Staff Software Engineer - Video Performance - (Bay area only)
Canva is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to lead the performance strategy for its video creation lifecycle, encompassing timeline scrubbing, real-time preview, export, and rendering. This role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and offers flexibility in work arrangements. The successful candidate will join Canva's Video Group, a global team dedicated to redefining storytelling through innovative video solutions.
Key responsibilities include profiling and optimizing critical paths in Canva's C++ native engine, GLSL/HLSL shaders, and machine learning-powered effect pipelines to reduce latency and memory usage. The engineer will design and implement observability systems, such as internal profiling tools and automated regression suites, to monitor performance metrics across web, iOS, and Android platforms. Collaboration with Video Engine and AI engineers is essential to evolve system architecture for improved parallelism and asynchronous processing. Additionally, leveraging hardware acceleration using platform-specific APIs like Metal, Vulkan, and WebGPU is expected to maximize performance across diverse consumer hardware.
The ideal candidate will have strong proficiency in C++ and a solid understanding of CPU/GPU architectures, memory hierarchies, and SIMD. Experience with graphics APIs such as OpenGL, Metal, or Vulkan is required. Familiarity with modern systems languages like Rust is a plus. The candidate should be adept at using profiling and diagnostic tools to identify bottlenecks and guide engineering decisions. A deep understanding of multimedia fundamentals, including video codecs and container formats, is also necessary.
Canva offers a competitive salary range of $251,000 to $329,000, along with equity packages, health benefits, 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 and flexible leave options.
Joining Canva means becoming part of a team that values technical excellence, thoughtful collaboration, and building systems that empower creativity for everyone. The company fosters a culture of innovation and offers growth opportunities in a dynamic environment.