Senior Systems Engineer - AI Solutions

Company Description

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 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.

Job Description

About the Group/Team

The Internal AI Solutions team is part of the Technology Experience Group, within the IT Supergroup. We own, administer and support Canva’s internal AI assistant tools, including Glean, ChatGPT Enterprise, Claude and Gemini. After forming in late 2024, we’re now growing our team to help achieve our mission of enabling every Canvanaut to harness the full potential of AI tools.

About the Role/Specialty

We're seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Systems Engineer (AI Solutions) to join our team! In this role, you'll have the unique opportunity to shape how AI transforms our organisation while working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and practical business needs. You'll be empowered to identify creative solutions, build innovative systems, and lead the way in responsible AI implementation that delivers meaningful impact.

This is a hands-on role with a good split of BAU work and project responsibilities. Our teams at Canva are highly collaborative, and you’ll be working closely with a number of different stakeholders throughout the organisation.

What you’ll do (responsibilities)

• Develop and maintain in-depth technical knowledge of our core internal AI tools and infrastructure, including ChatGPT Enterprise, Claude for Work, Gemini and our self-hosted Glean environment (including Google Cloud Platform).
• Provide advanced system management, administration and support for the above systems, including designing and implementing configuration changes and integrations, and troubleshooting complex issues.
• Effectively manage complex technical issues with vendors, and work closely with them to achieve resolution while minimising end-user impact.
• Identify and implement architectural improvements to reduce technical debt and increase performance of AI systems and infrastructure.
• Stay informed on product improvements and emerging industry developments to identify, test and recommend opportunities for exploration.
• Work alongside Technical Business Analysts to understand business processes and problems, and proactively identify opportunities for AI or Automation driven optimisation.
• Lead the design, build and implementation of custom AI and Automation driven solutions, consulting collaboratively with other team members and business stakeholders.
• Proactively collaborate with our internal security, privacy and legal teams to ensure features and tools comply with Canva’s security standards and privacy obligations, while balancing usability and engineering requirements.
• Share technical expertise through technical documentation and training sessions, addressing knowledge gaps and providing effective guidance to IT colleagues.
• Actively participate in and contribute to sprint, change and incident management processes.
• Mentor junior engineers, helping identify skill gaps and elevate team capabilities, while contributing to a culture of innovation and continuous learning.

What we're looking for

We're looking for a Senior Systems Engineer who has a proven track record of working with business stakeholders to turn complex business problems into elegant technical solutions. You strive to ensure your designs are scalable, supportable and create meaningful impact. Your natural curiosity drives you to continually learn and adapt in our rapidly evolving AI landscape, while your collaborative nature enables you to work across teams to build innovations that empower our users. At Canva, you'll have the opportunity to shape how AI and automation transforms our organisation, while growing your expertise in a field that's redefining what's possible.

• Experience working with APIs, automation tools and AI platforms to build and implement AI and automation solutions that improve efficiency and reduce manual work.
• Ability to quickly master new tools and build simple prototypes at speed.
• Strong systems administration, management and integration experience, with demonstrated ability to design, implement and troubleshoot complex systems
• Natural problem-solving abilities with a knack for analysing business needs, deconstructing existing workflows, uncovering pain points and identifying technical solutions or process improvements
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders
• A collaborative approach that balances engineering excellence with security requirements and user needs
• Adaptability and eagerness to learn in the rapidly evolving AI landscape
• Ability to take ownership of projects, prioritize independently, and deliver results with minimal guidance
• A passion for mentoring others and contributing to team growth and knowledge sharing
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Google Workspace experience highly desirable.
• Software development experience highly desirable.

Additional Information

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 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.

We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above - we still want to hear from you!

Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.