Purpose: It is necessary to pay attention to the personality traits and stress of people in their work performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of personality traits in the job performance of athletes with the mediation of job stress.

Methods: The descriptive research method was of correlation type. The statistical population was sports nurses from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. 220 subjects from selected hospitals were selected as voluntary sample. The data collection instruments were questionnaires on personality traits, job performance and job stress. Data were analysed by Pearson correlation test and structural equation model using SPSS and AMOS software.

Results: The results showed that the direct effects of neuroticism (0.39), openness (-0.30), and conscientiousness on job stress (-0.21) were significant. The direct effect of neuroticism (-0.66), openness (0.23), and conscientiousness on work performance (0.15) were significant. The direct effect of job stress on job performance (0.35) was also significant. The results of the Sobel test showed that the indirect paths of personality traits and job performance by job stress were also significant (P≥0.05).

Conclusion: These results highlight the need to recognize the mediating role of job stress in the study of the relationship between personality traits and job performance.