Senior Frontend Engineer - Research Enablement

Location: Team Engineering

Team: Country Vienna / Austria

About the Role

At Canva, our mission is to empower the world to design through innovative tools and Generative AI. We're seeking a Senior Frontend Engineer - Research Enablement to bridge cutting-edge research with production excellence. Based in our Vienna, Austria hub—home to key AI product development—you'll partner with ML researchers and cross-functional teams in the Gen AI group to transform promising experiments into scalable, user-facing features that delight millions. In this onsite, full-time role within our Engineering team, you'll build internal tooling, apps, and services that accelerate model evaluation, reduce duplication, and ensure reliable deployment of multiple AI variants. You'll design performant React components with TypeScript, integrate with Node.js/Java backends, and create processes that make research production-ready—shortening the loop from lab to launch while upholding Canva's design-focused standards of beauty, speed, and accessibility. You'll thrive in our collaborative, innovative culture by fostering continuous improvement, participating in code reviews, and staying ahead of frontend trends. With strong problem-solving, ownership, and a passion for exceptional UX, you'll help redefine how AI powers creative workflows. Join us to experience equity, flexible benefits, Vibe & Thrive allowances, and the magic of Canva life while contributing to world-class design innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with ML researchers, designers, and stakeholders to productionize experimental Gen AI features
• Design, develop, and maintain high-performance, scalable, reusable frontend components and systems
• Build internal apps and services to enable rapid evaluation of bleeding-edge ML models
• Create tooling and processes that allow multiple model variants to ship safely and quickly
• Bridge the gap between research prototypes and stable, user-facing capabilities
• Participate in code reviews, ensuring adherence to Canva's coding standards and design principles
• Identify and implement frontend best practices to shorten the research-to-user loop
• Contribute to frontend architecture for maintainability, extensibility, and observability
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the Engineering team
• Stay current with frontend technologies and trends to enhance Canva's design innovation

Required Qualifications

• Proficiency in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, and state management libraries (e.g., MobX)
• Experience with back-end technologies such as Node.js or Java
• Expertise in writing performant, reusable code for UI components, including appropriate testing
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, taking ownership of projects and outcomes
• Experience bridging research experiments to production systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ML model evaluation tooling or research enablement platforms
• Background in Gen AI or machine learning integration in frontend applications
• Familiarity with Canva's design ecosystem or similar creative tools
• Proven track record in internal tooling for cross-functional research teams
• Knowledge of scalable frontend architectures for high-traffic design platforms

Required Skills

• HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript mastery
• React framework expertise
• MobX or similar state management
• Node.js or Java backend experience
• UI component development and testing
• Performance optimization for scalable UIs
• Problem-solving in fast-paced environments
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Big-picture thinking with attention to detail
• User experience design passion
• Code review and standards enforcement
• ML research enablement tooling
• Communication and stakeholder partnership
• Continuous learning mindset
• Observability and reliability engineering

Benefits

• Equity packages to share in Canva's success
• Inclusive parental leave policy supporting all parents and carers
• Annual Vibe & Thrive allowance for wellbeing, social connection, and home office setup
• Flexible leave options to recharge and support personal needs
• Onsite opportunities in Vienna, Austria, with our European AI operations hub
• Collaborative culture focused on magic moments, connectivity, and fun
• Access to cutting-edge Gen AI projects redefining design experiences
• Virtual interview process with reasonable adjustments available

Canva is an equal opportunity employer.