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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team of research scientists to innovate AI solutions and enhance product experiences.
- Company: Join Canva, a dynamic tech company transforming design with AI.
- Benefits: Equity packages, inclusive parental leave, flexible leave options, and wellness allowances.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI while mentoring top talent in a collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Experience leading research teams and expertise in generative models.
- Other info: Enjoy a vibrant workplace culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Join to apply for the Research Lead – Evaluations role at Canva
Overview
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.
About The Role
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.
At The Moment, This Role Is Focused On
- Coaching and mentoring a high-performing team of research scientists and machine learning engineers.
- Owning the evaluation strategy – Design and run robust evaluation frameworks—quality, safety, red-teaming, competitive benchmarking—to guarantee enterprise readiness and user delight at scale.
- Setting research strategy in alignment with Canva’s AI and product goals.
- Guiding technical direction across foundational model development, experimentation, and evaluation.
- Partnering cross-functionally to ensure research translates into product impact.
- Representing Canva in the global AI community through publications, talks, or open-source contributions.
You’re Probably a Match If You
- 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.
- Possess deep, hands-on expertise in training and evaluating generative models (Diffusion, GANs, VAEs, LLMs).
- Excel at creating data-driven evaluation methodologies, turning user analytics into clear, actionable insights.
- 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.
What’s in it for you?
Achieving our crazy big goals motivates us to work hard – and we do – but you\’ll experience lots of moments of magic, connectivity and fun woven throughout life at Canva, too. We also offer a stack of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work.
- 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
Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info.
Other Stuff To Know
We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance Canva and our culture. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.
Please note that interviews are predominantly conducted virtually.
Seniority level
- Mid-Senior level
Employment type
- Full-time
Job function
- Information Technology
Industries
- Software Development
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Research Lead - Evaluations employer: Canva
Contact Detail:
Canva Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Lead - Evaluations
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research Canva’s latest projects and think about how your skills can contribute. Show them you’re not just a fit, but the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or use online platforms. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll perform when it counts.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step.
We think you need these skills to ace Research Lead - Evaluations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Research Lead role. Highlight your experience with coaching teams and your expertise in generative models, as these are key aspects of what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Impact: When detailing your past roles, focus on the impact you've made. Use specific examples of how you've led research teams or developed evaluation strategies that resulted in successful product outcomes.
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We value authenticity and want to see who you are beyond your qualifications. Share your passion for AI and how it drives you in your work.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This ensures your application gets to the right people and helps us keep track of all candidates effectively. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Canva
✨Know Your Research Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest trends and breakthroughs in AI, especially around GANs, Diffusion Models, and VAEs. Be prepared to discuss how these can be applied practically at Canva, as this will show your deep understanding of the field.
✨Showcase Your Coaching Skills
Since this role involves mentoring a team, think of specific examples where you've successfully coached others. Highlight how you’ve helped team members grow and how you plan to foster a collaborative environment at Canva.
✨Prepare for Evaluation Strategies
Brush up on designing robust evaluation frameworks. Be ready to discuss your approach to quality assurance and user delight, and how you would implement these strategies at Canva to ensure enterprise readiness.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms, as you’ll need to communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences. This will demonstrate your ability to bridge gaps and work cross-functionally, which is key for this role.
