Mainframe Solutions Architect
Role details
Job location
Tech stack
Job description
Red Canyon Technologies is seeking a Mainframe Solutions Architect to serve as the primary technical authority on mainframe and legacy system modernization engagements under the DISA Reforged contract. This person is the irreplaceable technical spine of the delivery team - the individual who can walk into a mainframe environment, rapidly understand what is running and why, and architect a credible path forward.
The Mainframe Solutions Architect will partner closely with the Technical PM, senior Red Canyon leadership (including the Program Directors who established Reforged), and the Government customer to design and execute modernization strategies across a wide range of legacy environments. Early work will almost certainly include Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) system modernization and large-scale COBOL application assessment. The right candidate has been in these environments before and is not intimidated by complexity, technical debt, or limited documentation.
This position is contingent upon contract award.
Responsibilities
Mainframe Engineering & Architecture
- Serve as the lead technical voice on mainframe architecture, application structure, data flows, and modernization feasibility for assigned engagements.
- Engineer, administer, and troubleshoot IBM z/OS environments supporting DISA/DoD mission workloads, including advanced support for JES2, TSO/ISPF, SDSF, SMF/RMF, and SMP/E.
- Support and tune DB2 for z/OS environments (connectivity, performance, backup/recovery coordination, and operational support) and CICS regions including configuration, performance tuning, and outage resolution.
- Analyze dumps, logs, and system traces; drive root-cause analysis and implement permanent fixes.
- Provide technical support to application teams for mainframe workloads, including code-level troubleshooting and job support in COBOL, REXX, JCL, and legacy languages such as FORTRAN as applicable.
Assessments, Migrations & Modernization
- Conduct and lead legacy system assessments: inventory, dependency mapping, risk identification, and production of actionable modernization roadmaps.
- Design solution architectures for modernization scenarios including code refactoring, rehosting, API enablement, hybrid cloud integration, and workload offloading.
- Plan and execute migrations and upgrades (z/OS version upgrades, subsystem upgrades, environment consolidation); build repeatable migration playbooks, checklists, and readiness criteria.
- Translate assessment findings into concrete, defensible technical recommendations for Government customers - including trade-off analysis and phased implementation plans.
- Coordinate cutovers and validate post-migration stability; lead or support implementation efforts including direct technical involvement in early engagement phases.
Security & Compliance
- Collaborate with ICAM, security, and infrastructure teams to ensure modernization approaches integrate seamlessly with DoD security frameworks (RMF, Zero Trust, SNAP/eMASS).
- Implement and validate security controls aligned with DISA/DoD requirements including STIGs, hardening guidance, and RACF or equivalent mainframe security administration.
Team & Program Support
- Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on mainframe concepts, modernization patterns, and Red Canyon delivery standards.
- Contribute to proposals, technical volumes, PWS development, and Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimates for new task order opportunities.
- Develop and maintain operational documentation: runbooks, SOPs, change plans, and rollback procedures.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Requirements
- 8+ years of IBM mainframe experience supporting enterprise production environments.
- Active Secret clearance strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated hands-on expertise in z/OS systems programming/administration, DB2 for z/OS operational support, and CICS operational support.
- Proficiency in core mainframe operations tooling: JCL, TSO/ISPF, SDSF, JES2, SMP/E.
- Experience with performance and capacity analysis using SMF/RMF or equivalent tools.
- Proven experience contributing to or leading mainframe assessments and migrations/upgrades.
- Experience designing and executing mainframe modernization strategies, including at least one of: application rehosting, code refactoring, cloud migration, or API enablement of legacy systems.
- Familiarity with hybrid cloud architectures and their intersection with mainframe environments (IBM z/OS Connect, cloud-native integration, workload offloading).
Preferred
- Direct experience supporting DISA, DoD, or other Federal defense agency mainframe programs.
- Assembler experience (reading/debugging, performance analysis, exit routines, and problem determination).
- Experience with ICAM systems, access control modernization, or RACF/RBAC environments on mainframe.
- Familiarity with RMF, ATO processes, and DoD cybersecurity compliance frameworks (NIST 800-53, CMMC) as they apply to mainframe environments; DISA STIG implementation experience.
- Experience with cloud environments (AWS/Azure/GCP) and migrating or refactoring mainframe capabilities into cloud services using patterns such as API enablement, strangler fig, replatform, or rehost.
- REST/Web Services knowledge including exposing or consuming services from z/OS via z/OS Connect; familiarity with modernization-related tooling such as Rocket Software, IBM Data Virtualization, SAS, VSAM/ISAM, Natural, and Adabas.
- Familiarity with AIOps concepts (anomaly detection, alert reduction, faster incident triage) within approved DoD tooling frameworks.
- Experience with modernization platforms such as Micro Focus, Broadcom, or IBM-native refactoring and migration tools.
- Active TS/SCI clearance.
Benefits & conditions
Eligible full-time employees receive a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability coverage, retirement savings with company match, paid time off, voluntary supplemental benefits, and access to an employee assistance program. The package also includes educational assistance, with tuition reimbursement.
