Senior Backend Engineer (RoR), AST: Secret Detection

Backend Engineer – Secret Detection

We are looking for a Backend Engineer on the Secret Detection team to protect sensitive data by building services, scanning workflows, and remediation pathways that prevent leaked secrets from reaching production. Your work will be part of the full secret‑management lifecycle— from push protection to pipeline‑based scanning, validation, and auditability—so developers can iterate quickly without taking on avoidable security risk.

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• Guide the design and implementation of backend features for Secret Detection in Ruby on Rails, GraphQL, and Go, delivering capabilities that improve coverage, reliability, and response time.
  
• Build clean, well‑tested, maintainable code that meets GitLab standards for reliability and performance.
  
• Partner with product management and engineering peers to deliver capabilities that enhance detection, validation, remediation, and audit coverage across the secret‑management lifecycle.
  
• Improve detection quality by reducing false positives, strengthening validation workflows, and enabling faster, more effective remediation paths.
  
• Contribute to code reviews, RFCs, and proof‑of‑concept work that guide technical approaches across the Secret Detection category.
  
• Identify technical debt and operational inefficiencies and propose practical improvements.
  
• Diagnose performance and optimization issues in backend systems and implement improvements that increase efficiency, scalability, and reliability.
  
• Work effectively in a globally distributed, async‑first team while participating in planning, engineering discussions, and pairing when needed.
  

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• Experience building backend applications and services using Ruby on Rails, with working knowledge of GraphQL.
  
• Experience designing and delivering secure, maintainable systems that power production web applications at scale.
  
• Knowledge of security concepts, common vulnerabilities, mitigation techniques, and secure coding practices.
  
• Background developing or working with security tools or products, especially in code scanning or secret detection.
  
• Experience investigating performance issues and improving backend reliability, efficiency, and maintainability.
  
• Ability to work closely with cross‑functional partners, including product, design, and technical writing.
  
• Clear written and verbal communication, especially in remote, async environments.
  
• Willingness to grow into parts of the security or Go stack.
  

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• 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.
  
• Home office support.
  

$117,600 — $252,000 USD

GitLab hires new team members in countries worldwide. All of our roles are remote, however some roles may have specific location‑based eligibility requirements. Our Talent Acquisition team can help answer any questions about location after starting the recruiting process.

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