Senior Backend Engineer

Summary

Join Canva's team and collaborate with product managers, designers, and stakeholders to refine product solutions. Build tools and frameworks to integrate Canva into learning management systems, create scalable backend services for teachers and students, and guide major project implementations. Provide mentorship to other engineers, troubleshoot technical issues, and balance high-quality engineering with timely delivery. The ideal candidate possesses experience with backend development using Java and JVM-based systems, working in a microservices environment on AWS, and collaborating with non-technical stakeholders. Canva offers equity packages, inclusive parental leave, a wellbeing allowance, and flexible leave options.

Requirements

• You have experience working closely with non-technical stakeholders (e.g., product managers, designers) to refine product solutions and shape product strategy
• You have strong backend development experience with Java and JVM-based systems and a strong foundation in building APIs and working with databases
• You have experience working in a modern distributed microservices environment hosted on AWS
• You have a track record of breaking projects into goals and milestones that the team can then deliver
• You are an effective communicator, able to explain complex technical concepts to different audiences while advocating for best practices
• You have a solution-oriented mindset, capable of identifying potential risks, proposing scalable architectures, and balancing trade-offs to deliver efficient solutions

Responsibilities

• Collaborating with product managers, designers, and other cross-functional stakeholders to refine product solutions and ensure they align with user needs and business goals
• Building tools and frameworks that meet teachers where they work by bringing Canva into their learning management systems
• Building scalable backend services to empower millions of teachers and students to assign or complete activities
• Guiding the implementation of major projects, planning task breakdowns, and keeping engineers in sync using excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Providing guidance and mentorship to other engineers, assisting them in their professional development and helping them navigate technical challenges
• Finding the right balance between delivering high-quality engineering solutions and ensuring timely value delivery. Ensuring that we avoid over-engineering while never compromising on essential quality
• Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues related to the team’s domain as and when they arise, and being part of the team’s rostered on-call rotation

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with DynamoDB or other NoSQL database services
• Experience with Learning Management Systems or integrations with 3rd parties
• Experience with LTI, OpenId Connect, SAML or other SSO flows
• Experience with building workflow management or reporting tools
• Experience with teaching or the education sector

Benefits

• Equity packages - we want our success to be yours too
• Inclusive parental leave policy that supports all parents & carers
• An annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support your wellbeing, social connection, office setup & more
• Flexible leave options that empower you to be a force for good, take time to recharge and supports you personally