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Software Performance Engineer Jobs in San Jose, CA

Nuro

Software Engineer, Performance

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$160K - $240K/yr

Rowe Price, and other leading investors About the Role We are looking for talented engineers to join our Performance team to optimize the performance of Nuro's AV software, ensuring our vehicles can ...

Broadcom Inc.

AI Systems Performance Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$141.30 - $226/hr

... to hardware, software, and networking stakeholders. Qualifications * Education: Bachelor's or ... performance tuning and troubleshooting. * Programming Skills: Strong proficiency in Python and C ...

ClifyX

Performance Tester (Albertson)

Pleasanton, CA · On-site

Responsibilities : • 6+ years in software performance engineering/testing. • Must be willing to work in a highly dynamic environment (with tight deadlines and ever changing priorities). • ...

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Software Performance Engineer information

See San Jose, CA salary details

$127.7K

$165.3K

How much do software performance engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for software performance engineer in San Jose, CA is $163,527.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $164,100.00 and $164,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a software performance engineer?

Software Performance Engineers are specialists who focus on ensuring that software applications run efficiently and meet performance requirements. They analyze system bottlenecks, optimize code and system configurations, and conduct performance testing to identify and resolve issues such as slow response times or high resource usage. Their work helps improve user experience and system reliability, especially for applications expected to handle large numbers of users or complex computations. Software Performance Engineers often collaborate with developers, QA teams, and system administrators to maintain and enhance application performance throughout the software development lifecycle.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a software performance engineer?

To thrive as a Software Performance Engineer, you need a solid background in computer science, strong programming skills (often in languages like Java, C++, or Python), and experience in analyzing and optimizing software performance. Familiarity with profiling tools (such as JProfiler, VisualVM, or Perf), performance testing frameworks (like JMeter or LoadRunner), and knowledge of system monitoring solutions are typically required. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and clear communication are standout soft skills for diagnosing issues and collaborating with development teams. These competencies ensure that applications run efficiently and reliably, directly impacting user satisfaction and system scalability.

What are some common challenges faced by software performance engineers when optimizing large-scale applications?

Software Performance Engineers often encounter challenges such as identifying performance bottlenecks in complex, distributed systems and ensuring scalability as user demand grows. Troubleshooting issues may require deep dives into both application code and infrastructure layers, often under tight deadlines. Collaboration with development, QA, and operations teams is essential to implement performance improvements without disrupting existing functionality. Staying up-to-date with evolving technologies and profiling tools is also key to maintaining optimal performance.

What is the difference between Software Performance Engineer vs Software Quality Assurance Engineer?

AspectSoftware Performance EngineerSoftware Quality Assurance Engineer
Primary FocusOptimizing software speed, scalability, and efficiencyEnsuring software meets quality standards and is bug-free
Skills & CertificationsPerformance testing, profiling, scripting, knowledge of performance toolsTesting methodologies, defect tracking, automation tools, ISTQB certification
Work EnvironmentDevelopment teams, performance testing labs, cloud environmentsTesting teams, QA labs, cross-functional project teams
Industry UsageTech, finance, e-commerce, gamingSoftware development, enterprise applications, healthcare

While both roles focus on software quality, the Software Performance Engineer specializes in optimizing system performance and scalability, whereas the Software Quality Assurance Engineer concentrates on overall quality assurance and defect prevention. Understanding these differences helps employers and professionals align skills with job requirements.

What are popular job titles related to Software Performance Engineer jobs in San Jose, CA?

For Software Performance Engineer jobs in San Jose, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Software Performance Engineer jobs in San Jose, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Software Performance Engineer jobs in San Jose, CA are:

What cities near San Jose, CA are hiring for Software Performance Engineer jobs?

Cities near San Jose, CA with the most Software Performance Engineer job openings:

Software Performance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Performance Engineer job openings in San Jose, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $163,527 per year, or $78.6 per hour.

Senior GPU Software Performance Engineer -- Post‐Training

San Jose, CA • On-site

Advanced Micro Devices
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing • 5 - 10K employees

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 13 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

27th of 159 rated electronics manufacturers

People enjoy working here

Good employer

Respectful managers

Learn more about Advanced Micro Devicesexternal

$130 - $170/hr

Other

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

WHAT YOU DO AT AMD CHANGES EVERYTHING

At AMD, our mission is to build great products that accelerate next‑generation computing experiences—from AI and data centers, to PCs, gaming and embedded systems. Grounded in a culture of innovation and collaboration, we believe real progress comes from bold ideas, human ingenuity and a shared passion to create something extraordinary. When you join AMD, you’ll discover that the real differentiator is our culture. We push the limits of innovation to solve the world’s most important challenges—striving for execution excellence, while being direct, humble, collaborative, and inclusive of diverse perspectives. Join us as we shape the future of AI and beyond.

Principal / Senior GPU Software Performance Engineer — Post‑Training THE ROLE:

Drive the performance of post‑training workloads on AMD Instinct™ GPUs. You’ll work across kernels, distributed training, and framework integrations to deliver fast, stable, and reproducible training pipelines on ROCm.

THE PERSON:

The ideal candidate is passionate about software engineering and the craft of training performance. You lead sophisticated cross‑stack issues—spanning data loaders, kernels, distributed training, and compilers—to clear resolution. You communicate crisply and collaborate effectively with framework, compiler, kernel, and model teams across AMD, driving measurable improvements with rigor, ownership, and reproducibility.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Lead performance for finetuning and RL training solutions on AMD GPUs.
  • Improve throughput, memory efficiency, and stability across data, model, and optimizer steps.
  • Optimize multi‑GPU/multi‑node training and communication patterns.
  • Contribute efficient kernels/ops and targeted graph‑level optimizations.
  • Profile, diagnose, and resolve bottlenecks using standard tooling; prevent regressions in CI.
  • Ship reproducible pipelines and documentation adopted by internal teams and external developers.
  • Collaborate with framework, compiler, and model teams to land durable improvements.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
  • Proven GPU performance engineering for deep learning (ROCm/HIP, Triton, or similar).
  • Hands‑on with SFT. LoRA and RL‑based training at scale.
  • Strong PyTorch experience (torch.distributed, FSDP/ZeRO or equivalent).
  • Proficient in Python and C++; comfortable reading/writing kernels when needed.
  • Experience with distributed systems and collective communication libraries.
  • Track record of turning profiles into fixes, upstreaming changes, and documenting results.
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS:
  • B.S./M.S./Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent
LOCATION:

San Jose, CA preferred. Other US based locations may be considered.

Benefits offered are described: AMD benefits at a glance.

AMD does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee‑based recruitment services. AMD and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity, inclusive employers and will consider all applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, political and/or third‑party affiliation, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and will accommodate applicants’ needs under the respective laws throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.

AMD may use Artificial Intelligence to help screen, assess or select applicants for this position. AMD’s Responsible AI Policy is available.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

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