Principal Software Engineer - User Platform

The Principal Software Engineer - User Platform at Canva will lead the technical direction for critical cross-cutting programs, including Centralised Permissions & AuthZ, Profile Decomposition, and Authentication Platform. This role involves setting architectural strategies and driving delivery across multiple teams within the User Platform group. Canva is a rapidly scaling company, and this position is pivotal in ensuring the scalability and reliability of its user management systems.

Key responsibilities include owning the technical direction for complex programs, serving as the principal authority across Identity & Access Management, architecting the migration of access checks into a structurally-enforced authorisation platform, making high-stakes technical trade-offs for critical infrastructure, mentoring the User Platform engineering team, and representing the platform's technical strategy at the executive level.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in Identity & Access Management at scale, experience designing and operating Zanzibar-style authorisation systems, a proven track record of driving platform adoption across large engineering organisations, strong system architecture and technical leadership skills, experience decomposing and evolving monolithic services in production, and the ability to mentor and elevate senior engineers while representing complex technical decisions to executive audiences.

Canva offers competitive compensation packages, including equity options, health benefits, and flexible leave policies. Employees have access to an annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support wellbeing, social connection, and office setup. The company fosters a collaborative and inclusive culture, providing opportunities for professional growth and development.