Staff Engineer - Video Platform - Remote across ANZ

Location: Team Engineering

Team: Country Sydney / Australia

About the Role

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design at Canva! We're seeking a Staff Engineer - Video Platform to shape the future of video creation. As part of our groundbreaking Native Video Engine team, you'll architect core subsystems that power seamless, high-performance video experiences for millions of users worldwide. Remote across ANZ, you'll collaborate in our innovative, design-focused culture, driving technical excellence while mentoring others and pushing creative boundaries. In this role, you'll lead rendering pipeline development with deep graphics expertise (Vulkan, OpenGL, DirectX), optimise for cross-platform performance, and integrate video processing technologies using C++ and Rust. You'll translate user needs into scalable solutions, establish best practices, and research cutting-edge innovations to keep Canva at the forefront of creative tools. Our brand-new team is scripting Canva's biggest tech shift, building foundational technology that unlocks next-generation features and democratises professional video production. Canva's collaborative environment empowers you to balance innovation with impact. With flexible work options, equity packages, inclusive parental leave, and a Vibe & Thrive allowance, we're committed to your growth and wellbeing. If you thrive in fast-paced, creative settings and have a passion for graphics engineering, join us to empower global creativity!

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and implement major subsystems within Canva's core Native Video Engine, influencing the platform's future
• Lead complex rendering pipeline development, optimising for performance, memory efficiency, and cross-platform compatibility
• Mentor and guide junior engineers in graphics programming, performance optimisation, and system design
• Collaborate with product teams to translate user needs into technical specifications for exceptional creative experiences
• Establish coding standards, development practices, and architectural patterns that scale with growing teams
• Research and evaluate emerging technologies in graphics and video processing to keep Canva cutting-edge
• Drive technical discussions and decision-making, balancing performance, maintainability, and feature requirements
• Optimise video rendering for seamless, professional-quality experiences used by millions worldwide
• Debug and resolve complex graphics and performance issues in real-time rendering systems
• Contribute to the foundational technology powering Canva's next era of video innovation

Required Qualifications

• Deep expertise in graphics programming (Vulkan, OpenGL, DirectX) with hands-on experience building high-performance rendering systems
• Proven experience in shader development, performance optimisation, and multi-threaded graphics programming
• Strong background in memory management, real-time rendering, and rendering pipeline architecture
• Experience with video processing, encoding/decoding, and multimedia frameworks
• Solid programming skills using system languages (C++, Rust)
• Track record of leading technical projects and mentoring engineering teams
• Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to debug complex graphics and performance issues
• Experience working with cross-platform development and hardware-specific optimisations

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience architecting native video engines or similar high-scale multimedia platforms
• Background in AI-powered video features or creative tool development
• Proven ability to establish coding standards and scalable architectural patterns
• Familiarity with emerging graphics and video processing technologies
• Experience collaborating with product teams to translate user needs into technical specs

Required Skills

• Graphics APIs (Vulkan, OpenGL, DirectX)
• Shader development
• Performance optimisation
• Multi-threaded graphics programming
• Memory management
• Real-time rendering
• Rendering pipeline architecture
• Video processing and encoding/decoding
• C++ and Rust programming
• Cross-platform development
• Hardware-specific optimisations
• Technical leadership and mentoring
• Problem-solving and debugging
• System design
• Collaboration with product teams
• Researching emerging technologies

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, office setup, and more
• Flexible leave options to recharge and support personal needs
• Choice in work location across ANZ with remote flexibility
• Collaborative, innovative culture focused on creativity and growth
• Virtual interviews and inclusive hiring process
• Opportunities to work on groundbreaking projects impacting millions of users

Canva is an equal opportunity employer.