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Performance Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: QA Performance Engineer Location: Vienna, VA Type: Contract Compensation: Work Model: Hybrid - onsite and remote Hours: 40.0 Responsibilities * Perform load, stress, endurance, and ...

Performance Test Engineer Location: Vienna VA (Hybrid 3x) Duration: Initial 6-month contract with extensions Compensation: $50-56/hr Work Requirements: , HoldersNo C2CSummary The Digital Delivery ...

Job Title: QA Performance Engineer Location: Vienna, VA Type: Contract Compensation: Work Model: Hybrid - onsite and remote Hours: 40.0 Responsibilities * Perform load, stress, endurance, and ...

Job Title: QA Performance Engineer Location: Vienna, VA Type: Contract Compensation: Work Model: Hybrid - onsite and remote Hours: 40.0 Responsibilities * Perform load, stress, endurance, and ...

Job Title: QA Performance Engineer Location: Vienna, VA Type: Contract Compensation: Work Model: Hybrid - onsite and remote Hours: 40.0 Responsibilities * Perform load, stress, endurance, and ...

Job Title: QA Performance Engineer Location: Vienna, VA Type: Contract Compensation: Work Model: Hybrid - onsite and remote Hours: 40.0 Responsibilities • Perform load, stress, endurance, and ...

Job Title: QA Performance Engineer Location: Vienna, VA Type: Contract Compensation: Work Model: Hybrid - onsite and remote Hours: 40.0 Responsibilities • Perform load, stress, endurance, and ...

Software Engineer - Full Performance

Herndon, VA · On-site

$143K/yr

Software Engineer - Full Performance Summary : Analyzes user interfaces, maintain hardware and software performance tuning, analyze workload and computer usage, maintain interfaces with outside ...

AI Engineer - SETA

Columbia, MD · On-site

$240K - $280K/yr

Support test and evaluation activities for AI tools, including performance assessment, qualitative review, and workflow validation. * Collaborate with platform engineers, product leads, mission users ...

Showing results 41-60

Performance Engineer information

See Washington, DC salary details

$12

$68

$111

How much do performance engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for performance engineer in Washington, DC is $68.05, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $55.77 and $77.02 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 is the work of performance engineer?

A performance engineer is responsible for analyzing, testing, and optimizing software or system performance to ensure reliability and efficiency. They use tools like load testing and monitoring software to identify bottlenecks and improve system scalability, often working closely with development and operations teams.

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 do performance engineers do?

Performance engineers analyze and optimize software systems to ensure they meet performance requirements, such as speed, scalability, and stability. They use tools like load testing and monitoring software to identify bottlenecks and improve system efficiency, 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.
What are the most commonly searched types of Performance Engineer jobs in Washington, DC? The most popular types of Performance Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:
What are popular job titles related to Performance Engineer jobs in Washington, DC? For Performance Engineer jobs in Washington, DC, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Performance Engineer jobs in Washington, DC look for? The top searched job categories for Performance Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:
Infographic showing various Performance Engineer job openings in Washington, DC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $141,544 per year, or $68 per hour.

Performance Tester

System One

Vienna, VA • Remote

Contractor

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Re-posted yesterday


Job description

Job Title: QA Performance Engineer Location: Vienna, VA Type: Contract Compensation: Work Model: Hybrid – onsite and remote Hours: 40.0

Responsibilities • Perform load, stress, endurance, and scalability testing to validate the production readiness of applications and infrastructure for stability and performance • Design, develop, and execute performance test scripts and scenarios that accurately simulate real-world user behavior • Build, maintain, and enhance automated performance testing solutions using tools such as NeoLoad or similar • Analyze performance test results to identify bottlenecks, system constraints, and optimization opportunities • Utilize monitoring and observability tools (AppInsights, Splunk, etc.) to assess system performance and troubleshoot issues • Partner with cross-functional teams to integrate performance testing early in the SDLC • Define performance SLAs and establish baseline metrics using production insights to ensure realistic and measurable performance goals • Identify, understand, and document system dependencies across services and applications for accurate test coverage and implement mocking strategies to stabilize testing environments • Support stabilization and management of performance testing environment, ensuring consistency, reliability, and scalability • Support QA leads and leadership in planning, prioritization, and execution of performance testing activities • Assist in coordinating performance testing efforts across multiple initiatives to ensure timely and high-quality delivery • Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior team members, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and continuous improvement • Review performance test scripts, test plans, and results to ensure alignment with standards and best practices • Collect, analyze, and communicate performance testing results to leadership and stakeholders, providing actionable insights and recommendations • Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of performance testing strategies, frameworks, and standards • Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance testing efficiency, coverage, and effectiveness • Analyze and optimize performance across distributed microservices architectures, containerized platforms, and cloud-native environments • Document, track, and report defects identified during testing in accordance with established defect management processes. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve issues and communicate risks and trends to leadership • Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements • 4+ years of hands-on experience in software testing, with a strong emphasis on performance engineering, including planning, execution, analysis, and optimization of application performance and scalability • Experience defining performance baselines and SLAs using production or production-like environments • Experience with dependency mapping, service virtualization, and mocking frameworks (WireMock preferred) • Experience with monitoring and observability tools such as Azure App Insights, Splunk, or equivalent • Hands-on experience with Postman and performance testing tools such as NeoLoad or similar platforms • Proficiency with Azure DevOps or comparable test management tools for planning, executing, tracking, and reporting testing activities • Solid understanding of DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile methodologies • Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes, assess risks, and drive effective resolutions for complex technical issues • Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing across different audiences and levels of leadership • Strong knowledge of performance testing methodologies, including load, stress, endurance, and scalability testing • Strong understanding of shift-left testing practices and early performance validation strategies • Strong understanding of SDLC, STLC, and quality engineering best practices • Hands-on experience with scripting and programming languages (e.g., Javascript) for developing and troubleshooting automated test solutions and frameworks • Experience with mocking tools (preferably WireMock) and performance scripting/monitoring tools

Nice To Have • Hands-on experience with mocking/mocking tools (preferably WireMock) • Knowledge of functional testing (SDET)

Comments 2026-07-08 01:38 PM - -: Please confirm if the candidate is legally authorized to work in the United States. Please confirm if the candidate will require employer sponsorship now or in the future.

System One, and its subsidiaries including Joulé and Mountain Ltd., are leaders in delivering outsourced services and workforce solutions across North America. We help clients get work done more efficiently and economically, without compromising quality. System One not only serves as a valued partner for our clients, but we offer eligible employees health and welfare benefits coverage options including medical, dental, vision, spending accounts, life insurance, voluntary plans, as well as participation in a 401(k) plan.

System One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, family care or medical leave status, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

#M2 #LI-EL1 Ref: #851-Rockville-S1