Design AI - ML Engineering Manager

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hey, hello, hiya, g'day, mabuhay, kia ora, 你好, hallo, vítejte!

Thanks for stopping by. We know job hunting can be a little time consuming and you're probably keen to find out what's on offer, so we'll get straight to the point.

Where and how you can work

Our flagship campus is in Sydney. We also have a campus in Melbourne and co-working spaces in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. But you have choice in where and how you work. That means if you want to do your thing in the office (if you're near one), at home or a bit of both, it's up to you.

What you’d be doing in this role

As Canva scales change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that's all part of the fun. So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you'll be working on when you start, but this will likely evolve.

At the moment, this role is focused on:

• Building systems to generate and edit designs – working closely with other ML engineers, backend engineers, frontend engineers, designers, and product managers to deliver cutting-edge design generation systems and techniques that empower users.
• Coaching machine learning engineers and backend through project selection, knowledge sharing and balancing delivery expectations
• Nurturing and growing skills in the team including following the latest advancements in the industry as well as good software engineering practices
• Giving meaningful input into the engineering direction and strategy for the team
• Resource planning effectively as the feasibility of our projects are very tightly linked to the skills sets and strengths of specific engineers
• Collaborating closely with the Product Manager and other Engineering Leads to understand and contribute to the product roadmap.
• Partnering with other Product, Research and Platform teams across the Generative AI Supergroup to achieve our goals

You're probably a match if:

• You’ve got previous experience as a ML Engineer or leading ML product teams, with a proven track record in running long-term engineering projects in the ML space is preferred
• You are experienced in both technical and people leadership, making sound decisions and delivering outcomes on technical projects
• You have experience or strong interest in design. This team works at the intersection of engineering and design so a genuine desire or proven experience in this space is preferred
• You have great research skills with the ability to stay abreast of the latest developments in deep learning and generative AI. You are capable to translate cutting-edge research into practical solutions that enhance Canva’s content library and user experience.
• You have the ability to support the team to balance exploratory/innovative work with high priority feature delivery
• You can effectively communicate (inside the team and outside) the value of short- and long-term features, translating technical details to the business value, building support and trust from stakeholders.

About the Group

The Generative Experience Group’s mission is to “Empower the world to design by developing and applying AI that can create every type of design and ingredient on Canva.”

This is an exciting and emerging problem space with weekly innovations. Our close-knit team collaborates with engineers to prototype and develop new experiences, works with researchers to explore uncharted territories, and tackles some of today's biggest challenges. We collaborate closely with product, design, research, and ML teams to bring our creative AI vision to life—helping every user co-create with intelligence, delight, and speed. We’re building the systems that will shape the future of design creation at Canva scale.

About the Role

As an ML Engineering Manager, you'll lead a cross-functional squad of engineers (mainly MLE and BE) focused on the systems that underpin generative design. You’ll guide architecture decisions, champion performance and reliability, and nurture a strong culture of technical excellence. This role blends people leadership with deep technical engagement, helping us push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI-assisted design.

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.