Principal Software Engineer (Drools and Java)
IT / Computer Engineering
Full Time
Fidelity TalentSource is your destination for discovering your next temporary role at Fidelity Investments. We are currently sourcing for a Principal Software Engineer to work in Durham, NC!
The Fidelity Insurance Group (FIG) Technology team is a small, growing team in Enterprise Services with a “Start Up” feel. We are seeking an upbeat, hardworking Principal Drools & Java Software Engineer to join us in defining the future for our organization. We will have a focus on modernizing and building innovative cloud-native experiences, capabilities, and platforms in support of millions of customers who are seeking products that provide guaranteed income and/or protection. We are an emerging group in Fidelity with strategic financial backing.
Job Title: Principal Software Engineer
The Role
We are seeking a Principal Drools and Java Engineer to lead the design, evolution, and operational excellence of our business rules and underwriting decisioning capabilities. This role sits at the intersection of software architecture, domain modeling, and business policy enablement, shaping how complex rules are authored, executed, governed, and scaled across the enterprise.
As a Principal Engineer, you will act as a technical authority and trusted advisor, influencing architecture, standards, and long-term strategy while remaining hands-on with critical systems.
The Expertise and Skills You Bring
Technical Experience & Depth
The Team
The Fidelity Insurance Group (FIG) Technology team is a recently established group aimed at providing transparent solutions and support for all of FIG’s business functions. We partner with internal FIG stakeholders and multiple organizations across Fidelity, most notably the Fidelity Insurance Agency (FIA) to deliver modern solutions that scale. It is an exciting time in this space with much potential for growth and innovation!
Company Overview
Fidelity Investments is a privately held company with a mission to strengthen the financial well-being of our clients. We help people invest and plan for their future. We assist companies and non-profit organizations in delivering benefits to their employees. And we provide institutions and independent advisors with investment and technology solutions to help invest their own clients’ money.
Join Us
At Fidelity, you’ll find endless opportunities to build a meaningful career that positively impacts peoples’ lives, including yours. You can take advantage of flexible benefits that support you through every stage of your career, empowering you to thrive at work and at home. Honored with a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award, we have been recognized by our employees as a top 10 Best Place to Work in 2024. And you don’t need a finance background to succeed at
Fidelity—we offer a range of opportunities for learning so you can build the career you’ve always imagined. Fidelity’s hybrid working model blends the best of both onsite and offsite work experiences. Having the majority of our associates work onsite is important for our business strategy and our culture. We also value the benefits that working offsite offers associates. Most roles listed as Hybrid will require associates to work onsite all business days of every other week in a Fidelity office. This does not apply to roles listed as Remote or Onsite.
At Fidelity, we value honesty, integrity, and the safety of our associates and customers within a heavily regulated industry. Certain roles may require candidates to go through a preliminary credit check during the screening process. Candidates who are presented with a Fidelity offer will need to go through a background investigation, detailed in this document, and may be asked to provide additional documentation as requested. This investigation includes but is not limited to a criminal, civil litigations and regulatory review, employment, education, and credit review (role dependent). These investigations will account for 7 years or more of history, depending on the role. Where permitted by federal or state law, Fidelity will also conduct a pre-employment drug screen, which will review for the following substances: Amphetamines, THC (marijuana), cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine. We invite you to Find Your Fidelity at fidelitycareers.com.
Fidelity Investments is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that the most effective way to attract, develop and retain a diverse workforce is to build an enduring culture of inclusion and belonging.
Fidelity will reasonably accommodate applicants with disabilities who need adjustments to participate in the application or interview process. To initiate a request for an accommodation, contact the HR Accommodation Team by sending an email to accommodations@fmr.com.
The Fidelity Insurance Group (FIG) Technology team is a small, growing team in Enterprise Services with a “Start Up” feel. We are seeking an upbeat, hardworking Principal Drools & Java Software Engineer to join us in defining the future for our organization. We will have a focus on modernizing and building innovative cloud-native experiences, capabilities, and platforms in support of millions of customers who are seeking products that provide guaranteed income and/or protection. We are an emerging group in Fidelity with strategic financial backing.
