Senior Backend Engineer, Platform Enablement

GitLab Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

GitLab is seeking a Senior Backend Engineer, Performance Enablement, to simplify performance testing for engineering teams. You will build platforms, tooling, and AI-assisted workflows to identify risks early in development and before changes reach production.

We are shifting to a self-service model where service teams own tests and evidence, while GitLab provides the paved road, documentation, and support for advanced capabilities. This is a backend/platform role with growth potential.

Qualifications

• Experience building backend or platform software.
• Experience building internal platforms or developer-facing tooling.
• Experience partnering with development teams to improve workflows.
• Experience using AI across the software lifecycle.
• Experience with software performance—analysis, optimization, benchmarking.
• Practical experience with Kubernetes, K6, and AWS/GCP or similar cloud infra.
• Experience building durable solutions for broad adoption using systems thinking.
• Clear writing and ability to influence teams.

Responsibilities

• Build and evolve reusable backend platforms and tooling for performance testing and analysis.
• Create self-service workflows, documentation, templates, diagnostics, and AI skills.
• Use AI to accelerate implementation, testing, debugging, and documentation.
• Influence teams to make performance testing part of normal development and release prep.
• Turn early engagements into generalized capabilities for many teams.
• Provide technical expertise for difficult performance questions and new platform capabilities.

Skills

Backend development

Platform tooling

Developer workflows

AI in software lifecycle

Performance engineering

Kubernetes

Cloud platforms

Tools

K6

AWS

GCP

Job description

Remote, United States

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 valuesand 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

As a Senior Backend Engineer, Performance Enablement, you'll make performance testing and analysis easier for engineering teams to adopt and own. You'll build platforms, tooling, guidance, and artificial intelligence-assisted workflows that help teams identify performance risks during development and before they roll changes out to production.

We're moving from a hands-on consulting model to a self-service model. Service teams own their performance tests, analysis, thresholds, and evidence. We provide the paved road, documentation, skills, and expert support for challenging problems and new capabilities.

This is a backend and platform engineering role with room to grow in scope and influence. You'll help shape how Performance Enablement supports engineering teams, using artificial intelligence thoughtfully to accelerate design, implementation, testing, debugging, documentation, and automation.

You’ll support work such as:

• Enabling modular feature teams, including Orbit and Artifact Registry, to run performance testing through their own development and continuous integration workflows
• Building reusable performance tooling, including component-level testing, load testing, performance analysis, and artificial intelligence-assisted engineering skills
• Improving performance results, reporting, and trend visibility so teams can make informed decisions from their own evidence
• Establishing the documentation, templates, and guidance needed to expand self-service adoption across research and development

What you’ll do

• Build and evolve reusable backend platforms and tooling for performance testing and analysis.
• Create self-service workflows, documentation, templates, diagnostics, and artificial intelligence skills that reduce the need for bespoke support.
• Use development practices that apply artificial intelligence to accelerate implementation, testing, debugging, and technical documentation.
• Influence engineering teams to make performance testing part of normal development and release preparation.
• Turn early hands-on engagements into generalized capabilities that many teams can adopt independently.
• Provide technical expertise for difficult performance questions, tooling enhancements, and new platform capabilities.

What you’ll bring

• Experience building backend or platform software.
• Experience building internal platforms or developer-facing tooling.
• Experience partnering with development teams to improve their day-to-day workflows.
• Experience using development practices that apply artificial intelligence across the software lifecycle.
• Experience with software performance, such as performance analysis, optimization, benchmarking, or leading performance-related improvements.
• Practical experience with Kubernetes, k6, and Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, or similar cloud infrastructure.
• Experience building durable solutions that support broad adoption using systems thinking.
• Communicate clearly in writing and influence teams without direct authority.

About the team

Performance Enablement is part of Platform Enablement within Developer Experience and Infrastructure Platforms. We help GitLab teams make performance part of the software lifecycle.

Our goal is to make performance a shared responsibility of service-owning teams while providing a strong platform and center of expertise when teams need help. We work asynchronously, collaborate broadly across research and development, and focus on building capabilities that scale beyond individual team engagements.

The base salary range for this role’s listed level is currently for residents of theUnited States only. This range is intended to reflect the role's base salary rate in locations throughout the US.Grade level and salary ranges are determined through interviews and a review of education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities of the applicant, equity with other team members, alignment with market data,and geographic location.The base salary range does not include any bonuses, equity, or benefits. See more information on our benefits and equity . Sales roles are also eligible for incentive pay targeted at up to 100% of the offered base salary.

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.

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.

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 .