Senior Accessibility Engineer

Senior Accessibility Engineer

at GitLab

Remote, Global

An overview of this role

You will be the first hire for a new accessibility team at GitLab! Working alongside the UX Paper Cuts team, the Design Systems team, designers and frontend engineers across GitLab, you will help us make the GitLab product and Pajamas Design System more accessible. You will help lead accessibility initiatives, improve our accessibility workflows and train and mentor other GitLab team members in digital accessibility.

At first, you will help us work through a backlog of issues already identified and over time you’ll help identify new issues, create well-organized backlogs, help improve our tooling, documentation and processes – all while reporting our progress against accessibility as a company.

This role will report into a product design manager and we are looking for someone who can work independently, being proactive, self-organizing and isn’t afraid to take the lead on and work through a large, technical backlog of accessibility issues.

Come help make GitLab more accessible for millions of people!

What You’ll Do  

• Technical Implementation: Implement accessibility solutions and fix bugs using semantic HTML (including ARIA roles and attributes), CSS and JavaScript, following WCAG guidelines in the GitLab product and design system.
• Code Review: Review code changes for accessibility compliance and provide actionable feedback.
• Training: Provide basic accessibility training and guidance to UX and development teams.
• Technical Leadership: Lead implementation of complex accessibility solutions and architectural decisions.
• Strategic Planning: Help develop accessibility roadmaps and implementation strategies.
• Accessibility Testing: Conduct automated and manual accessibility testing using various tools and assistive technologies and design and implement comprehensive accessibility testing frameworks.
• Documentation: Create and maintain accessibility documentation, including guidelines and best practices.
• Reporting: Maintain an Accessibility Conformance Report by evaluating the product against accessibility standards and documenting conformance levels for procurement purposes.
• Mentoring: Mentor other engineers on accessibility best practices and implementation.
• Process Improvement: Identify and implement process improvements for accessibility testing and development.
• Cross-team Collaboration: Work across teams to ensure consistent accessibility implementation.
• External Engagement: Represent GitLab in external technical communities.
• Innovation: Research and propose new technologies and methods to improve accessibility.

What You’ll Bring 

• Interest in digital accessibility.
• Basic understanding of design and UX.
• Strong understanding of WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 guidelines and accessibility standards.
• Comprehensive experience with assistive technologies (screen readers, voice recognition software, etc.).
• Very proficient in HTML (including ARIA roles and attributes), CSS, and JavaScript.
• Very proficient in automated accessibility testing tools and methodologies.
• Comprehensive experience conducting accessibility audits and working with audits produced by others.
• Ability to use GitLab.
• Strong communication skills, including ability to explain technical accessibility concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Comfort working in a highly agile, iterative product development process.
• You share our values, and work in accordance with those values.
• Proficiency in the English language, both written and verbal, sufficient for success in a remote and largely asynchronous work environment.
• Strong bias for action and ability to develop daily priorities to achieve goals (manager of one).

About the team

The role will see the creation of a new accessibility team GitLab focused on making the GitLab product and Pajamas design system more accessible for our users. The accessibility team will work closely with other technically minded design teams inside our Foundations stage including the UX Paper Cuts team and the Pajams Design System team.

How GitLab will support you

• Benefits to support your health, finances, and well-being
• All remote, asynchronous work environment
• Flexible Paid Time Off 
• Team Member Resource Groups
• Equity Compensation & Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Growth and Development Fund
• Parental leave 
• Home office support

Please note that we welcome interest from candidates with varying levels of experience; many successful candidates do not meet every single requirement. Additionally, studies have shown that people from underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to a job unless they meet every single qualification. If you're excited about this role, please apply and allow our recruiters to assess your application.