ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Software Performance Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara, CA

Astera Labs

Performance Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

Senior Performance Engineer Location: San Jose, CA (On-site) Role Overview Astera Labs is a hyper ... Partner closely with ASIC architecture, firmware, software, Product Definition, Product ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsSoftware Performance Engineer JobsSoftware Performance Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara, CA

Software Performance Engineer information

See Santa Clara, CA salary details

$128.7K

$166.5K

How much do software performance engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for software performance engineer in Santa Clara, CA is $164,781.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $165,300.00 and $165,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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 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 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 does a software performance engineer do?

A software performance engineer analyzes and optimizes software systems to ensure they run efficiently, reliably, and at scale. They use tools like profiling and monitoring software, conduct performance testing, and identify bottlenecks to improve response times and resource usage. Strong knowledge of programming, system architecture, and performance testing methodologies is essential for this role.
What are popular job titles related to Software Performance Engineer jobs in Santa Clara, CA? For Software Performance Engineer jobs in Santa Clara, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Software Performance Engineer jobs in Santa Clara, CA look for? The top searched job categories for Software Performance Engineer jobs in Santa Clara, CA are:
What cities near Santa Clara, CA are hiring for Software Performance Engineer jobs? Cities near Santa Clara, CA with the most Software Performance Engineer job openings:
Software Performance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Performance Engineer job openings in Santa Clara, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $164,781 per year, or $79.2 per hour.

Fellow, AI Performance Software Engineer

AMD

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

$164K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 29 days ago

Advanced Micro Devices rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 13 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

27th of 156 rated electronics manufacturers

Job description

Job Summary:
AMD is a leading company in the AI and computing industry, dedicated to innovation and collaboration. They are seeking a highly motivated AI Performance Software Engineer to optimize software for next-generation GPU computational accelerators, working with sophisticated clients to enhance AI applications.
Responsibilities:
• Enable software for world class datacenters and supercomputers
• Optimize the software ecosystem for next generation GPU computational accelerators
• Work with a team of Software Engineers to enable DL models, libraries, and applications for Instinct GPUs in both on-prem and Cloud environments
• Analyze and optimize the performance of AI software
• Understand hardware bottlenecks and harness performance to hit close to roofline
Qualifications:
Required:
• Minimum 4 years of experience required.
• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python
• Strong development experience is at least one major DL framework such as Pytorch or Tensorflow in inference, fine tuning and/or training
• MS with years of related experience or PhD with years of related experience in Computer Science or Computer Engineering or related equivalent.
• Experience developing software and system-level performance optimizations with a solid architecture understanding in GPUs a plus
• Experience with open-source software development including collaboration with community maintainers and submitting contributions is a plus
• Publications in reputed peer-reviewed ML conferences/journals a plus
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills root-causing/addressing performance issues.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Willingness to learn skills, tools, and methods to advance the quality, consistency, and timeliness of AMD software products.
Preferred:
• Expertise in profiling tools across the AI SW Stack (Torchprofiler, RocM profiler, Vtune, Nsight)
• Experience in implementing and optimizing parallel methods on GPU accelerators (NCCL/RCCL, OpenMP, MPI)
• Performance analysis skills for both CPU and GPU
• Experience with Singularity, Docker, and/or Kubernetes.
• Experience providing clear and timely communication related to status and other key aspects of the project to leadership team.
Company:
Advanced Micro Devices is a semiconductor company that designs and develops graphics units, processors, and media solutions. Founded in 1969, the company is headquartered in Santa Clara, USA, with a team of 10001+ employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

What Advanced Micro Devices employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Apply