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.
Sr Manager Technology - API Platform
$173K - $211K *
Champion the execution of API strategies, leading teams to deliver secure enterprise APIs and innovative solutions while aligning technology with business goals and fostering a high-performing enginee...
1 week ago
Staff Software Engineer, Onboarding
$217K - $303K *
Lead the charge in shaping innovative backend systems to enhance user onboarding experiences. Collaborate across teams to foster a growth mindset, advocate for engineering excellence, and ensure metri...
Reposted 3 days ago
Senior Technical Program Manager
$110K - $130K *
Advance program execution by leading cross-functional teams to deliver AI initiatives. Collaborate with remote developers, manage Agile processes, and ensure alignment with business goals while drivin...
2 weeks ago
$85K - $115K *
Shape user-centric digital experiences by collaborating with cross-functional teams to design intuitive products that enhance participant engagement and operational workflows. Drive design from concep...
1 week ago
Principal / Senior Staff Backend Engineer
$200K - $250K *
Innovate and shape the technical strategy for a cutting-edge exchange platform. Lead high-impact initiatives, mentor engineers, and drive architectural decisions in a regulated environment to enhance...
2 weeks ago
Senior Sales Engineer, Data Products
$125K - $160K *
Join a team that's redefining data solutions by leading technical sales efforts, collaborating with Account Managers, and driving customer success through innovative data architecture and tailored dem...
2 weeks ago
$120K - $185K *
Transform the future of engineering design by leading diverse teams to deliver high-quality electrical engineering solutions. Drive project success through strategic oversight, mentoring, and adherenc...
1 week ago
$80K - $95K *
Drive quality assurance excellence by leading the development of scalable processes that enhance student recruitment and enrollment, ensuring compliance and continuous improvement across all interacti...
2 weeks ago
Staff Android Engineer, Android Platform
$217K - $303K *
Advance the Android Platform by leading technical direction and cross-team initiatives, focusing on client health, developer experience, and app architecture to enhance performance and reliability for...
Reposted 2 days ago
$164K - $229K *
Contribute to the success of data initiatives by developing robust data pipelines and tools. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure data quality and reliability, empowering colleagues to en...
Reposted 2 days ago
Electrical/Solar Engineer- June 2027
$77K - $93K *
Join us to design and generate construction documents for commercial and industrial solar PV systems, ensuring technical accuracy and detailed specifications while collaborating with clients and stake...
6 days ago
Senior Manager, Product Security Office
$200K - $250K *
Champion product security initiatives by leading a skilled team, architecting compliance frameworks, and managing incident response to enhance trust across all products and stakeholders...
1 week ago
Senior AI Engineer with RAG and Agentic architectures
$138K - $165K *
Champion the development of LLM-powered applications and agentic systems. Drive complex use cases from ambiguous problems to production, ensuring high-quality and scalable AI solutions that address us...
Reposted 1 week ago
$120K - $145K *
Transform the e-commerce landscape by leading backend architecture and integrations on Adobe Commerce. Drive performance optimization, mentor developers, and ensure operational reliability while colla...
Reposted 2 days ago
Software Engineer (Time & Billing)
$115K - $120K *
Innovate solutions for time capture and billing in a dynamic team. Leverage AI tools to enhance software development, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in invoicing processes while collaborating across...
1 week ago
Senior Electrical Engineer - Power Studies
$125K - $165K *
Lead advanced power system studies while mentoring engineers and driving innovative solutions for grid modernization and renewable energy integration. Collaborate with teams to ensure accuracy and hig...
Reposted 1 week ago
$75K - $100K *
Elevate your career by leading residential capital projects from inception to completion. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure timely, budget-friendly delivery of managed WiFi solutions w...
5 days ago
Infrastructure & LiveOps Engineer
$100K - $120K *
Take ownership of game infrastructure and LiveOps, ensuring system health and performance through automation, monitoring, and cloud provisioning. Collaborate with teams to enhance deployment pipelines...
4 weeks ago
Software Engineer III - Full Stack (Drupal)
$105K - $110K *
Drive innovation as a Software Engineer III, enhancing full-stack capabilities and mentoring junior developers while collaborating with stakeholders to improve engineering processes and deliver impact...
Reposted 5 days ago
Staff Machine Learning Engineer
$200K - $250K *
Unlock potential by designing and deploying AI-driven solutions while leading execution teams and interfacing with customers. Drive innovation and deliver impactful results across complex projects in...
Reposted 1 week ago
Data Center Substation, Protection & Automation Engineer
$320K - $405K *
Engineer cutting-edge protection and automation systems for high-voltage substations, ensuring reliable power distribution and integration across our infrastructure portfolio. Collaborate with teams t...
1 week ago
Manager, Design Engineering - Optical
$84K - $130K *
Lead a dynamic team of Optical Design Engineers to innovate and implement cutting-edge DWDM network solutions, ensuring project success and exceeding performance targets while collaborating across dep...
3 weeks ago
$140K - $165K *
Accelerate progress at transforming raw data into trusted analytics, enabling wealth advisors and teams to derive insights. This hands-on senior role influences data practices, mentors peers, and part...
4 days ago
$160K - $220K *
Optimize market operations by managing risk and ensuring compliance in trade processes. You'll monitor performance, resolve client issues, and drive operational improvements to safeguard trading integ...
Reposted 5 days ago
$114K - $171K *
Empower product compliance by leading safety and performance standards adherence across engineering and manufacturing operations, ensuring regulatory alignment and collaboration with cross-functional...
2 days 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.