Performance engineers help software, applications, and digital systems run quickly, reliably, and efficiently. They identify bottlenecks, test performance under real-world conditions, and work with engineering teams to improve speed, scalability, and resilience. Explore vetted Performance Engineer opportunities paying $100,000 or more on Ladders.
Performance engineers plan and execute load, stress, and scalability tests; analyze system behavior; and turn findings into practical improvements. Depending on the role, they may focus on application response times, infrastructure capacity, database performance, or end-to-end user experience. They often partner with software developers, site reliability engineers, architects, and product teams.
Employers commonly seek experience with performance testing tools, scripting or programming, distributed systems, and cloud platforms. Knowledge of observability, profiling, networking, databases, and CI/CD can also be valuable. Strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate technical findings help engineers prioritize and deliver measurable improvements. Requirements vary by employer and seniority.
Performance engineering roles are found across technology, financial services, healthcare, e-commerce, and other industries that depend on reliable digital products. Professionals may advance into senior or lead engineering positions, performance architecture, site reliability engineering, or engineering management. Career paths depend on experience, technical specialization, and organizational needs.
Search Ladders for vetted Performance Engineer openings with salaries of $100,000 or more. Review each listing for responsibilities, required qualifications, compensation details, and work arrangements, then find opportunities that align with your skills and career goals.
Research Engineer - Pretraining
$150K - $350K *
Elevate your career by driving the development of advanced AI models, overseeing pretraining processes, and optimizing training systems to ensure successful outcomes in a collaborative, innovative env...
3 weeks ago
Senior Internal Auditor - Technology
$112K - $134K *
Transform the internal audit landscape by leading technology audits, enhancing frameworks, and leveraging generative AI tools to optimize workflows and compliance across financial and operational cont...
5 days ago
Staff Software Engineer, Vanta for Government
$150K - $180K *
Elevate your engineering career by leading innovative projects and driving strategic technology direction in a rapidly growing organization. Collaborate across teams to champion excellence and mentor...
Reposted 6 days ago
Automation Consultant - Layout Execution
$105K - $130K *
Lead the charge in executing automation projects across North America, focusing on facility layout and equipment installation while ensuring safety and operational excellence through collaboration and...
5 days ago
Writer/Content Designer, Conversion and Growth
$147K - $259K *
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to craft compelling content that simplifies complex financial decisions and enhances user experience, contributing to the evolution of content design standards...
Reposted 6 days ago
$100K - $125K *
Optimize game development by enhancing build systems and automating infrastructure. Collaborate with teams to ensure reliable deployments across multiple platforms, driving efficiency and innovation i...
1 week ago
$75K - $140K *
Partner with us to design and implement engaging training programs that enhance user adoption and support our Federal client. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create effective learning exper...
1 week ago
Staff Software Engineer (Insurance Tech)
$245K - $270K *
Shape the future as a hands-on engineer, architecting systems and driving best practices while crafting innovative solutions that leverage AI to enhance customer value and modernize legacy platforms...
Reposted 1 week ago
Manager, Customer Success Engineering
$124K - $210K *
Drive customer success by leading a team of engineers to enhance GitLab adoption, develop scalable enablement programs, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve measurable business outco...
3 weeks ago
$100K - $120K *
Join a team that's dedicated to building and enhancing robust full-stack solutions. You'll take ownership of features from design to deployment, collaborating with engineers to deliver high-quality, s...
3 weeks ago
Principal Engineer, Solutions Architecture - Networking
$142K - $203K *
Design and optimize AI-ready networking infrastructures to support high-performance computing and data-intensive workloads. Collaborate with customers to assess, plan, and implement scalable solutions...
Reposted 1 week ago
Staff Software Engineer, Containers
$205K - $231K *
Unlock potential by driving the technical direction and excellence of our stack. In this Staff Engineer role, you'll develop, mentor, and innovate within our Containers team, ensuring product quality...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Senior Application Security Engineer
$160K - $305K *
Drive application security excellence through threat modeling, vulnerability management, and secure code reviews. Collaborate globally with developers to enhance AI system security and implement best...
Reposted 1 week ago
$115K - $130K *
Champion innovative design solutions by integrating AI into user experiences, driving product evolution through collaboration with cross-functional teams, and enhancing customer engagement across dive...
1 week ago
Sr. QA Test Engineer (Quality Assurance)
$95K - $130K *
Transform the quality assurance landscape by leading manual and automated testing efforts, ensuring enterprise applications meet high standards for reliability, usability, and performance while collab...
3 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Shape the future of healthcare technology by leading Epic system upgrades and testing. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize system performance and ensure seamless integration across env...
6 days ago
$105K - $120K *
Join a team that's driving successful ERP and CRM software implementations. Lead projects, coordinate teams, and ensure timely delivery while achieving sales and profit targets. Collaborate with stake...
4 weeks ago
Staff R&D Product Engineer - Liquid Cooling & Cage Systems
$145K - $217K *
Shape the future of AI infrastructure by leading the design and development of innovative high-speed interconnect and thermal management solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive pro...
3 days ago
Staff Software Engineer - Files Platform
$158K - $248K *
Unlock potential by architecting scalable file management solutions, integrating distributed systems, and ensuring secure access for enterprise customers. Collaborate across teams to enhance data acce...
Reposted 6 days ago
Senior Platform Engineer - AI Platform
$168K - $236K *
Champion AI-driven platform development by designing robust systems for agentic workflows, integrating advanced features, and optimizing infrastructure to enhance operational efficiency and scalabilit...
Today
$90K - $110K *
Engage in comprehensive project management by overseeing MEP operations, coordinating subcontractors, and ensuring safety and quality standards are met throughout the construction process. Drive effic...
2 weeks ago
$140K - $175K *
Shape technical innovation by leading cross-team efforts in system architecture and development. Drive scalable improvements, mentor peers, and influence business outcomes while ensuring long-term mai...
Reposted 2 days ago
$125K - $150K *
Transform data integration in modern data centers by leading a team to design and implement edge collectors, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient onboarding across multiple sites while collabo...
1 week ago
$132K - $157K *
Join a team that's dedicated to ensuring compliance and transparency in financial reporting. As a Senior Data Analyst, you'll collaborate across departments to organize data, draw insights, and suppor...
3 weeks ago
$110K - $130K *
Shape the future of product design by transforming concepts into high-fidelity experiences. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance user interactions through innovative prototyping and AI-a...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
What is a Performance Engineer?
A Performance Engineer evaluates and improves the speed, capacity, stability, and efficiency of software and systems. The work often includes performance testing, identifying bottlenecks, analyzing results, and collaborating on fixes.
What does a Performance Engineer do day to day?
Typical responsibilities include designing load and stress tests, monitoring application and infrastructure behavior, investigating slowdowns, profiling code or services, and sharing recommendations with engineering teams. Duties vary by company and specialization.
What skills are useful for Performance Engineer jobs?
Useful skills may include performance testing, programming or scripting, systems and distributed architecture, cloud platforms, databases, observability, and data analysis. Employers may also value experience with CI/CD and clear technical communication.
Where do Performance Engineers work?
Performance Engineers work in industries that rely on digital services, including technology, financial services, healthcare, retail, and e-commerce. They may focus on applications, platforms, infrastructure, or end-to-end user experience.
How can I find Performance Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more?
Browse Performance Engineer listings on Ladders and review each posting for salary, responsibilities, qualifications, and work arrangements. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more.