Intermediate Backend Engineer (Ruby on rails), CI Platform

The Intermediate Backend Engineer role at GitLab involves a mix of design and implementation of performance improvements for our Continuous Integration platform. You will collaborate with various engineering teams, advocate for system reliability and performance, and craft maintainable code while managing technical debt. Your contributions are vital to ensuring the success and scalability of our platform.

To qualify for the Intermediate Backend Engineer position at GitLab, candidates must have professional experience with Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL. Familiarity with CI/CD practices, distributed systems, and large-scale applications is essential. Strong organizational skills and the ability to work within an agile development process are also important for success in this role.

GitLab supports its Intermediate Backend Engineers through a variety of benefits, including flexible PTO, development budgets, workplace support, and a strong commitment to work-life balance. The company promotes a remote work culture that fosters inclusion and collaboration, ensuring that all engineers can thrive in their roles.

The CI Platform team at GitLab is pivotal in ensuring our Continuous Integration capabilities are best-in-class. Formed in 2024, this team focuses on operational excellence, data management, and scaling CI/CD data strategies, enabling the larger engineering organization to deliver high-quality software swiftly and efficiently.

Intermediate Backend Engineers at GitLab can expect a fully remote, asynchronous work environment that emphasizes flexibility, communication, and collaboration. This allows team members to work effectively from anywhere, leveraging the latest tools and methodologies to drive impactful results within the CI platform.

When answering this question, highlight your specific projects, tools, and technologies you've used with Ruby on Rails. Discuss the challenges you faced and how you overcame them, particularly in the context of building scalable applications.

It's important to speak about adherence to coding standards, use of code reviews, and implementation of automated testing. Discuss how you have previously addressed technical debt and maintained code quality in collaborative environments.

Share specific examples of how you've designed or improved systems to handle increased load, including any relevant metrics or outcomes from your work. Highlight your problem-solving strategies within a fast-paced, iterative development environment.

Discuss the techniques you've used, such as indexing, query optimization, and database normalization. Include relevant projects where you applied these principles to improve performance in scalable systems.

Talk about your experience collaborating cross-functionally with other teams, setting best practices, and promoting a shared understanding of CI/CD tools and processes among team members, ensuring efficiency and quality.

Provide a clear example of a technical debt issue, how it affected project timelines or performance, and the steps you took to prioritize and resolve the issue collaboratively with your team.

Speak to the importance of data-driven decision-making and how you've identified areas for improvement in past roles. Highlight any specific initiatives you led or contributed to that enhanced system reliability or security.

Focus on tools and practices you use to maintain clarity and collaboration, such as regular updates, use of project management software, or maintaining open lines of communication via chat or video calls.

Discuss your problem-solving process, which might include brainstorming, prototyping solutions, engaging in peer reviews, and testing hypotheses before making final decisions.

Share your personal ethos regarding accountability and quality. Talk about how owning your work drives you to achieve excellence and contribute meaningfully to team objectives.