ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Principal Performance Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Fidelity Investments

Principal Performance Engineer

Westlake, TX · On-site

$89K - $180K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Role Fidelity Stock Transfer (FST) in Fidelity Labs is looking for a Principal Performance Engineer to join us. As a key member of a growing engineering team, this role will be hands-on building ...

Proticom

Performance Architect (Remote)

Atlanta, GA · Remote

$160K/yr

Our client is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Performance Architect (Systems Performance Engineer OR Principal Performance Engineer) to join their team. The ideal candidate will possess a ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsPrincipal Performance Engineer Jobs

Principal Performance Engineer information

See salary details

$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal performance engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 18, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal performance engineer in the United States is $147,220.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a principal performance engineer?

A Principal Performance Engineer is a senior technical expert responsible for ensuring that software systems and applications operate at optimal performance levels. They lead efforts in designing, analyzing, and improving system architectures to prevent performance bottlenecks and scalability issues. Their work often includes conducting performance testing, identifying system limitations, and collaborating with development teams to implement solutions. Principal Performance Engineers also mentor other engineers and set best practices for performance optimization across the organization.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a principal performance engineer?

To thrive as a Principal Performance Engineer, you need deep expertise in system architecture, performance analysis, and optimization, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Mastery of performance profiling tools (like JMeter, LoadRunner, or Dynatrace), scripting languages, and cloud platforms is essential, along with relevant industry certifications. Strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills help you collaborate across teams and drive system improvements. These skills ensure scalable, efficient, and reliable systems that meet business and user requirements in complex technical environments.

How does a principal performance engineer collaborate with development and operations teams to optimize application performance?

A Principal Performance Engineer plays a pivotal role in bridging development and operations by working closely with both teams to identify, analyze, and resolve performance bottlenecks. They often participate in design reviews, consult on architectural decisions, and guide the implementation of best practices for scalability and reliability. Regularly, they lead performance testing efforts, share insights from monitoring tools, and mentor team members on performance tuning. This collaborative approach ensures that performance considerations are integrated throughout the software development lifecycle, resulting in robust and efficient applications.

What is the difference between Principal Performance Engineer vs Performance Engineer?

AspectPrincipal Performance EngineerPerformance Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in Computer Science or related, often with certifications in performance testingBachelor's in Computer Science or related, with similar certifications
Work EnvironmentLeads performance testing teams, designs strategies, and mentorsExecutes performance tests, analyzes results, and reports findings
Industry UsageUsed across large enterprises, tech companies, and software firmsCommon in software development, QA teams, and IT departments

The Principal Performance Engineer typically holds a leadership role, overseeing performance testing strategies and mentoring teams, while the Performance Engineer focuses on executing tests and analyzing results. Both roles require similar technical skills and certifications, but differ in scope and responsibility.

More about Principal Performance Engineer jobs

What job categories do people searching Principal Performance Engineer jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Principal Performance Engineer jobs are:

Principal Performance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Performance Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 88% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

Principal Performance Engineer

Soteria Reinsurance Ltd.

Merrimack, NH • On-site

$140 - $190/hr

Other

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

## Principal Performance EngineerApplylocations: Merrimack, NHtime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Todayjob requisition id: 2129065## ## Job Description:Note: Fidelity will not provide immigration sponsorship for this position.**The Role** Fidelity Stock Transfer (FST) in Fidelity Labs is looking for a Principal Performance Engineer to join us. As a key member of a growing engineering team, this role will be hands-on building the technology and architecture of world class end-to-end systems. Learn more about FST at fidelitystocktransfer.com **The Team** We are **Fidelity Labs**, Fidelity Investments’ in-house fintech incubator with a mission to build new businesses to drive growth for Fidelity. We seek to shape the future of our industry by building new products and services to improve the lives of the diverse set of customers, businesses and financial institutions we serve. Fidelity Labs is a dynamic workplace that combines the best parts of startup life—building from scratch, adapting quickly, and moon-shot ambition—with the scale and stability of an industry leader. We provide a safe space for startup teams to explore new business ideas, quickly test them with customers, and scale the most promising concepts within an existing business unit, or as a new venture. This opportunity is brought to you by Fidelity Labs. Learn more at labs.fidelity.com. **The Expertise You Have** * Strong Java development experience* Hands-on experience building and maintaining services using Spring Boot* Solid understanding of RESTful APIs and distributed systems* Experience designing and executing performance/load tests* Strong debugging and profiling skills* Ability to read, write, and improve production-quality code* Experience with k6, Gatling, JMeter, or similar performance testing tools* Familiarity with Node.js* Frontend experience with Angular and/or React* Understanding of CI/CD pipelines and test automation* Experience testing cloud-native applications (containers, microservices)* Knowledge of observability tools (metrics, logging, tracing)* Experience working in Agile/Scrum development environments* A developer-first mindset with a strong interest in performance engineering* Someone who can bridge the gap between functional correctness and non-functional requirements* A collaborative engineer who can influence design decisions based on performance insights* Comfort stepping into existing codebases and improving them* You build positive relationships with other team members and have excellent verbal and written communication.Fidelity’s Onsite Working Model Fidelity is transitioning to a full-time onsite working model through a phased rollout across regions and roles. Currently, some roles and locations require 100% onsite presence, while others require less. Onsite expectations are likely to evolve as the rollout continues. This transition does not apply to fully remote roles.## ## Certifications:## ## Category:## Information TechnologyPlease be advised that Fidelity’s business is governed by the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Investment Company Act of 1940, ERISA, numerous state laws governing securities, investment and retirement-related financial activities and the rules and regulations of numerous self-regulatory organizations, including FINRA, among others. Those laws and regulations may restrict Fidelity from hiring and/or associating with individuals with certain Criminal Histories. #J-18808-Ljbffr

Apply