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Software Performance Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

NetApp

Software Engineer (Performance)

Morrisville, NC · On-site +1

$131K/yr

... performance improvements. You will be part of a highly skilled technical team and working closely with the team of software developers responsible for the design, development, QA and install ...

Nuro

Software Engineer, Performance

Mountain View, CA

$160K - $240K/yr

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 react quickly and safely to the world ...

Broadcom

AI Systems Performance Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

... software, and networking stakeholders. Qualifications : Required : • Education: Bachelor ... level performance tuning and troubleshooting. • Programming Skills: Strong proficiency in ...

Nuro

Software Engineer, Performance

Mountain View, CA

$160K - $240K/yr

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 react quickly and safely to the world ...

Nuro

Software Engineer, Performance

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$160K - $240K/yr

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 react quickly and safely to the world ...

Kalitta Air, LLC

Performance Engineer

Ypsilanti, MI · On-site

Performance Engineer Department : Performance Engineering Reports To : Manager of Performance ... software and associated procedures. · Manages, updates, and improves aircraft performance software ...

Beyond SOF

Software Engineer - Full Performance

Herndon, VA · On-site

$143K/yr

Software Engineer - Full Performance Summary : Analyzes user interfaces, maintain hardware and software performance tuning, analyze workload and computer usage, maintain interfaces with outside ...

Beyond SOF

Software Engineer - Full Performance

Herndon, VA · On-site

$143K/yr

Software Engineer - Full Performance Summary : Analyzes user interfaces, maintain hardware and software performance tuning, analyze workload and computer usage, maintain interfaces with outside ...

PDT Partners

Performance Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

$195K - $225K/yr

You will work at the intersection of software, systems, and hardware to analyze performance, drive ... Versatile engineering mindset: ability to learn quickly, tackle diverse challenges, and adapt.

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All JobsSoftware Performance Engineer Jobs

Software Performance Engineer information

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$109K

$141K

How much do software performance engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for software performance engineer in the United States is $139,529.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $140,000.00 and $140,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Software Performance Engineer, and why are they important?

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 Software Performance Engineers?

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.
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Software Performance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Performance Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $139,529 per year, or $67.1 per hour.
Senior Software Performance Engineer - AV Platform

Senior Software Performance Engineer - AV Platform

Nvidia

Santa Clara, CA

$143K - $189K/yr

Full-time

Posted 25 days ago

Job description

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. As an NVIDIAN, you'll be immersed in a diverse, supportive environment where everyone is inspired to do their best work. Come join the team and see how you can make a lasting impact on the world.

We are now looking for a Senior Software Performance Engineer for Autonomous Vehicles! Our team builds NVIDIA's end-to-end autonomous driving applications. We are seeking senior software engineers who are passionate about performance with an interest in optimizing self-driving solutions that run on NVIDIA's multi-computer and heterogenous HW architectures.

What you'll be doing:

  • Develop, maintain and optimize latency and throughput of NVIDIA's L2/L3/L4 autonomous driving solutions.

  • Devise acceleration strategies and patterns to improve software architecture and its efficiency on our computers with multiple heterogeneous hardware engines while meeting or exceeding product goals.

  • Develop highly efficient product code in C++, making use of algorithmic parallelism offered by GPGPU programming (CUDA)/ARM NEON while following quality and safety standards such as defined by MISRA.

  • Collaborate with HW, product, OS, and safety teams to design next-gen products.

What we need to see:

  • MS or PhD degree in Computer Science, Computer Architecture, Electrical Engineering or related field (or equivalent experience).

  • 12+ years of relevant professional experience working on autonomous vehicles software.

  • Excellent C and C++ programming skills.

  • Solid understanding of programming and debugging techniques, especially for parallel architectures.

  • Good understanding of system software/operating systems and computer architecture.

  • Experience with performance analysis, optimizations and benchmarking.

  • Outstanding communication and collaboration skills as this role might require significant interfacing with other teams within NVIDIA.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

  • Understanding of embedded architectures and real-time operating systems & scheduling.

  • Strong mathematical fundamentals, including linear algebra and numerical methods.

  • Experience implementing algorithms in robotics, computer vision, and/or machine learning.

  • Software development experience with CUDA/GPGPU or any data parallel architectures.

  • Deep learning architecture/performance work on any HW accelerator, especially if on GPUs.

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 224,000 USD - 356,500 USD for Level 5, and 272,000 USD - 431,250 USD for Level 6.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until May 1, 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.
Nvidia logo

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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