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.
Engineering Manager, Integrations
$187K - $234K *
Empower the Integrations team to scale impact by leading third-party integrations, creating reusable capabilities, and fostering a collaborative culture that drives effective delivery and continuous i...
1 week ago
Application Engineer - Virtual Extender
$95K - $115K *
Innovate your career by developing cutting-edge virtual embedded control systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create and validate virtual electronic control units, enhancing automotive...
3 weeks ago
$150K - $180K *
Champion a team dedicated to Trust & Safety, enhancing platform security by preventing fraud and abuse. Lead engineering efforts to build detection systems and tools, ensuring customer protection whil...
3 days ago
$91K - $161K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of cloud IT by designing secure, scalable systems. Collaborate across the organization to implement innovative solutions and drive operational excellence, leverag...
Reposted 5 days ago
$120K - $140K *
Drive the development and optimization of GTM strategies, leveraging automation and campaign execution across multiple platforms to enhance pipeline generation and account prioritization in a dynamic...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$110K - $145K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of cloud infrastructure by leading engineering efforts for a cutting-edge Operational Decisioning Platform. Drive innovation, enhance developer experience, and en...
3 weeks ago
$120K - $140K *
Contribute to innovative cloud-native applications in the Access Domain, leading agile teams to enhance access to global learning resources while collaborating on modern architectures and ensuring cod...
2 days ago
$120K - $130K *
Transform your career by designing and delivering complex full-stack solutions using Java, Spring Boot, and Angular. Collaborate with teams to enhance engineering quality and lead technical initiative...
Reposted 1 week ago
$85K - $150K *
Drive transformation by guiding government clients through human-centered design, focusing on stakeholder engagement and change management to foster adaptability and mitigate resistance in evolving wo...
1 week ago
$85K - $150K *
Help us guide government clients through transformative change by leveraging human-centered design and change management strategies. Collaborate with stakeholders to enhance user experiences and drive...
1 week ago
Principal Backend Engineer, Enterpise Platform
$255K - $295K *
Lead the technical direction for foundational services, guiding architecture and execution across teams to enhance platform capabilities for customer and partner experiences. Mentor engineers and infl...
5 days ago
Senior Imaging Engineer (Central)
$80K - $130K *
Transform healthcare by providing expert imaging support in a dynamic hospital environment. Collaborate with clinical teams to ensure optimal performance of diagnostic systems, enhancing patient care...
1 week ago
$110K - $175K *
Elevate your career by managing innovative IT projects, leading Agile teams, and collaborating with stakeholders to enhance system solutions. Drive client satisfaction through effective project delive...
Reposted 1 week ago
$110K - $175K *
Lead the charge in delivering innovative technology solutions by managing Agile projects, guiding teams through the full development lifecycle, and ensuring high client satisfaction through effective...
1 week ago
$125K - $150K *
Join a team that's transforming a legacy platform by developing modern solutions in Next.js and .NET, where your coding will directly impact millions. Leverage your engineering skills in a hands-on, c...
Reposted 3 days ago
Project Manager - Capital Planning
$90K - $120K *
Optimize building assessments and capital projects while leading teams and managing client relationships. Oversee project scopes, budgets, and timelines to deliver impactful outcomes in a collaborativ...
Reposted 1 week ago
Principal Software Engineer, Agentic Data Platform
$255K - $290K *
Drive the technical vision for a complex database platform, ensuring scalability and performance. Lead architecture decisions, mentor engineers, and collaborate across teams to enhance data infrastruc...
3 weeks ago
Principal Full Stack Software Engineer (P60) — Growth
$174K - $273K *
Transform your career by leading innovative full stack solutions that bridge frontend and backend systems. Drive growth engineering initiatives while mentoring teams and ensuring operational excellenc...
1 week ago
Senior Render Engineer: Rendering / Metal / DirectX / OpenGL / FFmpeg
$120K - $145K *
Lead the charge in optimizing our rendering system, enhancing performance and user experience across cutting-edge video technologies. Collaborate with a dynamic team to push the boundaries of audio an...
4 days ago
$140K - $175K *
Develop innovative software solutions that enhance access to mental and physical health services. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable applications, ensuring quality and perform...
6 days ago
Principal Software Engineer, AI
$160K - $190K *
Design and build AI-driven agents for complex workflows, enhancing user experience and infrastructure. Collaborate closely with teams to ensure high-quality product delivery and continuous improvement...
4 days ago
$150K - $266K *
Transform mortality analytics by leading actuarial assumption modeling, translating complex insights into competitive strategies. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance product offerings a...
Reposted 5 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Elevate incident response capabilities by developing dashboards and alerts, optimizing cloud performance, and ensuring security compliance. Collaborate with product teams to enhance IAM needs while dr...
2 weeks ago
Solutions Consultant Performance Software
$110K - $130K *
Strategize customer success by leveraging performance software solutions to enhance operational efficiency, safety, and reliability across diverse industries, ensuring effective project execution and...
3 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Vehicle Performance Metrics
$172K - $229K *
Join a dynamic team to enhance autonomous vehicle performance through innovative software tools and metrics. Collaborate cross-functionally to drive technical strategy and ensure data quality, contrib...
4 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.