Systems Performance Engineers help organizations make software and infrastructure faster, more reliable, and more efficient. They measure performance, identify bottlenecks, and partner with engineering teams to improve systems across applications, operating systems, networks, and cloud environments. Explore vetted Systems Performance Engineer opportunities on Ladders, including roles with salaries of $100,000 or more.
These engineers investigate how systems behave under real-world and peak workloads. Their work may include designing benchmarks, analyzing metrics and traces, profiling applications, conducting load and stress tests, and recommending improvements. Depending on the organization, they may focus on distributed services, databases, compute platforms, embedded systems, or large-scale infrastructure.
Employers often seek experience with performance analysis, benchmarking, observability, and troubleshooting complex systems. Useful technical skills may include programming in languages such as C++, Java, Go, or Python; knowledge of Linux and operating systems; distributed systems and networking fundamentals; and familiarity with cloud platforms and monitoring tools. Strong analytical thinking and the ability to communicate findings across teams are also valuable.
Systems Performance Engineers work in industries where speed, scale, and uptime matter, including technology, cloud computing, finance, telecommunications, and enterprise software. Career paths may lead to senior or staff engineering positions, performance architecture, site reliability engineering, infrastructure leadership, or specialized systems research. Responsibilities and qualifications vary by employer and role.
Search Ladders for Systems Performance Engineer jobs and discover vetted professional opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more. Compare roles by employer, location, and experience level to find openings aligned with your skills and career goals.
$80K - $95K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of defense simulation. As a Systems Engineer, support the TASD program through requirements development, data analysis, and collaborative modeling to enhance our...
Reposted 4 days ago
Application Reliability Engineer
$100K - $130K *
Engage with us to enhance platform reliability as you troubleshoot and resolve issues across our AdTech stack. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, own investigations, and drive improvements to en...
2 weeks ago
$90K - $105K *
Support the construction lifecycle by assisting in project delivery tasks, ensuring compliance with design specifications and industry standards while collaborating with teams to implement data center...
4 days ago
Platform Engineer, Central Integrations, Reliability & Performance
$85K - $110K *
Drive platform reliability and performance by engineering integrations, monitoring systems, and optimizing operational analytics. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance business-critical s...
Reposted today
System Software Development Engineer
$149K - $211K *
Lead the charge in developing and optimizing system software across multiple layers, collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions for next-generation computing systems whi...
3 days ago
System Software Development Engineer
$149K - $211K *
Join a dynamic team to design and develop innovative software solutions across multiple layers of the system stack, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance next-gen computing systems and...
3 days ago
Principal Engineer - Systems (Unix Systems Administrator)
$75K - $232K *
Elevate your career by engineering and securing critical Linux and FreeBSD infrastructures. As a key technical authority, you'll ensure compliance with federal standards while managing both on-premise...
1 week ago
$101K - $145K *
Drive the success of infrastructure projects by managing engineering processes, ensuring compliance with standards, and optimizing collaboration among cross-functional teams to achieve project goals e...
3 weeks ago
Systems Engineer/Systems Modelling Engineer
$180K - $220K *
Engineer system excellence by developing models and simulations that enhance SoC/IP project outcomes. Collaborate across teams to define requirements while optimizing architectures for performance, po...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Senior Technical Support Engineer
$120K - $137K *
Empower customers as a Senior Technical Support Engineer, solving complex technical issues with modern tools while enhancing user experience, collaborating with engineering, and shaping innovative sup...
2 weeks ago
Senior Staff Linux Security Engineer
$250K - $300K *
Elevate your career by enhancing Linux kernel security for cutting-edge AI cloud solutions. Collaborate cross-functionally to implement robust security measures, conduct vulnerability research, and le...
1 week ago
$83K - $118K *
Join a dynamic team to design and develop innovative software solutions, addressing complex engineering challenges through collaboration, agile practices, and continuous improvement in a fast-paced en...
3 weeks ago
Senior Staff Program Lead, Cloud Engineering Operations
$230K - $280K *
Transform Engineering Operations by leading accountability and metrics to ensure operational excellence. Drive strategic initiatives, enhance collaboration across teams, and shape the function's growt...
1 week ago
Senior Staff Program Lead, Cloud Engineering Operations
$230K - $280K *
Transform Engineering Operations by leading accountability and metrics across teams. Drive improvements in SLOs, incident management, and operational data to ensure customer commitments are met. Shape...
1 week ago
$88K - $154K *
Lead the charge in high-quality process design for complex industrial projects, collaborating across disciplines to ensure effective delivery from concept to detail, while driving execution in a dynam...
3 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Support client interactions by leading technical discussions, conducting live demos, and driving failure analysis. Leverage your expertise in hardware and optics to enhance product feedback and ensure...
6 days ago
Process Engineer - Life Sciences
$75K - $105K *
Innovate within the life sciences sector by leading process design efforts, developing engineering solutions, and collaborating across disciplines to enhance sophisticated manufacturing and research f...
1 week ago
Hardware Diagnostics Engineer - Infrastructure
$88K - $105K *
Join a team that's dedicated to ensuring hardware reliability through rigorous testing and diagnostics. You'll manage server burn-in processes, troubleshoot failures, and collaborate with vendors to m...
2 weeks ago
Principal Reliability Engineer
$120K - $145K *
Join us to enhance the reliability, scalability, and performance of critical production services. As a key contributor, you'll drive architectural standards and provide technical guidance to elevate o...
1 week ago
Principal Reliability Engineer
$120K - $145K *
Transform enterprise reliability and performance as a key contributor, driving architectural standards and enhancing backend scalability. Collaborate with diverse teams to elevate service lifecycle an...
1 week ago
Senior DevOps Platform Engineer
$106K - $147K *
Unlock potential by driving enterprise-scale DevOps solutions across Azure and GCP. Lead the design and implementation of secure cloud platforms, CI/CD pipelines, and automation tools to enhance softw...
Today
Senior DevOps Platform Engineer
$106K - $147K *
Join a team that's driving innovation in cloud and DevOps platforms. Leverage your expertise to enhance secure software delivery, optimize CI/CD pipelines, and support enterprise-scale operations acro...
Today
Senior DevOps Platform Engineer
$106K - $147K *
Advance your career by designing and supporting secure cloud and DevOps platforms. Drive enterprise-scale software delivery through CI/CD pipelines and Kubernetes, while ensuring compliance and operat...
Today
Senior DevOps Platform Engineer
$106K - $147K *
Empower enterprise-scale software delivery by designing and supporting secure cloud and DevOps platforms across Azure and GCP, enhancing developer productivity and operational excellence through moder...
Today
Senior DevOps Platform Engineer
$106K - $147K *
Drive your career with a Senior DevOps Platform Engineer role focused on designing and supporting secure cloud infrastructures and CI/CD pipelines across Azure and GCP, enhancing software delivery and...
Today
What is a Systems Performance Engineer?
A Systems Performance Engineer measures and improves the speed, capacity, and efficiency of software and infrastructure. The role typically involves benchmarking, profiling, workload analysis, and working with engineering teams to resolve performance bottlenecks.
What skills are important for Systems Performance Engineer jobs?
Commonly valued skills include performance testing and profiling, programming, Linux and operating systems knowledge, distributed systems, networking, cloud platforms, and observability tools. Requirements differ by employer and specialization.
Where do Systems Performance Engineers work?
They work across sectors that depend on responsive, reliable technology, including software, cloud services, finance, telecommunications, and enterprise technology.
How can I find Systems Performance Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more?
Browse Systems Performance Engineer openings on Ladders, which features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more. Review each listing for its compensation details, location, and qualifications.