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Performance Engineering Manager Jobs in Santa Cruz, CA

Voltai, Inc

Engineering Manager

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

Strong people management skills - coaching engineers, managing performance, and fostering team growth * Excellent prioritization and project management abilities , especially in fast-moving sprint ...

Voltai

Engineering Manager

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

Strong people management skills -- coaching engineers, managing performance, and fostering team growth * Excellent prioritization and project management abilities , especially in fast-moving sprint ...

Qualified Health

Engineering Manager

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$220K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

Directly manage a team of engineers, typically 5-6 direct reports, with full ownership of day-to ... Conduct performance reviews, resolve conflict, and support career progression and growth for each ...

Wealthfront

Engineering Manager

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$208K - $260K/yr

Along the way, you will also help us develop the engineering organization, taking a first principles approach to problems like hiring, performance reviews and project management. About Wealthfront ...

Wealthfront

Engineering Manager

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$208K - $260K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

Along the way, you will also help us develop the engineering organization, taking a first principles approach to problems like hiring, performance reviews and project management. About Wealthfront ...

Figure

Helix AI Engineer, Training Performance

San Jose, CA · On-site

$200K - $400K/yr

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or a related ... management. The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $200,000 - $400,000 ...

New

Figure

Helix AI Engineer, Training Performance

San Jose, CA · On-site

$200K - $400K/yr

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or a related ... management. The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $200,000 - $400,000 ...

New

Teradyne Incorporated

Calibration Engineering Manager

San Jose, CA · On-site

$165K - $291K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Drive hiring, onboarding, performance management, and employee development. * Foster a culture of ... Ensure engineering best practices are consistently applied across projects. Business & Program ...

New

Nectar Social

Senior Engineering Manager

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$240K - $400K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

Provide actionable feedback, drive career progression, and foster a high-performance culture ... Experience managing engineering teams building, deploying, or operating AI-powered or agentic ...

Antora Energy

Electrical Engineering Manager

San Jose, CA

$196K - $235K/yr

  • Medical

  • Life

  • Retirement

Deep first-principles engineering mindset, with a relentless drive to increase performance and ... Proven ability to manage equipment vendors and EPC partners, with practical familiarity in field ...

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All JobsPerformance Engineering JobsPerformance Engineering Manager JobsPerformance Engineering Manager Jobs in Santa Cruz, CA

Performance Engineering Manager information

See Santa Cruz, CA salary details

$46.2K

$114.9K

$177.2K

How much do performance engineering manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for performance engineering manager in Santa Cruz, CA is $114,921.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $75,600.00 and $145,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a performance engineering manager?

Performance Engineering Managers are professionals responsible for overseeing teams that ensure software applications and systems operate efficiently and reliably under expected workloads. They focus on optimizing performance, scalability, and stability by identifying bottlenecks, setting performance standards, and implementing best practices. These managers collaborate closely with development, QA, and operations teams to deliver high-performing products, often leveraging tools for monitoring and analysis. Their role also includes mentoring engineers, managing project timelines, and communicating performance goals to stakeholders.

How does a performance engineering manager typically collaborate with development and operations teams to ensure optimal system performance?

A Performance Engineering Manager works closely with both development and operations teams to establish performance benchmarks, identify potential bottlenecks early in the software development lifecycle, and implement performance testing protocols. This role often involves facilitating regular meetings to review performance metrics, coordinating load and stress testing efforts, and providing actionable feedback for code optimization. By fostering open communication and aligning goals across teams, the Performance Engineering Manager ensures that performance considerations are integrated into every stage of product development and deployment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a performance engineering manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Performance Engineering Manager, you need a solid background in software engineering, performance testing, and systems optimization, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as JMeter, LoadRunner, APM solutions, and cloud platforms is typically required, along with knowledge of performance monitoring and automation frameworks. Strong leadership, analytical thinking, and effective communication are critical soft skills for guiding teams and collaborating across departments. These skills ensure the delivery of high-performing software solutions, drive continuous improvement, and help meet business scalability and reliability goals.

What is the difference between Performance Engineering Manager vs Software Development Manager?

AspectPerformance Engineering ManagerSoftware Development Manager
Primary FocusOptimizing system performance, scalability, and reliabilityOverseeing software development processes and team management
Required SkillsPerformance testing, monitoring tools, system architectureSoftware design, project management, coding
Work EnvironmentCollaboration with QA, DevOps, and infrastructure teamsLeading development teams, coordinating projects
Industry UsageTech companies, cloud services, enterprise softwareSoftware firms, tech startups, enterprise applications

The Performance Engineering Manager focuses on ensuring software and systems perform efficiently and reliably, often working closely with infrastructure and QA teams. In contrast, the Software Development Manager oversees the entire software development lifecycle, managing developers and project timelines. Both roles require technical expertise but differ in their core responsibilities and focus areas.

What job categories do people searching Performance Engineering Manager jobs in Santa Cruz, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Performance Engineering Manager jobs in Santa Cruz, CA are:

What cities near Santa Cruz, CA are hiring for Performance Engineering Manager jobs?

Cities near Santa Cruz, CA with the most Performance Engineering Manager job openings:

Performance Engineering Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Performance Engineering Manager job openings in Santa Cruz, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 94% In-person, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $114,921 per year, or $55.3 per hour.

Engineering Manager

Voltai, Inc

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 2 days ago

Job description

About Voltai
Voltai is developing world models, and agents to learn, evaluate, plan, experiment, and interact with the physical world. We are starting out with understanding and building hardware; electronics systems and semiconductors where AI can design and create beyond human cognitive limits.
About the Team
Backed by Silicon Valley's top investors, Stanford University, and CEOs/Presidents of Google, AMD, Broadcom, Marvell, etc. We are a team of previous Stanford professors, SAIL researchers, Olympiad medalists (IPhO, IOI, etc.), CTOs of Synopsys & GlobalFoundries, Head of Sales & CRO of Cadence, former US Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor, and Senior Foreign-Policy Advisor to four US presidents.
Key Responsibilities
  • Lead and manage a team of engineers through weekly sprint cycles and delivery milestones
  • Drive sprint planning and execution - from backlog grooming to sprint reviews to retrospectives
  • Ruthlessly prioritize engineering work based on business impact, technical debt, and resource constraints
  • Translate complex requirements from product and hardware teams into clear, actionable engineering tasks and user stories
  • Remove blockers and facilitate team productivity through daily standups, 1:1s, and cross-team coordination
  • Partner closely with product and design teams to balance feature delivery with technical excellence
  • Track team velocity, sprint health, and delivery metrics while driving continuous process improvement

Required Skill Sets
  • 2-6 years of experience in engineering management, ideally leading 3-8 engineers at a technical or AI-driven company
  • Strong people management skills - coaching engineers, managing performance, and fostering team growth
  • Excellent prioritization and project management abilities, especially in fast-moving sprint environments
  • Experience with agile methodologies, sprint planning tools (Jira, Linear), and engineering productivity metrics
  • Ability to balance competing priorities while maintaining team focus and morale
  • Technical depth to engage in architectural discussions and code reviews when needed
  • Strong background in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering is a bonus
  • Comfort working in fast-paced, high-growth environments with shifting priorities

Apply