a database migration validation and test framework from initial approach through production use.
• Contribute to a dependency graph migration system supporting 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 for teams working across time zones.
• Review schema migrations for safety, backward compatibility, and reliability.
• Collaborate with Distribution, Quality Assurance, Database Architecture, Database Automation, and database framework teams supporting GitLab.com and self-managed deployments.
• At Staff level, author and defend architecture proposals and represent the team in technical reviews.

Requirements

• Deep experience with Ruby on Rails in large production codebases, including Active Record migration internals, or comparable depth with 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.
• 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.

Compensation and Benefits

• Benefits supporting health, finances, and well-being.
• Flexible paid time off.
• Team Member Resource Groups.
• Equity compensation and Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Growth and Development Fund.
• Parental leave.