Senior Research Scientist

4 weeks ago


Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Canva Full time
Senior Research Scientist - Generative AI

At Canva, we're building a future powered by AI that's as magical as it is impactful. As a Senior Research Scientist, you'll contribute to that future by advancing foundational models and conducting research that delivers practical, scalable impact. This role combines hands-on model development with collaborative research — from exploring new architectures to supporting product direction through scientific insights.

You'll work at the intersection of innovation and impact, contributing to our AI research agenda and helping ensure our work reaches millions of users around the world.

What You'll Do
  • Contribute to research projects that support the development of foundational models across Canva's AI domains
  • Design and run experiments to test hypotheses, improve model behavior, and assess real-world performance
  • Translate theoretical research and academic papers into robust, production-ready implementations with guidance
  • Help develop and refine model architectures and training methodologies to improve outcomes
  • Collaborate closely with ML Engineers to scale models and integrate them into Canva's product ecosystem
  • Stay up to date with emerging trends, technologies, and open challenges to inform our research direction
  • Share your knowledge internally through documentation and cross-team collaborations, and externally through papers or talks where appropriate
What You'll Need (Qualifications)
  • Solid expertise in machine learning, particularly in areas like LLMs, vision-language models, generative AI, or multi-modal systems
  • A publication record or evidence of research impact in academia or industry
  • Experience contributing to research projects from problem formulation through to deployment, with support from more senior team members
  • Ability to turn complex theoretical ideas into tangible solutions, and evaluate them rigorously
  • A collaborative mindset — you work well with engineers, product teams, and other researchers
What You'll Learn And How You'll Grow
  • Involvement in Canva's AI strategy and foundational model development
  • Opportunities to learn from and collaborate with experienced researchers
  • Exposure to product impact at a global scale (hundreds of millions of users)
  • Dedicated time for self-driven research exploration and experimentation
Additional Information
  • 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're evolving how we assess AI skills in our Technology hiring experience — you'll tackle interactive, real-time challenges that reflect the kind of work we do. In some interviews, you may also be asked to solve a problem using an AI tool to show how you approach challenges with tech by your side. Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.

Seniority level
  • Mid-Senior level
Employment type
  • Full-time
Job function
  • Information Technology
Industries
  • Software Development
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