Platform Engineer (Renovate)

Job Description

This is a remote position.

We are looking for a Platform Engineer (DevOps) to run Renovate as a central dependency update service across a large-scale GitLab environment.

• Project is on a freelance basis, on a part-time or full-time basis (from 50-100% working hours).
  
  
• The role is primarily remote, with approximately 20% on-site presence required in the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) region of Germany.
  
  
• The engagement is expected to start as soon as possible and run until the end of 2026, with the possibility of extension.
  
  
• English is the only language requirement, or alternatively German skills without English is completely acceptable.
  

Key responsibilities

• Take ownership of the Renovate service, ensuring it remains reliable, scalable and effective across the wider GitLab environment
  
• Develop and maintain shared dependency-management standards and configurations that can be adopted consistently across engineering teams.
  
• Help optimise the surrounding GitLab and CI/CD environment, with a focus on performance, access and operational stability.
  
• Work closely with development teams to introduce and embed common dependency-management practices while minimising disruption to existing workflows.
  
• Develop scripts and automation to improve administration, reporting and day-to-day platform operations.
  
• Investigate technical issues, review service output and troubleshoot dependency-management challenges across a range of technology stacks.
  

Requirements

Technical experience

Essential

• Strong hands-on experience configuring and self-hosting Renovate
  
• Strong GitLab administration experience, including permissions, access management and repository governance
  
• Strong experience with GitLab CI/CD, including pipelines, runners, variables and caching
  

Desirable

• Experience with containerised environments, particularly Docker
  
• Scripting and automation experience using Bash and/or Python, ideally working with REST APIs
  
• Experience with Kubernetes and associated areas such as secrets management, security and observability
  
• Familiarity with common package ecosystems and dependency management tooling, such as npm, Maven/Gradle, NuGet, pip/Poetry and Go
  
• Exposure to Helm and Terraform
  
• Experience with Renovate Enterprise, GitLab dependency/security tooling, or similar solutions
  
• Previous experience supporting or leading large-scale platform or tooling roll-outs
  

Eligibility

• Fluent English or German
  
• Residency and right to work in the EU
  
• Travel readiness (NRW Germany)
  

Benefits

As a freelancer / contractor with us, you will enjoy flexible working hours and the freedom to choose your own projects. Our platform gives you access to exciting projects in various industries and supports you in advancing your career. You'll benefit from competitive pay and a dedicated team to help you with any questions you may have. Work independently and utilise our strong network to achieve your professional goals.

Requirements
Technical and professional Must have: Renovate configuration and self-hosting Must have: GitLab administration (groups, permissions, service accounts, access tokens, protected branches, MR approval rules, CODEOWNERS) Must have: GitLab CI/CD (scheduled pipelines, parallel:matrix, runners, CI variables, caching, MR pipelines) Should have: Containers (Docker, non-root images, digest pinning, internal registry mirroring) Should have: Scripting in Bash or Python with glab, curl and jq against REST APIs Should have: Kubernetes (CronJobs, PersistentVolumes, securityContext, Secrets, Helm), secrets management, supply chain security and observability Nice to have: Working knowledge of npm, Maven/Gradle, NuGet, pip/Poetry, Go, Docker, Helm and Terraform versioning and lock files Nice to have: Mend Renovate Enterprise, GitLab Dependency Scanning, Terraform, experience leading platform rollouts Eligibility Fluent English or German Residency and right to work in the EU Travel readiness (NRW Germany)