Senior Backend Engineer (Ruby on Rails)

The Plan: Knowledge group at GitLab is responsible for core knowledge management experiences such as Wiki, Pages, Markdown, and Text Editors. The team is actively expanding these foundations with AI-powered capabilities, including the planner agent and MCP-based integrations. Comprising six engineers, a Product Manager, an Engineering Manager, a Product Designer, and a Technical Writer, the team operates asynchronously across regions. They work closely with the broader Plan stage to address challenges related to backend scale, editing experience, and AI integration within a unified platform. For more details on the team's vision, refer to the Plan: Knowledge Direction Page.

Introduction

As a Senior Backend Engineer (Ruby on Rails) on the Plan: Knowledge group at GitLab, you will play a crucial role in shaping how teams plan, document, and share knowledge within GitLab. You'll contribute to improving backend systems for Wiki, Pages, Markdown, and text editors, and also help design AI-powered features like the planner agent and Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations connecting GitLab's GraphQL APIs with external tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead backend architecture for Wiki, Pages, Markdown, and text editor functionalities across GitLab.
• Design and develop AI agents to support planning and knowledge management workflows.
• Architect MCP integrations that connect GitLab GraphQL APIs with external AI platforms and tools.
• Drive improvements in reliability and performance for application code, PostgreSQL queries, Redis usage, and background jobs.
• Develop and evolve clear GraphQL APIs for frontend engineers, ensuring scalable product experiences.
• Collaborate effectively with frontend engineers, Product, UX, and Security to break down complex tasks into shippable iterations.
• Mentor engineers through code reviews, technical discussions, and promotion of backend best practices.
• Support incident response and production debugging, translating learnings into lasting system improvements.

Requirements

• Strong experience building and maintaining backend applications using Ruby on Rails, including core components such as ActiveRecord and Redis.
• Experience designing and supporting GraphQL APIs with a focus on usability, maintainability, and performance.
• Proficient in PostgreSQL query design, optimization, and scaling in high-traffic production systems.
• Experience building or integrating AI agents, intelligent workflows, or related platform capabilities.
• Familiarity with Model Context Protocol (MCP) or similar patterns for connecting APIs to external tools and platforms.
• Ability to investigate production issues, debug complex systems, and continuously improve reliability.
• Experience leading technical decisions, mentoring engineers, and contributing to engineering standards across a team.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills, with an open mind to candidates bringing transferable experience from adjacent backend or platform work.

About Company

The Plan: Knowledge group at GitLab is responsible for core knowledge management experiences such as Wiki, Pages, Markdown, and Text Editors. The team is actively expanding these foundations with AI-powered capabilities, including the planner agent and MCP-based integrations. Comprising six engineers, a Product Manager, an Engineering Manager, a Product Designer, and a Technical Writer, the team operates asynchronously across regions. They work closely with the broader Plan stage to address challenges related to backend scale, editing experience, and AI integration within a unified platform. For more details on the team's vision, refer to the Plan: Knowledge Direction Page.

How to Apply

Apply directly through the GitLab careers page.