Job Details

Overview

Senior Research Engineer - Datasets at Canva. Join to apply for the Senior Research Engineer - Datasets role at Canva.

At Canva, our mission is to empower the world to design. This role focuses on building the foundational datasets and systems that fuel our next-generation generative AI models and evaluation capabilities. You will own the end-to-end lifecycle of critical datasets, from curating nuanced human feedback on design quality to pioneering machine learning for high-quality synthetic data generation.

Where And How You Can Work

Our flagship office is in Sydney, Australia, with a hub in San Francisco for US operations. We offer flexibility in how and where you work. Canva values balancing work and personal goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and build scalable pipelines for processing and curating large datasets of human design feedback.
• Research and develop ML models to generate high-quality synthetic data for training and fine-tuning.
• Own the design and implementation of human evaluation workflows, including creating guidelines and quality rubrics.
• Prepare datasets for automated evaluation systems and conduct deep analysis of their outputs to provide robust signals on model performance and human alignment.
• Design and analyze experiments to measure the real-world impact of our models on design quality.
• Conduct deep-dive analyses into model performance to identify failure modes and guide future development.

What You're Likely a Match For

• A strong aesthetic sense, with a background or demonstrated passion for visual design or human–computer interaction.
• Strong proficiency in Python and ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Extensive experience with designing and implementing large-scale data processing workflows using libraries like Pandas and data warehousing solutions such as Snowflake.
• Solid understanding of statistical methods, including experimental design, A/B testing, and quality evaluation systems.
• Experience with generative AI and synthetic data generation is highly desirable.

Nice To Have

• Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure) for data storage, processing, and MLOps related to dataset management.
• Experience with MLOps practices and tools for data versioning, lineage, and pipeline automation.
• Ability to develop data visualization or data collection interfaces (e.g., TypeScript, Python).

What's In It For You

• Equity packages – we want our success to be yours too
• Health benefits plans to support you and your wellbeing
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution
• 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

Other Stuff To Know

• We hire based on experience, skills, merit and business needs, in compliance with applicable local laws. Canva celebrates all types of skills and backgrounds, so even if your skills don't exactly match what's listed above, we want to hear from you.
• When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process. Interviews are conducted virtually.
• We provide competitive, market-informed compensation while ensuring internal equity. The target base salary range for this position is $220,000 – $280,000, based on market data and experience.