Staff Backend Engineer

Summary

Join Canva's AI Group as a Staff Backend Engineer and help evolve their AI platform into a robust, scalable system supporting seamless integrations and high performance for 150 million users. You will be hands-on in implementing critical code, collaborating with cross-functional teams, mentoring junior engineers, and acting as a thought leader in platform strategy. This high-impact role requires a strong bias for action, ownership, and a forward-thinking approach to AI technologies. You will gain invaluable experience building AI-powered products at scale and acquire broad exposure to diverse technologies. Canva offers a flexible work environment and a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

• We’re looking for an experienced engineer with a strong bias for action—someone willing to dive deep, take calculated risks, and drive projects hands-on
• You embrace a product-minded engineering approach, actively influencing platform initiatives with strategic insight
• Ownership is at your core, and you’re adept at guiding complex projects to completion
• You're also proactive in staying ahead of rapidly evolving AI technologies, consistently identifying and adopting the most impactful innovations for our platform
• Being hands-on, write a lot of code
• Bias for action and willingness to take calculated risks
• Strong ownership with the ability to execute independently on ambiguous scopes
• Deep sense of ownership with a track record of delivering end-to-end
• Forward-thinking, passionate about keeping pace with evolving AI industry trends and technologies

Responsibilities

• Be hands-on in implementing critical path code, driving complex projects from inception through to production
• Collaborate proactively with teams across Canva to evolve Canva AI into a platform that easily integrates diverse capabilities
• Mentor and guide backend engineers, introducing best practices to uphold engineering excellence, improve system reliability, and reduce technical debt
• Act as a thought leader, guiding platform strategy by deeply understanding stakeholder pain points, proactively identifying issues, and minimizing friction
• Put your PM hat on, work closely with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure Canva AI effectively addresses real user and developer needs, continuously evolving the product vision

Preferred Qualifications

• Gain invaluable experience building revolutionary AI-powered products at scale, mastering interactions with large language models, fine-tuning techniques, and evaluation methodologies critical to AI product success
• Acquire broad exposure to diverse technologies, APIs, and platforms, significantly expanding your technical expertise and breadth of knowledge
• Play a pivotal role in shaping Canva's future, working cross-functionally and strategically across the company, deeply embedding yourself within Canva’s innovative and collaborative engineering culture

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