Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Function as the subject matter expert for the mainframe platform to provide technical expertise and support to infrastructure, applications and third-party teams.
• Lead the planning, installation, configuration, customization, and testing of IBM z/OS and all third-party mainframe software packages such as TopSecret, CA-1, CA-Disk, BMC AMI Storage, Endevor, MIM, VPS, and various associated products.
• Perform CICS administration.
• JobTrac application administration.
• Drive capacity planning and resource optimization for the mainframe, storage and tape management systems.
• Ability to evaluate specifications and features of new products, performing cost comparisons, feasibility and cost benefit analysis, performance, compatibility and testing to make recommendations.
• Mentor less experienced Mainframe System Administrators including assigning work, reviewing work for adherence to standards, and providing technical guidance.
• Absorb and assist with the overall disaster recovery planning and annual testing for the mainframe and storage replication services.
• Identify and plan for the use of new technologies and capabilities including Linux and cloud-ready capabilities to improve optimized use of the mainframe platform.
• Perform performance data collection, analysis, and the tuning of the z/OS operating system and associated applications.
• Develop standards and procedures that support current and future operational needs with a focus on continuous improvement and automation on the mainframe environment.
• Work closely with the corporate IT leadership to develop and implement new technology and solutions.
• Assist with the planning and delivery of all major software upgrades, system maintenance activities, technical patching and hardware refresh initiatives for the mainframe environment.
• Manage and drive IT service delivery and management disciplines with the mainframe and data center operations teams including incident, change and problem management.
• Review technical requirements and solutions to ensure that mainframe security requirements are addressed and are in line with corporate standards.
• Provide engineering and support of the enterprise scheduling packages including the training and development of process documentation for the scheduling and data center operations teams.
• Assist the client security team with the provision of system and application access to mainframe hosted applications.
• Work closely with manufacturing and distribution locations to install, configure and support printer hardware and software administration.

Experience Required

• Required Length & Type of Experience: 10+ years of technical experience in engineering and supporting a large, complex mainframe and open system environment.
• 5+ years of providing technical leadership and engineering assistance to experienced and junior infrastructure engineers and administrators.
• Hands on, proven experience installing IBM mainframe hardware, operating systems and major third-party software vendors including CA, BMC, LRS and Information Builders.
• Experience in designing, implementing and operating enterprise-wide mainframe and server infrastructure in a highly virtualized and dynamic environment.
• Experience planning for and executing large, complex projects including major hardware architecture changes, hardware refreshes, major software version upgrades and global consolidations across multiple sites.
• Experience delivering and supporting services that are used across large organizations with international, 24 x 7 support needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Expert-level knowledge of IBM z/OS operating system administration, performance tuning, installation, upgrade and patching.
• Strong knowledge and technical skills in IBM mainframe hardware including hardware installs and upgrades, firmware and module patching and lifecycle planning.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of IBM mainframe storage and tape management systems including storage replication technology.
• Deep knowledge in CICS administration.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of mainframe security, CICS and workload management tools and methodologies.
• Strong knowledge of JobTrac administration.
• Knowledge of database concepts in Mainframe, particularly in IDMS database administration.
• Ability to plan for and execute third-party software patching and upgrades on the mainframe to resolve technical issues and maintain supported versions of all installed software.
• Ability to provide strong and effective technical leadership to infrastructure and application resources to drive new development efforts.
• Strong knowledge of ITIL service management and disciplines to drive continuous improvement of service delivery.
• Ability to learn new technologies and apply skills to drive adoption of new capabilities and improve overall usage of the mainframe platform.
• Ability to demonstrate and deliver excellent troubleshooting and analytical skills to drive rapid problem resolution individually and within the server team.
• Strong understanding of project implementations, project structure and life cycle and best practice standards and tools.
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills to drive process improvements within the server team and across other infrastructure teams.

Education Required

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent combination of relevant education, training and experience.