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Principal Performance Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Senior Principal AI Performance Engineer

San Jose, CA · Hybrid

$147K - $202K/yr

In collaboration with multiple teams across Arm's engineering organization, you will diagnose and resolve performance challenges, and use these insights to influence Arms IP and tooling roadmaps.

Senior Performance Engineer

Fitchburg, MA · On-site

$102K - $159K/yr

... Senior Principal. * Strong experience in turbomachinery, steam turbines, gas turbines, rotating ... performance tradeoffs in turbine systems. * Experience using commercial CFD and engineering ...

Senior Performance Engineer

Fitchburg, MA · On-site

$102K - $159K/yr

... Senior Principal. * Strong experience in turbomachinery, steam turbines, gas turbines, rotating ... performance tradeoffs in turbine systems. * Experience using commercial CFD and engineering ...

Senior Performance Engineer

Fitchburg, MA · On-site

$102K - $159K/yr

... Senior Principal. * Strong experience in turbomachinery, steam turbines, gas turbines, rotating ... performance tradeoffs in turbine systems. * Experience using commercial CFD and engineering ...

Overview 034Motorsport is a leading automotive engineering firm specializing in performance ... Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, and design to manufacture principals - sheet metal ...

... performance automotive products. This position reports to the Hardware Engineering Manager ... Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, and design to manufacture principals - sheet metal ...

Showing results 41-60

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:

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.

Senior Principal AI Performance Engineer

ARM

San Jose, CA • Hybrid

$147K - $202K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 27 days ago


Job description

Job Summary;

Are you passionate about optimizing AI workloads and delivering real-world performance improvements on edge devices?

We’re looking for an experienced engineer to help customers achieve best-in-class inference performance for production AI models running on Arm technology.

This role is based in San Jose, with significant time spent working directly with customers across the Bay Area.

Job Description:

In this role, you will work closely with customers to optimize AI workloads targeting Arm technology, focusing on achieving best-in-class performance and power efficiency.

Using your experience with Arm’s AI optimization tools and your understanding of hardware architectures, you will develop kernel level implementations across a range of DNN models, optimizing for power and performance.

In collaboration with multiple teams across Arm’s engineering organization, you will diagnose and resolve performance challenges, and use these insights to influence Arms IP and tooling roadmaps.

This role requires strong coding and communication skills; you’ll translate complex technical challenges into clear insights, presenting progress and recommendations to audiences ranging from engineers to senior leadership.

Responsibilities:
  • Develop highly optimized solutions for AI workloads, from kernel level to system level, to meet the needs of the customer application.
  • Create production quality reference implementations, documentation, and performance focused technical content
  • Act as a technical bridge between customers and internal teams, driving resolution of complex performance issues
  • Influence Arm’s IP and software roadmap through insights gained from real-world customer use cases
Required Skills and Experience :
  • Experience optimizing DNNs in Triton, CUDA or other kernel level programming language
  • Deep understanding of parallel computing, memory hierarchies and performance optimization techniques for DNNs
  • Strong programming skills in Python and C++, a solid experience with modern AI frameworks and execution models, experience with profiling and analysis tools
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
“Nice To Have”:
  • Experience in a customer facing or field engineering environment
  • Experience within the Arm ecosystem
  • Background in AI performance optimization for edge devices

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

In Return:

Joining Arm means stepping into a careerdefining opportunity. You’ll occupy a central role in the company’s most critical initiatives. These initiatives build how Arm innovates, scales, and partners globally.

Additional Information

Please note this role does not meet the eligibility requirements for sponsorship, and therefore the successful candidate must have the right to work in the US without relying on sponsorship by Arm.

10x Mindset at Arm

At Arm, we believe progress happens when people are empowered to think bigger and push beyond what seems possible. Our 10x mindset is about curiosity, ambition and creating impact that will be used by millions. We learn fast, prioritise collaboration and turn bold ideas into real technology. We look for people who are inspired by this way of working and want to grow in an environment where bold ideas are welcomed. Read more about how we bring the 10x mindset to life on the Arm blog.

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Accommodations at Arm

At Arm, we want to build extraordinary teams. If you need an adjustment or an accommodation during the recruitment process, please email accommodations@arm.com. To note, by sending us the requested information, you consent to its use by Arm to arrange for appropriate accommodations. All accommodation or adjustment requests will be treated with confidentiality, and information concerning these requests will only be disclosed as necessary to provide the accommodation. Although this is not an exhaustive list, examples of support include breaks between interviews, having documents read aloud, or office accessibility. Please email us about anything we can do to accommodate you during the recruitment process.

Equal Opportunities at Arm

Arm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and colleagues. We are a diverse organization of dedicated and innovative individuals, and don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Hybrid Working at Arm

Arm’s hybrid approach to working is centred around flexibility, where we split our time between the office and other locations to get our work done. Within that framework, we empower groups and teams to determine their own particular hybrid working pattern, depending on the work and the team’s needs. Details of what this means for each role will be shared upon application. In some cases, the flexibility we can offer is limited by local legal, regulatory, tax, or other considerations, and where this is the case, we will collaborate with you to find the best solution. Please talk to us to find out more about what this could look like for you.

Salary Range:$323,000-$437,000 per year

We value people as individuals and our dedication is to reward people competitively and equitably for the work they do and the skills and experience they bring to Arm. Salary is only one component of Arm's offering. The total reward package will be shared with candidates during the recruitment and selection process.

Our 10x Mindset

At Arm, we believe progress happens when people are empowered to think bigger and push beyond what seems possible. Our 10x mindset is about curiosity, ambition and creating impact that will be used by millions. We learn fast, prioritise collaboration and turn bold ideas into real technology. We look for people who are inspired by this way of working and want to grow in an environment where bold ideas are welcomed. Discover how the 10x mindset shapes life at Arm: https://careers.arm.com/10x-mindset

Use of AI in Your Application

At Arm, we embrace the benefits AI can bring, including in recruitment. You may use AI to support your preparation, such as improving the clarity of written responses, practicing interview questions, or learning more about our industry. However, your application, and interview responses must reflect your own thinking, experience, and abilities. We want to understand your authentic perspective, creativity, and approach to problem solving. As such, you may not use AI to complete assigned tasks as part of any assessments. If you plan to use AI-supported or assistive technologies as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact accommodations@arm.com so we can support you.

Recruitment Adjustments and Accommodations

At Arm, we want to build extraordinary teams. If you need an adjustment or an accommodation during the recruitment process, please email accommodations@arm.com. To note, by sending us the requested information, you consent to its use by Arm to arrange for appropriate accommodations. All accommodation or adjustment requests will be treated with confidentiality, and information concerning these requests will only be disclosed to the extent necessary to provide the accommodation. Although this is not an exhaustive list, examples of support include breaks between interviews, having documents read aloud, or office accessibility. Please email us about anything we can do to accommodate you during the recruitment process.

Hybrid Working

Arm's approach to hybrid working is designed to create a working environment that supports both high performance and personal wellbeing. We believe in bringing people together face to face to enable us to work at pace, whilst recognizing the value of flexibility. Within that framework, we empower groups/teams to determine their own hybrid working patterns, depending on the work and the team's needs. Details of what this means for each role will be shared upon application. In some cases, the flexibility we can offer is limited by local legal, regulatory, tax, or other considerations, and where this is the case, we will collaborate with you to find the best solution. Please talk to us to find out more about what this could look like for you.

Equal Opportunities

Arm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and colleagues. We are a diverse organization of dedicated and innovative individuals, and don't discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Employment Type: Established