Senior Backend Engineer - Video AI Engine

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.

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.

At the moment, this role is focused on:

• Building and scaling backend services supporting video AI infrastructure

• Developing robust APIs and pipelines for video model inference

• Optimising systems for latency, reliability, and throughput

• Collaborating with MLEs, Researchers, and Product teams to bring new capabilities to life

• Ensuring observability and smooth operations of video services

• Bringing a pragmatic and product-focused mindset to backend development

You're probably a match if

• You have experience building and scaling distributed backend systems

• You have strong programming skills in a backend language (e.g., Java, Go, Python)

• You are familiar with cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS, GCP) and service orchestration

• You have exposure to machine learning workflows or serving systems

• You have strong collaboration skills and a growth mindset

• You have a passion for building elegant systems that unlock creative potential at scale

About the team

The Video AI Engine team sits within the Video group in the Design Experience supergroup. We build the infrastructure that connects advanced AI research with delightful product experiences in Canva’s video editor. From video segmentation and effect orchestration to scalable ML serving, we’re enabling users to create cinematic stories, automatically and effortlessly.

As a Senior Backend Engineer, you’ll design and build the distributed systems that serve as the backbone of Canva’s AI-powered video features. You’ll work on performance-critical pipelines, collaborate with ML Engineers to productionize models, and contribute to the reliability and scalability of Canva’s video platform.

Other stuff to know

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.