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.
Senior / Staff Software Engineer- Unified Modeling (Machine Learning - Perception)
$179K - $268K *
Transform the future of autonomous systems by developing advanced machine learning models for perception and detection. Collaborate with experts to transition cutting-edge algorithms from research to...
3 days ago
Manager, Product Management - Content Management Systems
$128K - $178K *
Lead the evolution of our CMS and AI web strategy, driving product vision and execution for public sector clients. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative, customer-focused solut...
2 weeks ago
Principal Machine Learning Engineer (Memory & Context)
$199K - $334K *
Champion the architecture and engineering of agent memory systems, leading the development of context-driven AI agents. Drive innovation and technical direction while collaborating across teams to enh...
2 weeks ago
$85K - $105K *
Champion customer success by leveraging data solutions to drive impactful results. Collaborate with clients to optimize their experience, ensuring seamless implementation and maximizing the value of o...
Reposted 4 days ago
Senior Cloud Infrastructure Engineer
$150K - $175K *
Shape the cloud infrastructure landscape by ensuring security, scalability, and efficiency. Collaborate with engineers to build resilient systems and drive best practices, enabling smooth deployment a...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Software Engineer, Security Platform
$155K - $175K *
Lead the development of robust security capabilities for a cutting-edge platform, ensuring secure identity and access management across diverse environments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to...
3 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Champion innovative paid marketing strategies to drive growth, manage budgets, and optimize performance across channels. Collaborate with teams to connect efforts and achieve measurable results in use...
3 weeks ago
Forward Deployed Engineer - MEP Design
$99K - $123K *
Unlock potential by transforming design priorities into actionable AI solutions, enhancing workflows and tools for MEP engineering teams. Collaborate closely with design leaders to drive efficiency an...
Today
$88K - $154K *
Analyze and enhance compensation strategies, ensuring competitive and compliant practices. Collaborate with HR and management to optimize job descriptions, conduct market analysis, and deliver insight...
2 weeks ago
$120K - $185K *
Join a dynamic team as you design and develop CAD plugins, ensuring seamless integration with civil design workflows and GIS systems. Collaborate closely with engineers to enhance data management and...
2 weeks ago
Staff Product Manager, Agentic Test Intelligence
$168K - $285K *
Lead the development of Test & Code Coverage capabilities, transforming complex challenges into actionable strategies. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance software quality and streamlin...
3 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Shape the future of healthcare IT by managing complex integration programs, driving Lean-Agile adoption, and ensuring successful delivery of enterprise reporting and analytics initiatives across multi...
4 days ago
$238K - $322K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of AI in security. Lead the technical vision for LLMs and agentic systems, driving innovation and mentoring talent while optimizing performance across multiple pr...
1 week ago
Staff Machine Learning Engineer
$156K - $275K *
Transform machine learning infrastructure by deploying scalable models, building pipelines, and ensuring model health across product and marketing workflows. Collaborate with data scientists and engin...
4 days ago
$150K - $195K *
Join a dynamic team to enhance product engagement for users across various platforms. Leverage data to understand user challenges and develop solutions that improve communication and conversion metric...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Senior Director of Engineering
$261K - $308K *
Transform Women's Health engineering by leading a high-impact team to deliver innovative software solutions. Collaborate across functions to shape strategy and drive organizational excellence while en...
1 week ago
$110K - $130K *
Lead the charge in optimizing database performance and security for critical systems. Collaborate with a dynamic team to enhance our data platform, ensuring high availability and compliance while ment...
3 days ago
Infotainment Software Verification Engineer
$110K - $130K *
Engineer the future of automotive infotainment systems by executing test scripts, managing defect resolution, and collaborating across engineering teams to enhance software quality and performance...
4 weeks ago
Autonomy Engineering Manager - Behavior Prediction and Intent
$190K - $250K *
Drive the strategic direction of intent and prediction systems, leading a specialized engineering team to integrate machine learning with robotics. Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure safety, tec...
1 week ago
IT Sr Software Engineer - Must have Window Command Line, PowerShell experience
$83K - $144K *
Advance your career by providing technical leadership in software support, analysis, and implementation. Collaborate with teams to enhance systems, ensuring quality and efficiency in upgrades and new...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$80K - $95K *
Transform airport advertising environments by conducting site visits, developing signage concepts, and collaborating with design teams. This role combines hands-on fieldwork with creative design to en...
2 weeks ago
Staff Product Manager, Agentic Planning
$168K - $285K *
Elevate the future of software planning by leading a team that integrates human and AI collaboration. Shape product direction, connect work to business priorities, and drive strategic decisions in a d...
Reposted 2 days ago
Staff Software Engineer, Data Systems (Python)
$190K - $220K *
Champion robust data integration while collaborating with cross-functional teams to design and optimize data pipelines, directly influencing our rapidly scaling marketing intelligence platform's succe...
Reposted 4 days ago
$155K - $190K *
Empower your career by leading presales technical efforts in AI Agent Security. Collaborate with Account Executives to drive evaluations, influence strategies, and articulate value to diverse stakehol...
Reposted yesterday
$135K - $160K *
Lead mobile solution design and architecture, translating business needs into robust software blueprints. Ensure design adherence, guide implementation teams, and uphold project integrity while collab...
Reposted today
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.