Director of Engineering - Founding Engineer India
•Alpaca · 8h
EngineeringFull-timeAsia
8h ago
Canva·7 days ago
About the Team
The Visual Suite Platform Team is an agile group of backend and machine learning engineers that own and maintain the variety of services that underpin the product verticals that make up the Visual Suite (Docs, Email, Sheets, Presentations, Websites, and Whiteboards). The team will also support other teams within Design Experience with both BE and MLE resources.
About the Role/Specialty
This role sits at the intersection of solution expertise and platform engineering, requiring deep technical expertise across ML domains combined with strong platform knowledge. You will manage your time between debugging complex AI implementations, optimising inference performance, working directly with product teams building solutions, and developing blueprints that allow others to follow proven patterns.
The nature of enablement work demands someone who operates as a force multiplier, finding satisfaction not just in solving technical problems but in enabling others to move faster. The role operates in a high-velocity environment where priorities shift rapidly based on team needs, requiring both technical excellence and pragmatic judgment about when to invest in robust solutions versus rapid unblocking. The candidate will get exposure to a wide array of Canva’s key product offers and have a lot of room to make impact.
What you’ll do (responsibilities)
Responsibilities will evolve as Canva's needs change, but here's what the role will focus on initially:
Act as a solution expert across ML domains including evaluations, training, inference, data pipelines, quality, and optimisation
Work directly alongside product teams as a trusted partner, helping them navigate technical challenges and arrive at effective solutions
Provide expert guidance on platform capabilities, helping teams understand what's possible and how to get there efficiently
Develop blueprints, patterns, and paved roads that allow other teams to follow proven approaches and accelerate their own implementations
Debug and resolve complex issues, identifying root causes and sharing learnings broadly
Balance hands-on problem solving with strategic thinking about how to scale enablement impact across the organisation
You're probably a match if you have any of the following:
Demonstrated Python expertise with experience in ML frameworks
Commercial experience working with Kubernetes (K8s)
Experience or knowledge of building data pipelines
Experience or knowledge of model evaluations
Experience with inference optimisation and serving infrastructure
Experience supporting or working closely with research, data science, or product teams
Excellent debugging and problem-solving skills across the full ML stack
Ability to context-switch effectively across multiple concurrent projects
Proven communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to varied audiences
A collaborative mindset with a focus on enabling others to succeed
A working knowledge of Java (not tested during interviews)
Exposure to Terraform
What people skills make a good Visual Suite Engineer?
Cross-team collaboration - our work does not happen in a vacuum.
Mentoring - we have a strong culture of growth within the group.
Strong organisational skills - being good at breaking down tasks and delivering on them.
Excellent written communication skills - we write a lot of design docs and review a lot of PRs.
Don't tick all the boxes? Don't worry about that - nobody does!
We’d still love to hear from you! At Canva, we know that great engineers come from a variety of backgrounds, and we value passion, curiosity, and a willingness to learn just as much as specific experience. If you're excited about this role but don’t tick every box, we encourage you to apply, you might a great fit in ways you didn’t expect!
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:
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.