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Performance Engineer Jobs in Madison, WI (NOW HIRING)

Extreme Engineering Solutions

DevOps Engineer

Verona, WI · On-site

$54 - $74/hr

Monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and propose solutions to improve DevOps processes. * Craft and oversee documentation related to DevOps strategies, procedures, and toolchains.

Sharpe Engineering

Process Engineer

Madison, WI · On-site

Sharpe Engineering & Equipment is seeking an experienced Process Engineer to support the design ... Prepare performance specifications and RFQs, and coordinate with vendors throughout the equipment ...

Sharpe Engineering

Process Engineer

Madison, WI · On-site

Sharpe Engineering & Equipment is seeking an experienced Process Engineer to support the design ... Prepare performance specifications and RFQs, and coordinate with vendors throughout the equipment ...

W3Global Inc.

Manufacturing Engineer

Watertown, WI · On-site

$100K - $130K/yr

Role - Continuous Improvement Engineer Location - Watertown, WI Work Type - Full-time / On-site ... This role focuses on improving safety, quality, productivity, and cost performance by leading data ...

Actalent

Electrical Engineer

Janesville, WI

Electrical Engineer - RF Fuze and Electronics Systems This full-time electrical engineer role ... Perform board-level functional and RF testing of electronic assemblies to validate performance and ...

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Performance Engineer information

See Madison, WI salary details

$11

$60

$98

How much do performance engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average hourly pay for performance engineer in Madison, WI is $60.56, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49.66 and $68.56 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Performance Engineer vs Software Test Engineer?

AspectPerformance EngineerSoftware Test Engineer
Primary FocusOptimizing system performance, load testing, scalabilityFunctional testing, bug identification, feature validation
Required SkillsPerformance testing tools, scripting, system analysisTest case design, automation, defect tracking
Work EnvironmentDevelopment teams, QA, DevOpsQA teams, development teams
CertificationsPerformance testing certifications (e.g., JMeter, LoadRunner)ISTQB, software testing certifications

Performance Engineers focus on system performance, scalability, and load testing, ensuring applications run efficiently under stress. Software Test Engineers primarily verify functionality and identify bugs. While both roles require testing skills, Performance Engineers specialize in performance metrics and optimization, making their roles complementary but distinct.

What jobs make $1,000,000 per year?

Performance engineers typically do not earn $1,000,000 annually; such high salaries are more common in executive roles, successful entrepreneurs, or highly specialized positions in finance, technology, or consulting. Top-tier executives, founders, and certain investment professionals can reach or exceed this income level, often through bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing. Performance engineering roles generally offer competitive salaries but rarely reach the million-dollar mark without additional compensation components or equity.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Performance Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Performance Engineer, you need strong analytical abilities, a solid understanding of software architecture, and experience with load testing and profiling, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as JMeter, LoadRunner, New Relic, and monitoring systems, as well as scripting languages, is typically required. Excellent problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help distinguish top performers in this role. These skills and qualities are crucial for identifying system bottlenecks, optimizing performance, and ensuring a seamless user experience.

What engineers make $500,000 a year?

Performance engineers, especially those in senior or specialized roles with extensive experience, advanced skills in testing and optimization, and certifications, can earn salaries approaching or exceeding $500,000 annually. Such compensation often includes bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing, particularly in high-demand industries like technology and finance. Achieving this level typically requires a combination of technical expertise, leadership, and a track record of delivering significant performance improvements.

What engineers make 200,000 a year?

Performance engineers, along with software engineers, data engineers, and certain specialized roles in technology companies, can earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with experience, advanced skills, and certifications. High salaries are often associated with senior positions, leadership roles, or those working in competitive tech markets and industries requiring expertise in performance optimization, cloud infrastructure, or large-scale systems.

What do performance engineers do?

Performance engineers analyze and optimize the speed, scalability, and reliability of software systems. They use tools like load testing and monitoring to identify bottlenecks and ensure applications meet performance requirements, often working closely with development and QA teams. Strong knowledge of scripting, performance testing tools, and system architecture is essential for this role.

What is a Performance Engineer?

A Performance Engineer is a professional who ensures that software applications and systems run efficiently and meet performance requirements. They analyze, test, and optimize system performance by identifying bottlenecks, conducting load and stress testing, and recommending improvements. Performance Engineers work closely with development and operations teams to ensure that applications can handle expected user loads and deliver a smooth user experience. Their work is crucial in preventing slowdowns, crashes, and other performance-related issues in production environments.

What Is Performance Engineering?

Performance engineering is the development of software solutions for specific business problems. As a performance engineer, your responsibilities are to identify issues, whether for a particular company or an industry, and develop software that directly addresses them. To become a performance engineer, you need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer engineering, two to five years of information technology (IT) work experience, and excellent problem solving skills. Organizations like HyPerformix offer professional certifications, like their Enterprise Performance Engineering program, which can significantly boost your qualifications. Your additional job duties include performing routine maintenance and service, experimenting with possible solutions in the test environment, and monitoring system performance.

What are some common challenges Performance Engineers face when optimizing complex systems?

