Job Description
<h3>📋 Description</h3> • As Canva grows, so does the impact and opportunity of our AI-powered features.
• We’re looking for a Research Lead to coach a team of world-class scientists, build on our foundational model roadmap, and turn academic breakthroughs into delightful product experiences.
• If you thrive in bridging deep research with practical application, and you love helping others grow while solving hard technical problems—this could be the role for you.
• You will lead and grow a team of high-performing research scientists who are advancing the future of AI at scale.
• Your focus will be on setting strategic research direction, coaching others to deliver impactful scientific contributions, and ensuring the translation of research into meaningful product capabilities.
• You’ll champion both scientific excellence and scalable impact, bridging foundational model innovation with real-world deployment across Canva’s platform.
• This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who is passionate about cultivating talent, shaping a research vision, and partnering cross-functionally to embed cutting-edge AI into delightful user experiences. <h3>🎯 Requirements</h3> • Have led research or applied science teams, with a strong track record of coaching and impact.
• Possess expert knowledge and experience with GANs, Diffusion Models, VAEs, and Autoregressive Models.
• Are deeply skilled in ML, AI, or foundational model development and training —and still enjoy being hands-on.
• Excel at translating cutting-edge research into practical, scalable solutions.
• Bring strategic thinking and scientific rigour to project direction and problem solving.
• Thrive in collaborative environments and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay current with research trends and are energised by continuous learning. <h3>🏖️ Benefits</h3> • Equity packages - we want our success to be yours too
• Inclusive parental leave policy that supports all parents & carers
• An annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support your wellbeing, social connection, home office setup & more
• Flexible leave options that empower you to be a force for good, take time to recharge and supports you personally