Senior Software Engineer - Video Templates - (Bay area only)
Canva is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join its Video Group in San Francisco, focusing on developing and enhancing the core template engine and schema for video projects. This role involves designing a unified data structure that accurately describes video cuts, placeholders, transitions, and effects, ensuring frame-accurate precision. The engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to build powerful authoring tools and template modes, allowing designers to define parameters, constraints, and intelligent logic directly within video projects.
Key responsibilities include developing modular, componentized video systems that encapsulate complex visual effects, beat-synced audio, and animations into reusable template components. The role also involves working at the intersection of Generative AI and templates, enabling features like intelligent "Auto-Match," where a template adapts dynamically to a user's uploaded content. Ensuring seamless parsing and rendering of templates across web (Wasm/WebGL), iOS, and Android platforms is also a critical aspect of the position.
The ideal candidate will have strong proficiency in C++ and be comfortable working in TypeScript or JavaScript on a daily basis. A solid understanding of data structures and the ability to represent complex hierarchies, such as non-linear video timelines using formats like JSON or Protobuf, is essential. Familiarity with graphics and video concepts, including keyframes, layers, easing functions, alpha compositing, and rendering pipelines, is required. The candidate should also have experience collaborating closely with designers, AI researchers, and platform engineers to build cohesive, scalable systems.
Canva offers a competitive salary range of $210,000 to $270,000, along with equity packages, health benefits plans, a 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution, and an inclusive parental leave policy. Additional perks include an annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support wellbeing, social connection, and office setup, as well as flexible leave options to empower employees to recharge and support personal needs.
Joining Canva's Video Group means becoming part of a global, interdisciplinary team of rendering engineers, AI researchers, and product builders working toward ambitious goals. The team values technical excellence, thoughtful collaboration, and building systems that empower creativity for everyone. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to redefining how millions of people tell stories through video.