Staff Backend Engineer, Search Quality

3 weeks ago

Council of the City of Sydney, Australia black.ai Full time

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hey, 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 a choice in where and how you work—we trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals.

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:

- Leading the engineering strategy and execution to improve search and recommendation quality across Canva.

- Owning the architecture of scalable, low-latency systems that power discovery features across templates, photos, graphics, videos, and user designs.

- Representing Discovery Understanding Engineering in collaborations with product managers, designers, and other teams across Canva.

- Translating product goals into measurable backend solutions, running experiments, and refining features based on data.

- Guiding and mentoring other engineers, ensuring high standards in software development and experimentation practices.

- Monitoring and troubleshooting search performance issues to ensure reliable and performant services.

You're probably a match if:

- You’ve got deep experience building and scaling backend systems with a focus on search and recommendations, or similar domains requiring experiment-driven iteration.

- You have a proven track record of delivering measurable improvements to discovery systems.

- You’re proficient in Java at a staff level, and have a strong foundation in data structures and system design.

- You thrive in a data-driven, fast-paced environment and enjoy owning problems from idea to execution.

- You’ve led large-scale projects or initiatives and enjoy mentoring other engineers.

- You’re familiar with cloud platforms and containerised services (e.g., AWS, Docker, Kubernetes).

- You bring curiosity, communication skills, and a passion for empowering users through world-class product experiences.

About the team

The Discovery Understanding team sits within the Content & Discovery Supergroup and is on a mission to help users find the right content at the right time. We build the AI, machine learning, and infrastructure powering Canva’s discovery experience—processing thousands of requests per second across every content type on the platform. It’s work that directly shapes how millions of people experience Canva.

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 range 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 support you personally

#J-18808-Ljbffr

  • Staff Backend Engineer, Search Quality

    2 weeks ago

    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Canva Full time $120,000 - $180,000 per year

    Job Description Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.Hey, g'day, mabuhay, kia ora, 你好, hallo, vítejteThanks 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 workOur flagship campus is in Sydney. We also...

  • Senior Backend Engineer, Expenses

    2 weeks ago

    City of Melbourne, Australia Airwallex Full time

    About Airwallex Airwallex is the only unified payments and financial platform for global businesses. Powered by our unique combination of proprietary infrastructure and software, we empower over 150,000 businesses worldwide – including Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more – with fully integrated solutions to manage everything from business...

  • Backend Software Engineer

    4 weeks ago

    Council of the City of Sydney, Australia DroneShield Group Pty Ltd Full time

    Work with cutting edge technology, making the world a safer and more secure place. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) offers an opportunity to solve some of world’s most challenging technical problems in the Electronic Warfare, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, RF sensing, Sensor Fusion and distributed systems. Working with high profile customers across...

  • Backend Software Engineer

    3 weeks ago

    Council of the City of Sydney, Australia DroneShield Group Pty Ltd Full time

    Work with cutting edge technology, making the world a safer and more secure place. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) offers an opportunity to solve some of world’s most challenging technical problems in the Electronic Warfare, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, RF sensing, Sensor Fusion and distributed systems. Working with high profile customers across...

  • Staff Backend Engineer: Ruby on Rails, AWS, PostgreSQL

    1 day ago

    Council of the City of Sydney, Australia Culture Amp Full time

    A leading employee experience platform in Australia is seeking a Staff Engineer to drive backend architecture and implementation within the 1-on-1s team. The ideal candidate will possess advanced skills in Ruby/Rails and PostgreSQL, with a focus on technical excellence and mentoring. This role offers diverse benefits including employee share options and...

  • Senior Backend Engineer

    3 weeks ago

    Council of the City of Sydney, Australia Myinterview Solutions Pty Ltd Full time

    Senior Backend Engineer - Node.js Application Deadline: 31 October 2025 Department: R&D Employment Type: Full Time Location: Tel-Aviv Compensation: ₪35,000 - ₪42,000 / month Description At myInterview, we’re transforming the hiring experience by combining structured interviews with the power of AI — helping companies make smarter, faster, and...

  • Senior Backend Engineer

    4 weeks ago

    Council of the City of Sydney, Australia Big Red Group Full time

    Big Red Group is the largest experience network in Australia and New Zealand. A powerful connector that provides more than 3000 experience operators with quality customers and the tourism industry with trusted intelligence and partnership. Australian owned, Big Red Group operates an industry‑leading platform, enabling the wholesale distribution of...

  • Backend Engineer

    5 days ago

    Council of the City of Sydney, Australia ezyCollect Full time

    Why join ezyCollect In the time it takes you to read this job ad, our platform collects around $58,991.86 from businesses that struggle with late‑paying customers. Since 2016, ezyCollect, with over $17B in receivables under management, has been helping 1,200+ businesses reduce their overdue invoices by 43% on average. ezyCollect is an Australian‑founded...

  • Staff Software Engineer

    7 days ago

    Council of the City of Sydney, Australia LEAP Legal Software Full time

    About AI Paralegal AI Paralegal is a member of the LEAP group of companies - the leading provider of Legal Practice Management Solutions in the world. Over a 30-year period we've expanded across Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Poland and New Zealand and support more than 70,000 lawyers and their staff in...

  • Staff Backend Engineer

    2 weeks ago

    Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Marlee Full time $120,000 - $180,000 per year

    About the companyFast-track your career with the Marlee Talent Pool. We're not just matching you with your ideal roles but unlocking your long-term career potential. Marlee goes above and beyond by identifying key strengths for your CV, helping you discover a career direction you might not have considered where you can truly thrive, and guiding you to...