Staff Frontend Engineer - Apps API Platform

What you’ll do (responsibilities)

• Design and implement public APIs that balance extensibility, usability, and long-term maintainability.
• Improve app runtime performance to ensure seamless, high-quality integrations.
• Primarily working on web frontend with Typescript, but may need to work with other languages and environments
• Work cross-functionally with core Canva teams to expose internal features via external APIs while maintaining architectural integrity.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring other engineers and driving best practices across the team.
• Advocate for developer needs, ensuring that Canva’s SDK and APIs align with the expectations of third-party developers.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and effectively advocate for engineering needs to non-technical stakeholders within the group
• Model initiative and ownership in achieving goals, improving processes and solutions

What we're looking for

• 8+ years of commercial experience in a software development environment, ideally with experience in building internal/external SDKs, APIs, libraries, and frameworks.
• You would ideally have worked as a (hands-on) technical lead previously, or Staff/Principal Engineer.
• Technical leadership experience on large scale projects, linking up multiple teams at once. 
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to break large projects down into smaller ones and deliver on them through others.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a proven ability to work with technical and non-technical stakeholders. 
• Our frontend stack consists of JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React, TypeScript, MobX. Experience in some of these would be highly valuable.
• Firmly grounded computer science and engineering fundamentals including asynchronous programming, data structures, solution design, architecture, and design patterns.
• Understanding of browser rendering pipeline, event handling, WebWorkers, WebGL/WebGPU would be a bonus, but not required.
• Passion for performance debugging and benchmarking

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 stack 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 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.

Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.