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Software Performance Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

HealthEdge Software, Inc.

$123 - $132/hr

We are seeking a passionate problem solver to work as a Software Engineer in Performance and Tools team to: * Enhance and maintain in-house synthetic data generation tools * Investigate performance ...

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 ...

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 ...

Apple

Sr. WebKit Performance Engineer

San Diego, CA

$175K - $308K/yr

WebKit is also an Open Source software project in which Apple engineers collaborate with engineers ... Performance improvements in WebKit make all of our products better. The WebKit Performance team is ...

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$109K

$141K

How much do software performance engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 3, 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 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.

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Software Performance Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Software Performance Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $139,529 per year, or $67.1 per hour.

Software Engineer, Performance

Icehouseventures

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$160.36 - $240.54/hr

Other

Posted 16 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Analyze, profile, debug, monitor, and optimize the performance of AV software.

  • Design and develop systems and tools for memory management, thread prioritization, and process/thread lifetime management.

  • Build core libraries and APIs to enable autonomy engineers to write high‑performance code.

Job description

Who We Are

Nuro is a self-driving technology company on a mission to make autonomy accessible to all. Founded in 2016, Nuro is building the world’s most scalable driver, combining cutting‑edge AI with automotive-grade hardware. Nuro licenses its core technology, the Nuro Driver™, to support a wide range of applications, from robotaxis and commercial fleets to personally owned vehicles. With technology proven over years of self‑driving deployments, Nuro gives the automakers and mobility platforms a clear path to AVs at commercial scale, empowering a safer, richer, and more connected future.

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 around them. The team builds systems and tools for continuous performance analysis and drives latency reduction and resource efficiency efforts to ensure the autonomy teams can implement an autonomy stack that is efficient and performant for the current and future generations of the Nuro Driver.

About the Work
  • Analyze, profile, debug, monitor, and optimize the performance of AV software
  • Design and develop systems and tools for memory management, thread prioritization, process/thread lifetime management
  • Work with engineers from different teams to define the system‑level architecture and building blocks
  • Build core libraries and APIs to enable autonomy engineers to write high‑performance code
  • Drive and encourage best practices within the team and the rest of the organization
About You
  • Strong system fundamentals and proficiency in C++
  • Expertise in computer architecture and operating systems
  • Experience developing in a highly concurrent, multi‑processor, and multi‑threaded environment
  • Experience with performance optimizations and software porting across a variety of compute architectures - like x86, ARM, GPUs, SoCs
  • Experience with performance profiling tools such as perf, VTune, BPF, Nvidia Nsight Systems
  • 2+ years of relevant industry experience
  • BS, MS or PhD in CS, or related technical field
Bonus Points:
  • Experience with GPU programming (e.g. CUDA, OpenCL) and low level driver optimization for Nvidia GPUs.
  • Experience with Nvidia DriveOS or ROS.

At Nuro, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. For this position, the reasonably expected base pay range is between $160,360 and $240,540 for the level at which this job has been scoped. Your base pay will depend on several factors, including your experience, qualifications, education, location, and skills. In the event that you are considered for a different level, a higher or lower pay range would apply. This position is also eligible for an annual performance bonus, equity, and a competitive benefits package.

At Nuro, we celebrate differences and are committed to a diverse workplace that fosters inclusion and psychological safety for all employees. Nuro is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and expressly prohibits any form of workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

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