Performance Engineers often encounter challenges such as identifying bottlenecks in multi-tiered or distributed systems, balancing trade-offs between speed and resource consumption, and ensuring that performance improvements do not compromise system reliability. They frequently work with cross-functional teams, requiring strong communication skills to translate technical findings into actionable recommendations. Staying up-to-date with evolving tools and best practices is also essential, as technology stacks and performance benchmarks continually change.
More about Performance Engineer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Performance Engineer jobs in Madison, WI? The most popular types of Performance Engineer jobs in Madison, WI are:
What are popular job titles related to Performance Engineer jobs in Madison, WI? For Performance Engineer jobs in Madison, WI, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Performance Engineer jobs in Madison, WI look for? The top searched job categories for Performance Engineer jobs in Madison, WI are:
Performance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Performance Engineer job openings in Madison, WI as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $125,972 per year, or $60.6 per hour.
DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineer

Extreme Engineering Solutions

Verona, WI • On-site

$54 - $74/hr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 16 days ago

Job description

Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES) is seeking a DevOps Engineer for our Software Engineering department. As a DevOps Engineer you will play a pivotal role in enhancing our software development lifecycle and continuous delivery practices. You will work alongside a collaborative team, employing your skills to work across engineering and manufacturing departments to develop and maintain applications focused on bridging services and solving unique problems. This role requires writing and maintaining applications, database administration and schema development, automating processes, maintaining and developing tools for on-prem LLM infrastructure.
X-ES is an industry leader in the design, manufacture, and support of embedded computing solutions for compute-intensive applications. Located on the far west side of Madison, WI, X-ES offers a range of products from commercial-grade to fully ruggedized boards and systems, including COTS products and bespoke solutions.
Our work spans across demanding sectors such as military, communications, commercial, and industrial markets. At X-ES, we are proud to be a 100% employee-owned company through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), ensuring that our team members are invested in and benefit from our collective success.
Duties and Responsibilities
  • Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines, web and cli applications, deployment infrastructures, and AI-assisted engineering tools to enable seamless software releases.
  • Implement automation to streamline our workflows, ensuring consistency, and reducing complexity.
  • Interface with various teams to translate complex requirements into deployable solutions.
  • Monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and propose solutions to improve DevOps processes.
  • Craft and oversee documentation related to DevOps strategies, procedures, and toolchains.
  • Promote continuous improvement by researching and integrating cutting-edge DevOps methodologies.
  • Uphold system security employing industry-standard best practices.

Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
  • Proficiency in Python, with attention to software system design and architectural practices.
  • Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration tools like Docker and Kubernetes.
  • Exposure to CI/CD systems (e.g., Jenkins, Travis CI, GitLab CI).
  • Experience or familiarity with practical LLM workflows, such as evaluating inference performance, and integrating LLM systems.
  • Familiarity with version control systems, particularly Git.
  • Computer proficiency and a high level of organization with strong attention to detail.
  • Ability to work efficiently and independently.
  • Ability to work onsite from our facility located at 9901 Silicon Prairie Parkway in Verona, WI.

Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with Relational Databases (e.g. MariaDB, MySQL, Postgres), in-memory K/V Stores (e.g. Redis, Valkey), and/or NoSQL Databases (e.g. Elasticsearch).
  • Knowledge of Event Driven Architecture and Microservice Architecture.
  • Advanced knowledge of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools like Ansible, Flux, or ArgoCD.
  • Certifications in cloud services, Kubernetes, or other relevant technologies.
  • Experience in evaluating and developing LLM tools to solve engineering problems, and fine-tuning models using domain-specific datasets.
  • Experience with agile methodologies and a good understanding of software development lifecycle.
  • Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex systems and network issues.

Compensation and Benefits
X-ES offers a competitive compensation package and excellent benefits, including:
  • No-deductible, low-copay group health and dental insurance (90% employer paid)
  • Health and wellness benefits coverage eligibility begins on the first of the month following your start date
  • Life insurance and long-term disability insurance (100% employer paid)
  • Paid time off, plus eight paid holidays a year
  • 401(k) employer match up to 4%, subject to plan terms & waiting periods. Roth option is available.
  • Participation in the 100% employee-owned Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) at no cost to employees

X-ES also takes a casual, small-business approach to company culture. At our state-of-the-art office and manufacturing facility located in Madison's growing tech corridor, there's no formal dress code, flexible day shift scheduling, and dedicated personal workspaces. Our employees kick back at regular company events and enjoy lunches from local pizza places and food carts. At X-ES, we strive to offer a comfortable, relaxed environment for our employees to do their best work.
About X-ES
When "rugged enough" isn't rugged enough for embedded computing systems, industry leaders in the military, aerospace, industrial, and commercial sectors turn to Extreme Engineering Solutions (X-ES). Because we strive to be the premier provider of mission-critical embedded products while delivering exceptional levels of customer and employee satisfaction, we hire strong contributors and give them space to thrive. As a 100% employee-owned company, our employees both drive and directly benefit from our success. Together, we meticulously design and build products that stand up to some of the most extreme conditions on the planet.
X-ES is located on the far west side of Madison, WI. The company designs and manufactures rugged embedded computing solutions for a variety of applications. For more information, visit www.xes-inc.com.
X-ES is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other category protected by law.
All X-ES job postings and application procedures are posted in compliance with Section 39.08 of the Madison General Ordinances.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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