Staff Backend Engineer (Go), Continuous Delivery

About the Role

The Staff Backend Engineer position at Gitlab is a unique opportunity to lead technical execution on a high-visibility greenfield initiative at the intersection of Gitlab's core platform and its AI strategy. This role is part of the Continuous Delivery team, focusing on building systems that bring true reconciliation, live state awareness, durable orchestration, and AI-native governance to Gitlab's platform. As a technical leader, you will bridge architecture and execution, engaging deeply with complex system design and solving hard engineering problems.

The team is looking for someone who can bring strong architectural instincts to influence how the system evolves while keeping the team moving with clarity and momentum. This role matters because it directly impacts the development and deployment of software, enhancing the efficiency, security, and compliance of the platform. You will be working closely with a team of engineers who are passionate about innovation and collaboration.

What You Will Do

• Lead technical execution on the CD platform: decompose complex architectural designs into well-scoped, deliverable work and drive the team to ship with quality and confidence.
• Solve high-complexity engineering problems and contribute architectural feedback that shapes how the system evolves.
• Set and maintain the technical bar across the codebase through code review, mentorship, and example.
• Mentor engineers at all levels, helping them grow their technical capabilities and navigate difficult problems.
• Represent the CD team in cross-functional engineering discussions and contribute to written technical proposals and architectural documents.
• Participate in on-call rotations to help ensure Gitlab.com availability targets are met.
• Collaborate with the AI team to integrate AI strategies into the backend services.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation for the team's projects and initiatives.
• Engage in continuous improvement of the development process, suggesting and implementing changes as needed.

What We Are Looking For

• Deep professional experience building backend services in Go, with a track record in high-scale production environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in distributed systems design, including durable workflow execution, state persistence, and event-driven architectures.
• Extensive experience leading or contributing to release orchestration, deployment automation, or continuous delivery systems at scale.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Docker and Kubernetes at production scale, including progressive delivery patterns such as blue/green and canary deployments.
• Strong familiarity with GitOps workflows and tools in that ecosystem.
• Experience with policy-based governance in software development.
• Excellent communication and mentorship skills, with the ability to guide junior engineers.
• Strong understanding of cloud computing platforms, preferably AWS or GCP.

Nice to Have

• Experience with AI and machine learning technologies, particularly in integrating them with backend services.
• Knowledge of security principles and practices, with experience in securing cloud-based applications.
• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and version control systems like Git.
• Participation in open-source projects or personal projects that demonstrate your coding skills and interests.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Equity in a rapidly growing company.
• Flexible working hours and remote work options.
• Generous parental leave policy.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Access to cutting-edge technologies and professional development opportunities.
• Annual stipend for learning and development.
• Recognition and reward for outstanding performance and contributions.

• Make sure your resume and online profiles (e.g., LinkedIn, GitHub) are up-to-date and highlight your experience with Go, distributed systems, and AI technologies.
• Prepare examples of complex engineering problems you've solved and how you approached them, as these will be crucial in the interview process.
• Practice explaining technical concepts in simple terms, as strong communication skills are essential for this role.
• Review Gitlab's values and be prepared to discuss how your own values and working style align with them.
• Consider creating a personal project that demonstrates your skills in backend development, AI, or distributed systems to showcase during the application process.
• Research the current state of the industry and trends in DevSecOps, AI, and continuous delivery to show your interest and engagement with the field.
• Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the team's dynamics, the company culture, and opportunities for growth and development within the role.