Suggested rewrite: Led a cross-functional initiative that improved [business outcome] by [measurable result], demonstrating experience relevant to this role...
Backend Engineer, Create: Source Code Experience (Ruby)
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- Remote from
- Canada
- Salary
- Undisclosed
- Department
- Software Engineering
- Employment
- Full Time
- Experience
- Open level
- Published
- Apply before
- 19 Nov 2026
- Listing views
- 20
- Application actions
- 2
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The role, at a glance.
GitLab is hiring a Backend Engineer for its Create: Source Code Experience team to improve critical source-code workflows across GitLab.com, self-managed deployments, and GitLab Dedicated. The role centers on building secure, tested, and performant Ruby and GraphQL services, APIs, data models, and business logic. The engineer will work with relational databases, SQL tuning, caching, rate limiting, background processing, observability, and production reliability practices. Responsibilities include Tier 2 on-call participation, incident investigation, code review, asynchronous collaboration, and careful use of AI coding agents. This is a remote full-time role available in Canada.
Role DNA
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Pace & Pressure
4/5Autonomy Level
4/5Communication Load
4/5Salary analysis
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Core skills
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Sample interview questions
I would first use tracing, logs, and database metrics to identify the slow resolver and query pattern. I would check for N+1 behavior, missing indexes, excessive object loading, and cache opportunities, then validate improvements with representative tests and production monitoring.
I start by understanding the existing behavior, ownership boundaries, tests, and operational risks. I make the smallest safe change that meets the requirement, add or strengthen automated coverage, seek review from domain experts, and document any important trade-offs.
I define clear contracts, validate inputs and authorization, handle failures predictably, and write unit and integration tests. I also consider database efficiency, rate limits, instrumentation, backward compatibility, and operational runbooks before releasing a change.
I would assess user impact, use dashboards and logs to narrow the issue, mitigate safely, and communicate concise status updates. After resolution, I would contribute to root-cause analysis and follow-up actions such as tests, alerts, documentation, or resiliency improvements.
I would use it for bounded tasks such as drafting tests, exploring unfamiliar code paths, or proposing implementation options. I would verify its output against repository conventions, security requirements, tests, and system behavior rather than treating generated code as authoritative.
About this role.
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.
An overview of this role
We’re looking for a Backend Engineer to join our Source Code Experience team within GitLab’s Create stage. You’ll help make everyday source code workflows clear, reliable, and efficient for people working across GitLab projects. As artificial intelligence agents increasingly write and manage code alongside people, you’ll build backend capabilities and interfaces that support trustworthy collaboration between people and agents.
You’ll work in one of GitLab’s oldest and most complex product areas, using Ruby and GraphQL to improve critical source code experiences across GitLab.com, self-managed instances, and GitLab Dedicated. The Source Code group is responsible for the backend and frontend aspects of the product categories within Source Code. With support from experienced team members, you’ll help maintain high reliability through performance and structured query language tuning, caching, rate limiting, testing, observability, and resiliency. You’ll collaborate with product management, product design, testing, security, user experience research, technical writing, Gitaly, Code Review, and other Source Code teams to deliver reliable and performant systems.
Learn more about the Create:Source Code teams in the GitLab Handbook.
What you’ll do
- Develop secure, well-tested, performant features and improvements using Ruby and GraphQL.
- Work through complex requirements and legacy constraints to deliver clear solutions while protecting the reliability of this critical system.
- Design and maintain backend services, application programming interfaces, data models, and business logic that support intuitive source code workflows.
- Collaborate across functions and teams, both asynchronously and synchronously, and involve domain experts when their input will improve the outcome.
- Use artificial intelligence agents for well-scoped work when they can speed up delivery without sacrificing quality, and critically review their output.
- Write maintainable code that follows GitLab’s standards and contribute to constructive code reviews.
- Help strengthen reliability by monitoring production health metrics, participating in Tier 2 on-call, troubleshooting incidents, contributing to root cause analysis, and improving observability and resiliency.
- Share knowledge through code review, technical documentation, and everyday collaboration while learning from others.
What you’ll bring
- Professional experience building backend web applications, services, or application programming interfaces, with experience using Ruby and GraphQL.
- An understanding of relational databases, structured query language, data modeling, caching, background processing, and backend performance practices.
- Experience contributing to user-facing workflows and maintaining their underlying systems.
- Experience writing backend unit and integration tests, with familiarity with the testing pyramid, Git, and collaborative code review processes.
- Experience using artificial intelligence coding agents and reviewing their output, or an interest in building these skills in a complex monorepo.
- Clear written and spoken English communication skills, including sharing useful status updates in a remote, asynchronous environment.
- The ability to manage assigned priorities, work through ambiguity, take ownership of your work, and seek guidance when needed.
About the team
We work on a complex product area that serves GitLab.com, self-managed instances, and GitLab Dedicated. You’ll work closely with Code Review, Gitaly, and other Source Code teams.
We welcome candidates with different levels and types of experience. Many successful candidates don’t meet every requirement. If you’re excited about this role, please apply and allow our recruiting team to assess your application.
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.
Country Hiring Guidelines: GitLab hires new team members in countries around the world. All of our roles are remote, however some roles may carry specific location-based eligibility requirements. Our Talent Acquisition team can help answer any questions about location after starting the recruiting process.
Privacy Policy: Please review our Recruitment Privacy Policy. Your privacy is important to us.
GitLab is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. GitLab’s policies and practices relating to recruitment, employment, career development and advancement, promotion, and retirement are based solely on merit, regardless of race, color, religion, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, mental or physical disability, genetic information (including family medical history), discharge status from the military, protected veteran status (which includes disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, active duty wartime or campaign badge veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans), or any other basis protected by law. GitLab will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. See also GitLab’s EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know during the recruiting process.
Annual salary information is not provided for this position. Explore salary ranges for similar roles in our Salary Directory ›
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