Staff Front End Engineer - Portable Platform

Overview

Join Canva’s cutting-edge engineering team in Brisbane as a Staff Front End Engineer focused on the Portable Platform, an ambitious initiative to unify React development across multiple runtimes including iOS, Android, and web. You will play a central role in architecting the frontend layer that enables seamless cross-platform experiences, contributing to a transition that transforms how hundreds of engineers build scalable, high-performance products.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement a frontend architecture that allows React engineers to write components once and run them across web and React Native platforms without runtime-specific concerns leaking into product code.
• Lead the migration from a pure React Web codebase to a combined React Web and React Native environment, setting the foundation for frontend development at Canva for years to come.
• Build and own web implementations of shared Portable Platform components ensuring consistency across iOS, Android, and browser environments.
• Support and elevate frontend engineers’ capabilities through establishing code standards, creating informative documentation, conducting design reviews, and fostering collaborative learning.
• Incorporate server-side rendering and React Server Components thoughtfully within the Portable Platform architecture, understanding backend integration complexities.
• Maintain an active hands-on role by contributing to codebases, authoring design documents, and delivering production-ready solutions.

Required Expertise

• Deep understanding of React’s internal workings, including reconciliation, rendering models, and server component paradigms, with experience influencing decisions beneath the framework surface.
• Proven track record of improving complex frontend product performance through meaningful optimizations.
• Experience with cross-platform or portable codebases that operate across multiple runtimes, appreciating the nuances of abstracting component layers.
• Familiarity with React Native’s mental model and how it contrasts with React Web, enabling engineers to adapt when targeting multiple runtimes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence multiple teams through documentation, prototyping, and direct collaboration.
• Consistent hands-on coding experience indicated by active contributions to code, design docs, and peer reviews.
• Practical use of AI tools in frontend engineering workflows, with an informed perspective on their impact.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of server-side rendering techniques and React Server Components, including backend/frontend integration.
• Direct experience with React Native development projects and shipped products.
• Contributions to open-source projects within React, React Native, or related frontend ecosystems.
• Expertise in building shared component libraries or design systems tailored to different rendering contexts.

About the Team

You will join Canva’s Client Platform group, responsible for foundational layers powering web, native mobile, and desktop experiences along with the design system. This team serves hundreds of millions of users daily. The Mobile Platform subgroup leads the transition from web-based wrapped mobile app experiences to native-grade cross-platform applications via a shared codebase—the Portable Platform being their most significant undertaking.

Benefits

• Equity opportunities to share in the company’s success.
• Inclusive parental leave supporting all types of parents and caregivers.
• Annual allowance dedicated to wellbeing, social connection, and workspace setup.
• Flexible leave policies encouraging personal recharge and positive impact.

Additional Information

Hiring decisions emphasize your experience, skills, passion, and cultural fit. Candidates are encouraged to share their pronouns and any accommodation needs for the interview process. Note that all interviews will be conducted virtually at this time.