Lead GitLab Engineer

Location: Plano, TX / (Hybrid – 3 Days in Office)Experience: 10–12 YearsAbout the RoleVRIZE is hiring a Lead Engineer – GitLab SME to join a high-performing engineering team supporting a large-scale retail enterprise platform. An enterprise GitLab deployment is live at basic implementation — your job is to take it to its full potential. You’ll own the platform end to end: architecture, scaling, CI/CD maturity, security, and adoption. This is an SME ownership role: you set the roadmap, fix what’s underbuilt, and make GitLab the backbone of the engineering organization.Key ResponsibilitiesPlatform Maturity: Assess and mature the current GitLab deployment — architecture review, gap analysis, and roadmap.Scaling & Hardening: Runner fleet architecture (autoscaling, Kubernetes executors), HA/Geo, upgrades, backup/DR, performance tuning.CI/CD Maturity: Pipeline standardization, reusable templates/components, caching strategy, build-time optimization.Security & Compliance: Activate GitLab Ultimate features — SAST/DAST, dependency & container scanning, compliance frameworks, dashboards, approvals/policies.Governance: Implement group/project structure, RBAC, config-as-code, and paved-road onboarding.Automation: Leverage GitLab Duo/AI features and GitLab API for administration, migrations, and developer workflows.SME Leadership: Act as the internal expert — escalation point, standards owner, and adoption driver across engineering.Must-Have SkillsGitLab Expertise: Deep GitLab knowledge at enterprise scale — self-managed administration (Omnibus/Helm), upgrades, runner architecture, troubleshooting.Advanced CI/CD: Complex pipelines, templates/components, multi-project pipelines, runner optimization.DevSecOps: Hands-on with GitLab Ultimate tier security scanning suite, policies, and compliance features.Cloud & Kubernetes: Experience with AWS, Azure, GCP for runners and GitLab infrastructure.Scripting: Strong scripting/automation with Python or Bash, GitLab API, and Terraform.Adoption Leadership: Ability to drive standards across teams without formal authority.Good-to-Have SkillsGitLab Certifications (CI/CD Associate/Professional, Security Specialist).Migration Experience (Jenkins/GitHub/Bitbucket/Azure DevOps → GitLab).GitLab Dedicated or SaaS-to-self-managed migration experience.Consulting Background: Comfortable succeeding where prior professional services fell short.Perks & BenefitsCompetitive salary + performance bonuses.Remote-first culture with flexible hours.Health, dental, and vision insurance.Annual learning & certification budget.Work with a passionate, mission-driven team.About VRIZEVRIZE is a global digital engineering and technology consulting company that partners with leading organizations to accelerate innovation through cloud, data, AI, and enterprise platforms. Our teams design, build, and modernize mission-critical technology solutions that help clients improve operational efficiency, enhance customer experiences, and drive measurable business outcomes.At VRIZE, you'll work alongside experienced engineers and technology leaders on complex enterprise initiatives while leveraging modern tools, cloud-native technologies, and AI-driven solutions. We foster a collaborative environment that encourages continuous learning, technical excellence, and professional growth.