Performance Testing Lead

Cayuse Holdings • Sacramento, CA

3d • $165,000 - $195,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Performance Testing Lead oversees the end-to-end lifecycle of enterprise-scale performance engineering for complex, multi-tier systems. The role combines technical expertise, leadership, and performance optimization to ensure system reliability, scalability, and efficiency. The lead defines and executes performance testing strategies, guides teams through performance testing phases, analyzes results to identify bottlenecks, and provides actionable recommendations to improve performance.

The position involves aligning performance testing with organizational objectives and service level agreements (SLAs), collaborating with development, architecture, and operations teams, and integrating performance testing into CI/CD workflows. The role also produces dashboards and executive-level reports and leads projects in accordance with quality standards, processes, and business requirements. Employment is conditional upon the client successfully executing the contract.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 7 years of performance testing or performance engineering experience for large-scale, enterprise-wide systems.
• At least 4 years of experience leading performance testing teams, including planning, execution, and detailed reporting.
• At least 4 years of experience designing and implementing comprehensive, end-to-end performance test strategies.
• Experience conducting load, stress, endurance, and spike testing against defined performance SLAs.
• At least 4 years of hands-on experience with performance testing tools such as LoadRunner, JMeter, or equivalent alternatives.
• Proficiency in using monitoring tools alongside performance testing tools to analyze metrics and outcomes.
• Expertise testing REST and SOAP APIs and translating non-functional requirements into measurable test scenarios.
• Experience with ALM, Azure DevOps, Jira, or similar platforms.
• At least 4 years of SQL experience for database manipulation, test data preparation, and validation of test parameters.
• Ability to conduct bottleneck analysis and provide actionable system-tuning recommendations.
• Must be able to pass a background check; additional project- or client-required background checks may be required during employment.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities; adaptability and ability to learn quickly.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multifunctional team.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately.
• Proficiency in MS Office, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Nice To Haves

• 10 or more years of cumulative performance testing and/or performance engineering experience.
• At least 7 years leading enterprise-scale performance engineering programs that significantly improve SLA compliance, throughput, and application responsiveness.
• Experience integrating performance testing into CI/CD pipelines for automated performance validation.
• At least 5 years of experience integrating performance testing into CI/CD pipelines such as Azure DevOps or Jenkins, with automated pass/fail gates.
• One year of experience supporting large-scale benefit systems, such as Unemployment Insurance or Disability Insurance, meeting defined large-scale enterprise system criteria.
• One or more of the following certifications: ISTQB Certified Tester Performance Testing (CT-PT) or Open Text LoadRunner Professional Certification.
• At least 3 years of experience testing cloud-based or SaaS systems.
• At least 1 year of direct performance engineering experience for large-scale benefit systems.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, IT, or Engineering; alternatively, at least 12 years of cumulative performance testing or performance engineering experience for large-scale enterprise systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full lifecycle of enterprise-scale performance engineering, including workload modeling, scripting, execution, analysis, and optimization for large multi-tier systems.
• Define and implement performance testing strategies, workload models, and SLAs aligned with organizational objectives.
• Mentor and lead performance testing teams through test planning, scripting, and execution.
• Conduct load, stress, endurance, and spike testing for APIs, UI, batch processing, and integrated systems.
• Translate non-functional requirements into measurable performance test scenarios.
• Use performance testing and monitoring tools such as LoadRunner and JMeter.
• Perform bottleneck analysis and recommend application and infrastructure optimization solutions.
• Collaborate with developers, system architects, and operations teams to implement tuning recommendations and achieve SLAs.
• Use Application Performance Management (APM) and observability tools to monitor and improve performance.
• Integrate performance testing workflows into CI/CD pipelines and establish automated pass/fail gates.
• Develop and present performance dashboards, KPIs, and executive-level reports for stakeholders.
• Lead projects in accordance with quality standards, processes, and business requirements, while identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Wellness Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare, dependent care, and commuter expenses
• Short-term and long-term disability options
• Company-provided basic life and AD&D insurance
• Voluntary life and AD&D options
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with matching after one year
• Paid Time Off

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior