Backend Software Engineer – (Java) – Design Generation Pipeline

Company Description

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hey, g’day, mabuhay, kia ora, 你好, hallo, vítejte!

Thanks for stopping by. We know job hunting can be a little time-consuming and you’re probably keen to find out what’s on offer, so we’ll get straight to the point. 

Where and how you can work

Our flagship campus is in Sydney. We also have a campus in Melbourne and co-working spaces in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. But you have a choice in where and how you work. That means if you want to do your thing in the office (if you’re near one), at home or a bit of both, it’s up to you.

What you’d be doing in this role

As Canva scales change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that’s all part of the fun. So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you’ll be working on when you start, but this will likely evolve.

Job Description

About the Group/Team

The Generative Experience Group is on a mission to “Empower the world to design by developing and applying AI that can create every type of design and ingredient on Canva.”

Welcome to the frontier! This is where weekly breakthroughs are the norm, not the exception. Our tight-knit team of innovators collaborates with other brilliant engineers and graphic designers to prototype the future, partners with researchers to explore uncharted AI territories, and tackles challenges that didn’t exist yesterday. We’re obsessed with creating magical, emotionally engaging AI experiences that don’t just work—they charm, simplify the complex, and forge meaningful connections between humans and technology.
About the Role/Specialty

Ready to work at the bleeding edge? Generative AI has blown the doors wide open for reimagining design, and you’ll be right in the thick of it. You’ll own critical projects and components across our design generation system, wielding cutting-edge AI technology to craft products that delight millions. Your code will directly power experimental features that push limits, prototypes that explore the impossible, and production systems that bring revolutionary design capabilities to users worldwide.

What you’ll do (responsibilities)

• Build the future – Design, develop and deploy cutting-edge solutions that generate and edit designs, working hand-in-hand with ML engineers, backend wizards, frontend artists, designers, and product visionaries to deliver design generation systems that feel like magic

• Surf the AI wave – Stay ahead of state-of-the-art deep learning and generative AI breakthroughs, translating research papers into production features that delight millions

• Drive innovation – Provide game-changing input into our engineering direction and strategy, shaping how we build the future

• Bridge worlds – Master the art of knowledge sharing and champion engineering excellence while communicating complex ideas to non-technical stakeholders in ways that inspire

• Own your impact – Model initiative and ownership in crushing goals, revolutionising processes, and crafting solutions that scale

• Connect the dots – Identify golden opportunities for cross-team collaboration, working on breakthrough ideas and improvements that accelerate our mission

What we’re looking for

• AI enthusiasm – Genuine excitement about the latest developments in deep learning and generative AI. You can translate cutting-edge research into practical solutions that enhance Canva’s content library and blow users’ minds

• Design passion – Experience or burning interest in design. This team lives at the intersection of engineering and creativity, so a genuine desire or proven experience in this space will make you shine

• Battle-tested experience – Commercial experience building scalable backend systems that can handle anything we throw at them

• Java fluency – Most of our code speaks Java, so you’ll need to be comfortable with Java (or another similar object-oriented language that makes you confident you can adapt quickly)

• Rock-solid fundamentals – Deeply grounded computer science and engineering fundamentals including concurrency, multithreading, data structures, solution design, architecture, and design patterns that you can apply instinctively

• Collaboration superpowers – Natural ability to work collaboratively with team members and communicate optimally, making the complex simple

• Communication excellence – Written and verbal communication skills that inspire and clarify

What’s in it for you?

Achieving our crazy big goals motivates us to work hard – and we do – but you’ll experience lots of moments of magic, connectivity and fun woven throughout life at Canva, too. We also offer a range of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work.

Here’s a taste of what’s on offer:

• 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

Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info.

Other stuff to know

We see AI as a powerful amplifier of creativity and technology at Canva.We’re evolving how we assess AI skills in our Technology hiring experience – you’ll tackle interactive, real-time challenges that reflect the kind of work we do. In some interviews, you may also be asked to solve a problem using an AI tool to show how you approach challenges with tech by your side. Your recruitment partner will walk you through what to expect. We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance Canva and our culture. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process. We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above – we still want to hear from you!

We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance Canva and our culture. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.

We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above – we still want to hear from you!

Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.