Distinguished Engineer, Agentic SDLC & Non-Linear Productivity

GitLab is seeking a Distinguished Engineer to lead and scale autonomous, agentic SDLC capabilities, focusing on AI-driven workflows and systems. The role involves deep technical expertise, cross-functional collaboration, experimentation, and strategic vision to transform software development processes.

Location: Canada, United States

Salary: $260,000—$345,000 USD

Responsibilities

• Define and refine a company-wide technical vision for autonomous, agentic SDLC.
• Identify and prioritize productivity opportunities across SDLC.
• Translate ambiguous problems into concrete roadmaps.
• Lead experiments and prototypes for agentic workflows.
• Design and implement reference architectures for agentic SDLC.
• Define evaluation frameworks for AI workflows.
• Select and own high-impact internal use cases.
• Embed agentic workflows into development teams.
• Define and track core productivity metrics.
• Capture and codify reusable patterns and libraries.
• Convert internal patterns into product capabilities.
• Ensure designs respect compliance and data governance.
• Serve as escalation point for complex decisions.
• Mentor senior engineers on AI and agentic efforts.
• Write design documents and architecture narratives.
• Represent GitLab in external communities.
• Partner with Security and Compliance teams.
• Work with Reliability and SRE teams to ensure resilience.

Requirements

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, including 4+ years in senior technical leadership.
• Deep expertise in AI and ML systems, including large language models and autonomous workflows.
• Proven experience in technical experimentation, evaluation frameworks, and architecture decisions.
• Strong background in scalable, multi-tenant distributed systems.
• Experience designing human-in-the-loop controls and responsible AI practices.
• Ability to drive cross-functional alignment on complex challenges.
• Experience mentoring senior engineers and influencing technical direction.
• Effective remote work and communication skills.
• Familiarity with GitLab's DevSecOps platform and SDLC is a plus.

Benefits

• Benefits to support 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.

Additional Information

• The salary range is for US residents, with a range of $260,000—$345,000 USD.
• Candidates from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
• All roles are remote, with location-based eligibility requirements.
• GitLab is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.