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.
Senior GenAI & High Performance Computing (HPC) Delivery Engineer
$153K - $199K *
Champion innovative HPC and GenAI solutions by deploying and optimizing GPU systems. Engage directly with clients to deliver cutting-edge infrastructure, ensuring high performance and reliability acro...
Reposted yesterday
$106K - $135K *
Join a team that's dedicated to supporting and optimizing IT systems, providing troubleshooting and maintenance, and ensuring excellent user assistance while managing day-to-day operations and escalat...
3 weeks ago
$106K - $135K *
Engage in system administration, troubleshooting, and maintenance of IT systems. Lead daily operations, optimize performance, and provide Tier 1 & 2 support while ensuring compliance and security in a...
3 weeks ago
Member of Technical Staff - Storage Infrastructure
$150K - $300K *
Innovate storage architectures for AI workloads, ensuring high-throughput access to datasets while balancing performance, durability, and cost as GPU clusters scale. Collaborate with teams to enhance...
6 days ago
Staff Software Engineer, Reliability Engineer- Order Up (Remote)
$120K - $190K *
Elevate your career by leading a dynamic engineering team to design and build innovative software solutions. Collaborate across functions to enhance product quality and mentor junior engineers while d...
Yesterday
Software Infrastucture Engineer
$150K - $250K *
Join a team that's building cutting-edge cybersecurity products from inception. You will architect and implement large-scale systems, focusing on embedded solutions and software management while advan...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$159K - $239K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of IT infrastructure by optimizing Linux systems, enhancing virtualization, and driving automation. Contribute significantly to high-performance computing and men...
3 weeks ago
Senior Infrastructure Engineer
$135K - $160K *
Join a dynamic team to deploy and manage cloud-native AI infrastructure across diverse client environments, ensuring compliance and security while collaborating with product and research teams to driv...
1 week ago
Senior Infrastructure Engineer
$135K - $160K *
Join a team that's transforming cloud infrastructure for institutional investors. You'll deploy and manage AI solutions across various cloud environments, ensuring security and compliance while collab...
1 week ago
Senior Supplier Quality Engineer, Battery/UPS
$144K - $208K *
Optimize manufacturing processes for Battery/UPS components, ensuring quality and reliability from design to end-of-life. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive product launches and enhance...
4 days ago
Principal Test Automation Engineer
$150K - $180K *
Innovate AI-driven automation across the software development lifecycle, enhancing build, CI, testing, and release processes. Collaborate with engineers to establish foundational tools and methodologi...
4 days ago
$115K - $162K *
Unlock your potential in semiconductor innovation by driving yield and reliability improvements. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to analyze data, develop methodologies, and enhance processes...
1 week ago
$115K - $219K *
Drive yield improvement by analyzing defects and collaborating on solutions. Utilize data analysis tools to identify root causes and lead continuous improvement projects, enhancing process capabilitie...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$115K - $219K *
Unlock potential as you analyze manufacturing data and drive yield improvements in advanced semiconductor technologies, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance product quality and manufac...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$115K - $219K *
Unlock potential by joining a dynamic team focused on advanced semiconductor yield strategies, driving improvements throughout technology lifecycle, collaborating across disciplines to enhance manufac...
3 weeks ago
Manager, Site Reliability Engineering
$130K - $160K *
Join a team that's dedicated to building resilient infrastructure and leading a skilled SRE group. You'll drive incident management, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and leverage AI to enha...
6 days ago
Manager, Site Reliability Engineering
$130K - $155K *
Champion reliability by leading a skilled SRE team to enhance infrastructure, automate processes, and integrate AI solutions, ensuring optimal performance and incident management while fostering a cul...
6 days ago
Electrical Engineer - Forward Deployed
$95K - $115K *
Transform your career by deploying cutting-edge electrical systems in maritime environments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate and troubleshoot technologies, ensuring operational su...
6 days ago
Electrical Engineer - Forward Deployed
$95K - $115K *
Transform maritime technology by deploying innovative electrical systems in real-world environments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate and troubleshoot complex systems, ensuring mis...
6 days ago
Senior Software Engineer, Systems Licensing Technologies
$130K - $140K *
Transform systems software through collaboration with cross-functional teams to enhance licensing technologies. Drive innovation and streamline development for diverse A10 platforms, ensuring robust s...
Reposted 5 days ago
$130K - $260K *
Build and manage Cisco SANs, configure settings, and ensure optimal operations. Collaborate with teams to enhance storage systems in VMware environments while addressing security protocols and mainten...
Reposted yesterday
$130K - $260K *
Lead the design and maintenance of secure systems in diverse environments, ensuring they meet enterprise-scale requirements while driving automation and compliance. Collaborate on strategic A&A activi...
Reposted 1 week ago
Service Reliability Engineer, G&A Solutions Engineering
$110K - $130K *
Join a team that's dedicated to enhancing the reliability and efficiency of mission-critical services. You will collaborate with engineers to automate processes while maintaining the stability of larg...
3 weeks ago
Senior Process Improvement Engineer - 1481
$80K - $95K *
Unlock potential by leading process improvements in carded needle-punch nonwoven manufacturing. Drive efficiency, quality, and consistency through hands-on collaboration with production teams and data...
2 weeks ago
$91K - $163K *
Drive innovation in cloud infrastructure by designing and managing secure, scalable solutions on Microsoft Azure. Collaborate with engineering teams to optimize performance, automate processes, and me...
6 days ago
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.