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Senior Performance Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Qualcomm

System Performance Engineer, Senior

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110K - $151K/yr

In the role of System Performance Engineer, you will collaborate with software, hardware, and ... senior executives to help drive business decisions and next generation architecture choices. • ...

Qualcomm

Windows Performance Engineer, Staff

San Diego, CA · On-site

$148K/yr

As a Windows Performance Developer, you'll be owning and driving analysis of complex system level ... senior technical members from broad set of teams across Qualcomm and external partners. Should be ...

Nvidia

Senior Systems Performance Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$122K - $167K/yr

We are now looking for a Senior Validation Engineer in the DGX Server Product Engineering Team. In ... System architecture, design, performance modelling, estimation across new models and new packages.

Broadcom

AI Systems Performance Engineer

San Jose, CA · Remote

$141K - $226K/yr

We are seeking a highly talented and experienced Senior AI Fabric Performance Engineer to take on a critical role within our Performance Lab. In this high-impact position, you will drive the ...

Qualcomm

System Performance Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

... senior leadership (Sr. Director, Vice President level and above) • Strong programming and ... power/performance analysis tools and techniques • Computer hardware and architecture ...

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Senior Performance Engineer information

See California salary details

$58.7K

$124.9K

$181.1K

How much do senior performance engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior performance engineer in California is $124,900.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $103,100.00 and $141,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Senior Performance Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Performance Engineer, expertise in performance analysis, capacity planning, and system optimization—often backed by a degree in computer science or a related field—is crucial. Familiarity with tools such as LoadRunner, JMeter, APM solutions, profiling tools, and relevant certifications like CPPE or PMP are highly beneficial. Strong problem-solving, collaboration, and clear communication skills are vital for identifying bottlenecks and working closely with cross-functional teams. These combine to ensure robust system performance, user satisfaction, and reliable application scalability in demanding technical environments.

What are the most common responsibilities of a Senior Performance Engineer on a day-to-day basis?

A Senior Performance Engineer typically oversees performance testing cycles, analyzes system metrics, and collaborates with development and operations teams to diagnose and resolve performance issues. Daily tasks often include designing and executing test plans, monitoring application behavior under load, and recommending improvements for scalability and efficiency. They also participate in code reviews and architectural discussions to identify potential bottlenecks early in the development cycle. Consistent communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders is key, ensuring that performance goals align with business objectives.

What is a Senior Performance Engineer job?

A Senior Performance Engineer is responsible for optimizing the performance, scalability, and reliability of software applications and systems. They analyze performance metrics, conduct load and stress testing, identify bottlenecks, and work with development teams to implement improvements. This role requires expertise in profiling tools, performance tuning, and system architecture to ensure optimal user experience. Additionally, they may establish best practices for performance testing and contribute to overall system design decisions.

What are the most commonly searched types of Performance Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Performance Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Senior Performance Engineer jobs in California? For Senior Performance Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Performance Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Performance Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Senior Performance Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Senior Performance Engineer job openings:
Senior Performance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Performance Engineer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $124,900 per year, or $60 per hour.
Senior Performance Compiler Engineer - Triton

Senior Performance Compiler Engineer - Triton

Nvidia

Santa Clara, CA

$122K - $168K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago

Nvidia rating

9.3

Company rating: 9.3 out of 10

Based on 5 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

15th of 209 rated software companies

Job description

NVIDIA's invention of the GPU 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics, and revolutionized parallel computing. More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI - the next era of computing - with the GPU acting as the brain of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can perceive and understand the world. Today, we are increasingly known as "the AI computing company".

We're looking for a Senior Performance Compiler Engineer to join our team and work on the open-source Triton compiler project. This opportunity involves working with new technologies and using compilers to improve AI performance on NVIDIA GPUs. Your work will enable breakthroughs in large language models, agents, and other high-impact AI applications, accelerating both training and inference. You will be immersed in a diverse, supportive environment where everyone is inspired to do their best work, pushing the limits of what's possible.

What you'll be doing:

  • Investigating the latest and future NVIDIA GPU hardware architecture and programming models.

  • Working on the frontier of AI by understanding advanced algorithms (like attention sinks and MoEs) and numerics (like block-scaled floating point) to identify new opportunities for optimization.

  • Designing and implementing compiler technology using MLIR to optimize high-level kernel descriptions (written in Triton's Python DSL), with a focus on generating efficient, low-level GPU code. When vital, you'll also be able to use inline PTX to hand-tune critical code paths and extract peak performance from the hardware.

  • Engaging in a dynamic, iterative process of optimization-sometimes starting with the kernel, sometimes with the compiler-to find the most efficient path to peak performance.

  • Collaborating with teams across NVIDIA, including hardware architects and the CUDA compiler team, to influence future products and ensure we are always operating at maximum efficiency.

What we need to see:

  • Bachelor, Masters or Ph.D. degree or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Applied Math, or a related field.

  • 8+ years of relevant industry experience in software development.

  • Demonstrated strong C++ programming and software design skills, with an emphasis on performance analysis and debugging.

  • Experienced in parallel programming, including CUDA/OpenCL GPU programming or other parallel models such as OpenMP.

  • Solid understanding of computer architecture and hands-on experience with assembly-level programming.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

  • Experience in tuning BLAS or deep learning library kernels.

  • Background in numerics and linear algebra.

  • Experience with machine learning compilers like TVM or MLIR.

  • Contributions to open-source projects, especially in the AI/ML or compiler space.

  • Familiarity with the latest research in AI algorithms and numerics as well as a strong track record of contributions to open-source projects, particularly in the AI/ML, compiler, or high-performance computing domains.

With competitive salaries and a generous benefits package, we are widely considered to be one of the technology world's most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us and, due to unprecedented growth, our exclusive engineering teams are rapidly growing. If you're a creative and autonomous engineer with a real passion for technology, we want to hear from you.

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 184,000 USD - 287,500 USD.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until May 12, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

NVIDIA is committed to fostering a diverse work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.

What Nvidia employees say

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

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About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology--and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993

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