Staff Front-End Engineer - Design Systems

About the Role

Join a dynamic team at the forefront of transforming design experiences globally. This position plays a pivotal role in evolving Canva's front-end architecture, particularly focusing on the design system domain. With the majority of monthly active users accessing Canva via mobile devices, the challenge lies in pioneering a web to React Native migration of significant scale. The goal is to extend the existing React component library, which underpins Canva's user interface, into a cross-platform library that operates seamlessly on both web and mobile using React DOM and React Native respectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and maintenance of the Portable UI Platform, delivering shared React components for both web and mobile that multiple key Canva surfaces rely on, targeted for completion by end of 2026.
• Innovate cross-platform abstractions to manage complexity once within the platform, enabling product teams to benefit from portable-first design effortlessly.
• Define and uphold high standards for building, distributing, and consuming portable components, ensuring scalability and usability for over 800 engineers.
• Mentor and guide engineers transitioning from web-first approaches to cross-platform methodologies through design reviews, code evaluations, and collaborative decision-making.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to understand product team requirements, prioritize initiatives, and ensure successful platform adoption.
• Direct the strategic technical evolution of the Design System Evolution team and influence the broader design system landscape.
• Adapt the design system to embrace AI-native workflows, facilitating accelerated delivery, empowering non-technical users, and enhancing visual language robustness.
• Contribute to the advancement of front-end engineering practices and standards across Canva.

Your Profile

• Proven leadership in building or managing design systems with a keen interest in platform enablement.
• In-depth knowledge of core web technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript/TypeScript, React, and Web APIs.
• Hands-on experience in cross-platform UI/UX development utilizing React Native.
• Demonstrated success delivering large-scale, cross-functional projects with robust and scalable technical designs.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills facilitating effective interdisciplinary teamwork.
• Ability to think broadly while maintaining meticulous attention to detail.
• Competence in structuring complex, ambiguous problems into clear, manageable components with informed trade-offs.
• Commitment to fostering a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, and knowledge sharing.
• Interest in exploring how AI can enhance developer and design workflows.
• Awareness and dedication to accessibility principles and continuous education in this area.

Additional Preferences

• Experience advocating for technical initiatives and steering major technical transformations as both a leader and individual contributor.
• Skills in stakeholder communication and internal advocacy.
• Ability to write accessible code in compliance with detailed standards such as WCAG 2.2 AA.
• Exposure to native or hybrid mobile development environments.

About the Team

The Design System teams at Canva build and maintain reusable UI components, design guidelines, and tools to ensure consistent, high-quality experiences at scale. The Design System Evolution group spearheads expanding and enhancing system capabilities, exploring new technologies, surfaces, and setting technical directions for the frontend specialty.

Benefits

• Participation in equity plans to share company success.
• An inclusive parental leave policy supporting all family structures and caregivers.
• Annual allowances to support wellbeing, social engagement, and optimized workspace setup.
• Flexible leave policies promoting personal recharge and community contribution.

Additional Information

Hiring decisions are based on skills, experience, passion, and cultural fit. Applicants are encouraged to share their pronouns and any reasonable accommodations needed during hiring. The company values diverse skills and backgrounds and encourages applications even if the candidate does not meet every listed qualification. Interviews are held virtually.