About this role
Leonardo.Ai builds creative AI tools used by millions of people every day. Our mission is to help individuals and teams bring ideas to life more easily by using AI that is powerful yet approachable.
In late 2024, Leonardo.Ai was acquired by Canva, giving us long-term backing and the opportunity to scale globally. As generative AI becomes embedded in professional workflows, the foundations of trust, reliability, governance, and integration matter more than ever.
The Role:
We’re hiring a Senior Software Engineer to join our Enterprise & Integrations Tribe.
This role is designed for engineers who have operated production systems for multiple years, supported real customers, and observed how systems perform under real-world pressure. You understand that good design isn’t proven at launch, it’s proven over time.
You’ll work on backend systems that allow Leonardo.Ai to function reliably in high-trust, professional environments, supporting enterprise customers, partners, and deep product integrations.
The work is practical, collaborative, and closely tied to real-world use, not abstract infrastructure for its own sake.
You’ve likely been on-call for systems you helped design, navigated at least one uncomfortable incident, and used those experiences to build better systems afterwards.
What the Team Owns:
The Enterprise & Integrations Tribe focuses on how Leonardo.Ai works at scale in professional and enterprise contexts, including:
Authentication and access boundaries that reflect how organisations actually operate
Enterprise APIs and partner integrations, including deep platform integrations with Canva
Billing, usage, and entitlement models that keep AI usage fair, transparent, and predictable
Reliability, compliance, and observability across customer-critical systems
The core challenge is simple to describe, but difficult to do well:
helping organisations use generative AI safely, predictably, and at scale.
What You’ll Work On:
As a Senior Engineer in this tribe, you’ll work on long-lived platform systems where decisions compound over time. Your work may include:
Designing and evolving enterprise-grade backend services used directly by customers and partners
Building stable APIs and integrations that support complex workflows without slowing the platform
Developing billing, usage, and entitlement systems aligned to changing AI consumption patterns
Improving observability and reliability, using real system and usage data to guide decisions
Translating probabilistic AI behaviour into predictable, governable product experiences
Responding to incidents and using real failures and edge cases to strengthen systems over time
This is not feature churn. This is foundational work that organisations depend on.
How We Work:
Engineering at Leonardo.Ai is organised into small, stable squads (typically 4–6 people) within clearly defined tribes.
Squads are cross-functional, with engineers working closely alongside Product, Design, and Machine Learning partners. Teams stay together long enough to deeply understand their domain, learn from real customer behaviour, and refine technical judgment, rather than rotating through short-term projects.
Engineers own systems end-to-end: from design and delivery through to production support and evolution.
What We’re Looking For:
We’re looking for senior engineers who combine strong technical foundations with sound judgment and clear communication.
Skills We Love:
Strong experience building and operating backend services in production
Hands-on experience with Node.js and AWS-based infrastructure
Comfort owning complex, evolving systems used by external customers or partners
Experience balancing product requirements, reliability, and governance
A pragmatic approach to documentation, incident response, and system evolution
Interest in enterprise SaaS, integrations, platform APIs, or governance layers
You don’t need prior AI or enterprise-sales experience. You need to be comfortable building systems in which trust, contracts, and reliability are non-negotiable.
Our Culture:
Inclusive Culture: We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered. At Leonardo AI, your unique perspectives and experiences are welcomed and essential to our success.
Flexible Work Environment: We understand the importance of work-life balance. Enjoy the flexibility to work remotely or from our vibrant offices. We have employees all over Australia, ensuring you can thrive personally and professionally.
Empowering Growth: Your development is our priority. We offer continuous learning opportunities and career growth tailored to your goals. You’ll be encouraged to grow and excel in your career at Leonardo AI.
Impactful Work: Join us in shaping the future of AI. You'll work on innovative projects that have a meaningful impact, and your contributions will help drive advancements in AI creativity.
What's in it for you?
A range of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work. Here's a taste of what's on offer:
Impact the future of AI
Reward package including equity - we want our success to be yours too
Inclusive parental leave policy that supports all parents & carers with 18 weeks paid leave
An annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support your wellbeing, social connection, office setup & more
Flexible leave options that empower you to be a force for good, take time to recharge and support you personally, including remote working abroad
Support with your professional development
Fun and engaging company events, both virtual and in-person
Next Steps:
Ready to revolutionise AI research and empower creativity worldwide? Apply now and join us at Leonardo.Ai to make a significant impact! We're rapidly expanding and seeking passionate people in various AI roles.
Don't hesitate! Even if you don't meet every requirement, consider applying and joining our innovative journey. We encourage you to apply and start the conversation, whether you’re based locally in New Zealand or overseas.