Principal Data System Architect, GitLab

Data Engineering & Monetization

$157.9-236.9k

Salary applicable to candidates in California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Washington, DC, Illinois, Minnesota only and may vary in further locations. + Equity + ESPP

Docker

Kubernetes

Python

Postgres

Airflow

Ruby on Rails

Senior and Expert level

Remote from Canada, Europe, UK, US

One DevOps platform

Open for applications

One DevOps platform

1001+ employees

B2BSaaSDevOps

Open for applications

$157.9-236.9k

Salary applicable to candidates in California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Washington, DC, Illinois, Minnesota only and may vary in further locations. + Equity + ESPP

Docker

Kubernetes

Python

Postgres

Airflow

Ruby on Rails

Senior and Expert level

Remote from Canada, Europe, UK, US

1001+ employees

B2BSaaSDevOps

Company mission

To make it so that everyone can contribute. When everyone can contribute, users become contributors and we greatly increase the rate of innovation.

Job

Company

Role

Who you are

Experience architecting large-scale distributed data systems in complex, regulated domains with unified platforms integrating cloud-native compute, orchestration, and semantic modeling
Demonstrated leadership building multi-modal data services with strong developer experience principles, focusing on monetization, governance, and data product lifecycle management
Hands-on expertise with modern data stack technologies including Python, Docker, Airflow, Trino, Postgres, distributed query engines, and graph-based metadata systems, integrating them into the GitLab ecosystem comprised of Ruby on Rails and Go services
Advanced knowledge bridging cloud and on-premises deployments with automation, developer self-service focus, and data integration through connector marketplaces
Deep understanding of data processing paradigms and standards including synchronous vs. asynchronous processing, schema management, logical data modeling, and formats like OpenTelemetry, OpenMetadata, and OpenLineage
Experience with AI-driven architectures and emerging technologies including model orchestration, agentic patterns, and standards like MCP (Model Context Protocol)
Strong architectural opinions on cost-aware, resilient solutions that optimize entire data lifecycle decisions with focus on scalability and performance trade-offs
Passion for open source platforms, team mentorship, and collaborative values with ability to build scalable solutions that align with organizational culture and technical excellence

What the job involves

Join GitLab as Data System Architect to drive our strategic data platform evolution
You'll architect scalable, distributed solutions that transform how we manage and leverage data across our SaaS and self-managed deployments, supporting enterprise-scale growth and innovation
Drive architectural vision for scalable, distributed data systems across SaaS and self-managed deployments, designing database stack solutions that optimize OLTP/OLAP performance and scalability requirements
Define enterprise data product standards and governance frameworks including data lineage, SDLC, versioning, and compliance practices for regulated environments
Build governed, monetizable data services and APIs that support both internal operations/analytics and external SaaS product offerings with semantic structure
Partner with product and engineering teams to embed modern agentic and AI-driven patterns into data infrastructure and customer-facing solutions
Architect event-driven systems and cross-stack orchestration supporting hybrid transformations through tools like Argo, Airflow, and Kubernetes with unified metadata-rich telemetry
Design end-to-end data lifecycle architecture covering integration, pipelines, transformation workflows, and consolidated metadata systems across multiple platforms
Establish CI/CD best practices for data systems ensuring reliable deployment, monitoring, and maintenance across diverse deployment models
Transform ambiguity into strategic roadmaps and lead complex technical engagements where data architecture creates competitive differentiation

Our take

GitLab is an open-source collaboration platform for developers. It enables teams to build code quickly from anywhere without compromising on security or quality. GitLab already has an estimated 30M+ users from all over the world.

According to a 2021 GitLab report, 60% of developers can release code 2x faster with DevOps platforms that bring teams together and accelerate processes. It stands out by catering to programmers of all experiences. Gitlab's version control system helps streamline the process of creating, maintaining, and deploying code, whoever you are.

GitLab was in the right place to capitalize on the recent trend toward rapid digital transformation and remote working. This trend is expected to continue to grow, and with it, GitLab's popularity. With its successful 2021 IPO and the patronage of major brands such as Nasdaq and Jaguar Land Rover, GitLab is expected to solidify its position as the go-to platform for development teams.

Kirsty

Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle

Insights

Top investors

15% employee growth in 12 months

Glassdoor (4)

Trustpilot (2.1)

Company

Funding (last 2 of 8 rounds)

Sep 2019

$268m

SERIES E

Dec 2018

$20m

SERIES D

Total funding: $435m

Company benefits

We offer benefits to manage your health, wealth, and well-being regardless of location
Flexibility in schedule to be there for life’s important moments
Equity compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan offered
Generous Paid Time Off

Company HQ

Financial District, San Francisco, CA

Leadership

Sid Sijbrandij

(CEO)

Studied Physics at the University of Twente. Interned at P&G and IBM. Was Lead Architect at the Netherlands' Ministry of Justice from 2009 to 2012. Founded app store Comcoaster in 2008, and then co-founded GitLab in 2012.

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