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Performance Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Performance Engineer

Pekin, IL

$98.48K - $162.48K/yr

Interface with engineering resources outside of the station to support/implement performance improvement initiatives. * Work effectively in a team environment as a leader, member and/or facilitator.

As a Performance Engineer in Test, this role will have a breadth of knowledge and success in conducting functional, performance, and fault tolerance testing as well as the ability to comprehend ...

About the Role RadixArk is hiring a Performance Engineer in Palo Alto, CA - someone who can push LLM inference and training systems to the limit across real production workloads. You'll work on the ...

System Performance Engineer Location: Waltham, MA Duration: 6+ Months BGV will be done for the selected candidates. Must have 7+ years real-world experience in automated load/performance engineering ...

Job Title Performance Engineer Estimated Start Date 5/6/2026 Location San Francisco, CA Duration(Months) 6 Months Remote Possibility Onsite Required Qualifications • 8+ years of experience working ...

The Performance Engineer II - O&M is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operational activities of active projects. This role can be fully remote or based full-time in our offices in San Diego ...

We are looking for a highly experienced Performance Engineer who goes beyond traditional testing. This is a lead-level role requiring deep expertise in performance engineering, including scripting ...

Job Summary for SAP Performance Engineer - Minimum 10+ years of total professional experience - At least 5 years of experience in performance engineering focused on SAP systems - Hands-on experience ...

The Performance Engineer II - O&M is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operational activities of active projects. This role can be fully remote or based full-time in our offices in San Diego ...

Role Overview We are seeking a Performance Engineer for the Fluence Americas Region who will serve as a subject matter expert for technical and engineering aspects related to the overall performance ...

Role Overview We are seeking a Performance Engineer for the Fluence Americas Region who will serve as a subject matter expert for technical and engineering aspects related to the overall performance ...

Performance Engineer

Pekin, IL

$98.48K - $162.48K/yr

Interface with engineering resources outside of the station to support/implement performance improvement initiatives. * Work effectively in a team environment as a leader, member and/or facilitator.

Working to set up an automation stream that will run the same modules in parallel to the cloud. - Performance Engineers with a lot of Cloud (AWS) project experience - They need to be strong with ...

The Performance Engineer II - O&M is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operational activities of active projects. This role can be fully remote or based full-time in our offices in San Diego ...

Job Title-Performance Engineer Location - Charlotte , NC Duration: Long term Qualifications HP LoadRunner and HP ALM Performance Center, , UNIX shell scripting, basic UNIX commands, Microsoft Word ...

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Performance Engineer information

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How much do performance engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for performance engineer in the United States is $60.11, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49.28 and $68.03 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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 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 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 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 cities are hiring for Performance Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Performance Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Performance Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Performance Engineer jobs are:
Who are the top companies hiring for Performance Engineer jobs? The top employers for Performance Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Performance Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Performance Engineer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Performance Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, and 10% Part Time. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $125,019 per year, or $60.1 per hour.
Performance Engineer

$98.48K - $162.48K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted yesterday


Job description

As an NRG employee, we encourage you to take charge of your career and development journey. We invite you to explore exciting opportunities across our businesses. You’ll find that our dynamic work environment provides variety and challenge. Your growth is key to our ongoing success—take the lead in shaping your career development, goals and future!


 

Job Summary:

Provide monitoring, oversight, and performance guidance on plant generating equipment, concentrating in performance related processes, identifying opportunities for process improvements thru performance monitoring, data analysis, and related operating & maintenance (O&M) functions to ensure safe, efficient, and environmentally compliant plant operation.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Develop, implement, and oversee a program for monitoring thermal performance of power generating equipment.
  • Establish, update, and communicate on an established basis the key performance indicators (KPI’s) for this program.
  • Assist the generating station in assessing and correcting equipment degradation that affects plant thermal performance.
  • Provide technical support, testing and equipment inspection expertise within various process areas to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient plant operation.
  • Assist in optimizing equipment operation to meet key program performance indicators
  • Assist in developing O&M and Capital budgets for maintaining/improving the thermal performance of process equipment.
  • Assist in developing strategic plans for equipment overhauls to optimize equipment life and time between overhauls. 
  • Implement performance monitoring software in conjunction with process instrumentation to assess and improve cycle/equipment performance.
  • Implement methodologies to quality check key process variables associated with the thermal performance monitoring program.
  • Conduct or procure training to support customer understanding of the performance monitoring programs.
  • Interface with engineering resources outside of the station to support/implement performance improvement initiatives.
  • Work effectively in a team environment as a leader, member and/or facilitator.
  • Perform other duties and assignments as required.

Working Conditions:

  • This position entails work in office and industrial settings.   

Minimum Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Thermodynamics, or Industrial Engineering (or a related discipline). May substitute 5-8 years of relevant experience in lieu of degree. 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Engineering or Technical Degree inclusive of college level Thermodynamics.
  • BS in Engineering with three years or more of experience in Power, Refinery or Chemical process facilities.
  • Knowledge/experience with thermal performance monitoring programs and methodology.

Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PI Processbook
  • Strong interpersonal communication and collaboration skills with all levels of the organization
  • Basic understanding of Lock-out, Tag-out (LOTO) practices for related process equipment
     

Physical Requirements (Demand and Frequency):

  • Must be able to wear required personal protection equipment (PPE) such as hard hats, safety glasses, goggles, face shields, hearing protection, respirators, fall protection harnesses, and other PPE as required.
  • Duties require extensive manual dexterity in usage of computer terminal and keyboard, while sitting for extended periods of time developing thermal models, process historian review, and other software as needed.
  • May be required to enter Permit Entry Confined Spaces
  • May be required to perform equipment inspections by climbing vertical ladders in excess of 20 feet and stairways in excess of 50 feet, using step stool, kneeling, bending, walking over uneven surfaces such as loose rock, open grating, up and down staircases.
  • May be required to prepare and conduct training, including mentoring individuals one-on-one. In conducting training, the specialist may be required to carry training materials, and to stand for extended periods of time.

The base salary range for this position is: $98,480 - $162,480* *The base salary range above represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. The range listed is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonus, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition the position may be eligible to participate in the benefits program which include, but are not limited to, medical, vision, dental, 401K, and flexible spending accounts. 

NRG Energy is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace. To the extent permitted by law and any applicable collective bargaining agreement, employees are subject to periodic random drug testing, and post-accident and reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing. EOE AA M/F/Protected Veteran Status/Disability. Level, Title and/or Salary may be adjusted based on the applicant's experience or skills.

EEO is the Law Poster (The poster can be found at http://www.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf)

Official description on file with Talent.


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About NRG

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At NRG, we're bringing the power of energy to people and organizations by putting customers at the center of everything we do. We generate electricity and provide energy solutions and natural gas to millions of customers through our diverse portfolio of retail brands. A Fortune 500 company, operating in the United States and Canada, NRG delivers innovative solutions while advocating for competitive energy markets and customer choice, working towards a sustainable energy future. More information is available at www.nrg.com. Connect with NRG on Facebook, LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.

Industry

Oil and coal products manufacturing

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Houston, TX, US