Job Title: Principal Software Engineer
The Role
We are seeking a Principal Drools and Java Engineer to lead the design, evolution, and operational excellence of our business rules and underwriting decisioning capabilities. This role sits at the intersection of software architecture, domain modeling, and business policy enablement, shaping how complex rules are authored, executed, governed, and scaled across the enterprise.
As a Principal Engineer, you will act as a technical authority and trusted advisor, influencing architecture, standards, and long-term strategy while remaining hands-on with critical systems.
The Expertise and Skills You Bring
Technical Experience & Depth
- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with deep expertise in Java and enterprise application development.
- 5+ years of hands-on experience building and operating Drools-based (or equivalent BRMS) solutions in production environments.
- Deep knowledge of object-oriented design, domain-driven design, and clean architecture principles.
- Strong understanding of:
- Stateless vs. stateful rule execution models
- Decision tables, DRL, and rule flows
- Rule performance tuning, conflict resolution, and lifecycle management
- Experience using copilot (or AI in general) as part of engineering practices
- Proven ability to own and evolve rules engine architectures, including rule authoring patterns, execution strategies, versioning, and governance.
- Experience designing scalable, resilient Java services that integrate rules engines with distributed systems (RESTful APIs, messaging, event-driven architectures).
- Strong understanding of performance, memory management, and operational characteristics of rules-based systems.
- Demonstrated ability to lead technically without formal authority, influencing architecture and engineering decisions across teams.
- Experience leading technical design reviews and providing architectural guidance for complex systems.
- Strong mentorship mindset, with a track record of elevating senior and mid-level engineers.
- Ability to partner closely with product owners and domain experts to translate business policy into clear, executable decision logic.
- Experience supporting DevOps/SRE practices, including deployment strategy, monitoring, and observability for rules-driven services.
- Comfortable representing engineering perspectives in cross?organization architectural discussions and modernization initiatives.
The Team
The Fidelity Insurance Group (FIG) Technology team is a recently established group aimed at providing transparent solutions and support for all of FIG’s business functions. We partner with internal FIG stakeholders and multiple organizations across Fidelity, most notably the Fidelity Insurance Agency (FIA) to deliver modern solutions that scale. It is an exciting time in this space with much potential for growth and innovation!
Company Overview
Fidelity Investments is a privately held company with a mission to strengthen the financial well-being of our clients. We help people invest and plan for their future. We assist companies and non-profit organizations in delivering benefits to their employees. And we provide institutions and independent advisors with investment and technology solutions to help invest their own clients’ money.
Join Us
At Fidelity, you’ll find endless opportunities to build a meaningful career that positively impacts peoples’ lives, including yours. You can take advantage of flexible benefits that support you through every stage of your career, empowering you to thrive at work and at home. Honored with a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award, we have been recognized by our employees as a top 10 Best Place to Work in 2024. And you don’t need a finance background to succeed at
Fidelity—we offer a range of opportunities for learning so you can build the career you’ve always imagined. Fidelity’s hybrid working model blends the best of both onsite and offsite work experiences. Having the majority of our associates work onsite is important for our business strategy and our culture. We also value the benefits that working offsite offers associates. Most roles listed as Hybrid will require associates to work onsite all business days of every other week in a Fidelity office. This does not apply to roles listed as Remote or Onsite.
At Fidelity, we value honesty, integrity, and the safety of our associates and customers within a heavily regulated industry. Certain roles may require candidates to go through a preliminary credit check during the screening process. Candidates who are presented with a Fidelity offer will need to go through a background investigation, detailed in this document, and may be asked to provide additional documentation as requested. This investigation includes but is not limited to a criminal, civil litigations and regulatory review, employment, education, and credit review (role dependent). These investigations will account for 7 years or more of history, depending on the role. Where permitted by federal or state law, Fidelity will also conduct a pre-employment drug screen, which will review for the following substances: Amphetamines, THC (marijuana), cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine. We invite you to Find Your Fidelity at fidelitycareers.com.
Fidelity Investments is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that the most effective way to attract, develop and retain a diverse workforce is to build an enduring culture of inclusion and belonging.
Fidelity will reasonably accommodate applicants with disabilities who need adjustments to participate in the application or interview process. To initiate a request for an accommodation, contact the HR Accommodation Team by sending an email to accommodations@fmr.com.