Senior C++ Engineer (iOS/macOS) - Affinity

Canva; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech company in the UK is seeking a skilled UI developer proficient in C++ and Objective-C. This role involves building high-performance user interfaces and collaborating with design teams to deliver top-notch applications. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in iOS and macOS development with a strong focus on usability and performance. The position offers a supportive and inclusive work environment with various benefits.

Benefits

Equity packages

Inclusive parental leave policy

Annual wellbeing allowance

Flexible leave options

Qualifications

• Several years of experience in Objective-C and C++.
• Hands-on iOS or macOS development experience with strong knowledge of Xcode.
• Proven ability to build high-quality, maintainable applications.
• Strong GUI development skills for Mac and iOS, focusing on usability and performance.
• Solid foundation in object-oriented design and design patterns.

Responsibilities

• Build high-performance, elegant UIs in C++ and Objective-C.
• Contribute to architectural decisions across shared libraries and components.
• Optimise code for responsiveness, memory usage, and performance.
• Work on UI that feels native to macOS and iOS.
• Debug and improve complex systems across the Affinity product suite.
• Collaborate with design and QA to deliver pixel-perfect implementations.

Skills

Objective-C

C++

iOS development

macOS development

Xcode

GUI development

object-oriented design

attention to detail

Job description

Job Description

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hiya, g'day, mabuhay, kia ora, 你好, hallo, vítejte!

Thanks for stopping by. We know job hunting can be a little time consuming and you're probably keen to find out what's on offer, so we'll get straight to the point.

Where and how you can work

The buzzing Canva London campus features several buildings around beautiful leafy Hoxton Square in Shoreditch. While our global headquarters is in Sydney, Australia, London is our HQ for Europe, with all kinds of teams based here, plus event spaces to gather our team and communities. You'll experience a warm welcome from our Vibe team at front of house, amazing home cooked food from our Head Chef and a variety of workspaces to hang out with your team mates or get solo work done. That said, we trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals and so you have choice in where and how you work.

What you’d be doing in this role

As Canva scales change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that's all part of the fun. So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you'll be working on when you start, but this will likely evolve.

At the moment, this role is focused on:

• Build high-performance, elegant UIs in C++ and Objective-C

• Contribute to architectural decisions across shared libraries and components

• Optimise code for responsiveness, memory usage, and performance

• Work on UI that feels native to macOS and iOS — mouse, touch, and stylus

• Debug and improve complex systems across the Affinity product suite

• Collaborate with design and QA to deliver pixel-perfect implementations

• Continuously learn and keep pace with Apple’s evolving frameworks

You're probably a match if

• You have several years of experience in Objective-C and C++

• Your bring hands-on iOS or macOS development experience, with strong knowledge of Xcode

• You have the proven ability to build high-quality, maintainable applications

• You possess strong GUI development skills for Mac and iOS, with a focus on usability and performance

• You have solid foundation in object-oriented design and design patterns

• You have experience with vector, DTP, or imaging applications (a plus)

• You can showacase a high attention to detail and pride in writing clean, reliable code

• You are a clear communicator who enjoys learning, collaborating, and solving complex problems

About the team

We’re on a mission to empower creatives everywhere with world-class, fast, and intuitive creative software applications. The Affinity team brings together passionate engineers, designers, and product experts to redefine how professionals and enthusiasts approach photo editing, vector design, and layout. Our work enables creators across industries to bring their ideas to life, and every innovation we ship helps them do it faster, smarter, and more beautifully. We're a close-knit team that values performance, precision, rich UI and pushing creative boundaries.

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 range of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work.

Here's a taste of what's on offer:

• 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, 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.

We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above - we still want to hear from you!

Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.