Senior Backend Engineer - Java - Product Platform

About the Role

Become a part of Canva’s Product Platform Supergroup, dedicated to building foundational shared services and tools that empower engineers to deliver consistent, reliable products at global scale. This senior backend engineer position involves designing and implementing scalable, modular backend systems, internal apps, and platforms that accelerate development and improve developer productivity across the Canva ecosystem.

Work Environment

This position is primarily based in Sydney with a hybrid work model, combining remote work with days on site at Canva’s flagship office located in Surry Hills. This flexible approach supports a balance between focused individual work and meaningful in-person collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance core backend frameworks, shared services, and APIs to speed up product creation.
• Create scalable, maintainable, and extensible systems following best practices.
• Collaborate with product teams to design abstractions enabling faster and safer feature delivery.
• Contribute to service conventions, tooling, and engineering standards to elevate quality across the company.
• Work across platform and product teams to boost system observability, deployment workflows, and developer experiences.
• Mentor teammates and promote a culture focused on simplicity, dependability, and innovation.

Candidate Profile

• At least six years of experience creating scalable back-end systems in cloud-based environments.
• Proficiency with Java or other JVM languages such as Kotlin or Scala.
• Strong skills in API design, modular architectures, and enhancing developer usability.
• Experience working with service frameworks, deployment pipelines, and shared code libraries.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure, ideally AWS.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities in cross-functional setups.
• Solid understanding of data structures, algorithms, and scalability in distributed systems.

Company and Team Information

The Product Platform Supergroup is tasked with enabling the creation of consistent and efficient product experiences through shared backend and frontend tools and APIs. Joining this team means impacting how millions of users interact with Canva globally.

Benefits and Culture

• Equity opportunities to share in Canva’s success.
• Inclusive parental leave policies accommodating all caregivers.
• An annual allowance for wellbeing, social engagement, and home office support.
• Flexible leave policies encouraging personal growth and rest.

Additional Information

Hiring decisions are made based on the candidate's expertise, skills, and ability to contribute positively to Canva’s culture. Applicants are encouraged to mention their pronouns and any reasonable accommodation needed for the interview. Note that interviews will be held online.