GitLab API & Automation Developer

Toptal; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Toptal is seeking an execution-focused GitLab API & Automation Developer to design, build, and deploy custom integrations that streamline operational workflows. The role emphasizes hands-on work with the GitLab REST API to manage commits, trigger pipelines, and orchestrate merge requests within broader business processes.

The ideal candidate will replace manual workflows with reliable automated tools, owning the automation journey from discovery to deployment in a remote, long-term engagement.

Qualifications

• Must have extensive experience designing and building custom scripts or applications against the GitLab REST API.
• Deep familiarity with endpoints for commit extraction, MR management, pipeline triggering, and user/group administration.
• Strong scripting proficiency in Python, Node.js, or TypeScript for robust API integrations.
• Ability to translate messy manual processes into clean, automated workflows.
• Proven ability to integrate GitLab with other enterprise REST APIs and business tools.
• End-to-end ownership of automation from discovery to deployment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain custom tools that interact with the GitLab REST API.
• Programmatically extract metadata, commit histories, pipelines, and MRs to automate tasks.
• Link GitLab data to external systems and non-developer workflows.
• Configure and manage GitLab webhooks to trigger external tools.
• Create clear documentation, architecture diagrams, and user guides.

Skills

GitLab REST API

Python

Node.js

TypeScript

Automation scripting

Job description

Summary

We are seeking an execution-focused GitLab API & Automation Developer to design, build, and deploy custom integrations and programmatic automations that directly streamline operational workflows.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record of taking complex, manual business processes and replacing them with reliable, automated tools leveraging the GitLab ecosystem. This is not a standard DevOps role focused on writing CI/CD YAML files. If you have deep, hands-on experience building custom scripts and applications that interact directly with the GitLab REST API to programmatically manage commits, trigger pipelines, and orchestrate merge requests (MRs) as part of broader business workflows, this role offers direct ownership of high-impact operational systems.

General Information (About the Client)

Our client is an engineering and operational organization focused on eliminating manual friction, handoff delays, and repetitive administrative work across its cross-functional teams. This initiative centers on practical business process automation—delivering intuitive tools and backend API integrations that non-developers rely on daily to run operations.

They foster a pragmatic, execution-first engineering culture. They value builders who take total ownership of process replacement: observing manual workflows, designing cleaner automated architectures, building the custom GitLab API logic, and successfully handing finished automation products over to non-technical business users.

Tasks and Deliverables

• GitLab REST API Engineering: Build and maintain custom applications and scripts that interact extensively with the GitLab REST API.
• Programmatic Orchestration: Programmatically extract and manipulate repository metadata, commit histories, pipeline events, and Merge Requests (MRs) to automate complex administrative and operational tasks.
• Business Process Automation: Connect GitLab data and actions to external systems and non-developer workflows, ensuring smooth, automated transitions of work across different teams.
• Webhook Integration: Configure and manage GitLab webhooks to trigger external operational tools or ingest data from third-party business platforms.
• Documentation & Handoff: Produce clear, operational documentation, system architecture diagrams, and user guides to ensure smooth adoption and low-maintenance execution.

Required Experience

• Non-Negotiable Core Screening Requirement: Candidates MUST show explicit, past experience designing and building custom scripts or applications against the GitLab REST API. (Standard DevOps experience limited to writing GitLab CI/CD YAML files or managing infrastructure will not qualify).
• GitLab API Mastery: Deep, hands-on experience with the specific endpoints required for commit extraction, MR management, pipeline triggering, and user/group administration.
• Scripting & Development Proficiency: Strong proficiency in a primary glue language (such as Python using python-gitlab, Node.js, or TypeScript) to construct robust, scalable API integrations.
• Workflow Design: Ability to look at a messy, manual human process and translate it into a clean, automated programmatic workflow.
• Cross-System Integration: Proven ability to stitch GitLab together with other enterprise REST APIs and business tools.
• Direct Operational Impact: Ship tangible integrations that immediately eliminate manual administrative labor and improve daily quality-of-life for non-technical business teams.
• Complete End-to-End Ownership: Own the entire automation journey—from manual process discovery and architecture to code execution and deployment.
• Contract Details: Long-term, full-time (40 hours/week), fully remote, 1099 contract.