Senior Mainframe Software Engineer - COBOL & Enterprise Systems

We are seeking experienced mainframe professionals to support the development, operation, and continued modernization of large-scale enterprise applications for a government customer.

This role is suited to developers with strong hands-on experience in COBOL and traditional mainframe technologies who can maintain established systems while helping improve performance, reliability, and long-term maintainability. The successful candidate will contribute to application development, data processing, system integration, production support, and modernization initiatives, including opportunities to use AI-assisted development tools and automation.

This opportunity is being filled through federal Direct Hire Authority and is open to qualified U.S. citizens. Submitted applications may be considered for more than one opening.

What You’ll Do

• Develop, enhance, test, and maintain enterprise applications written primarily in COBOL.
• Build and support online transaction-processing applications using CICS and related technologies.
• Create, update, and troubleshoot JCL for batch processing, job scheduling, and production workflows.
• Work with DB2 databases and SQL queries to support data access, application functionality, and performance improvements.
• Maintain and integrate data using VSAM, IDMS, and sequential, indexed, or relative file structures.
• Investigate complex application issues, identify root causes, and implement durable solutions.
• Improve existing code, system interfaces, data flows, and application architecture.
• Participate in legacy-system modernization, integration, and data migration efforts.
• Coordinate with developers, business analysts, quality assurance teams, and other technical stakeholders.
• Prepare technical specifications, system documentation, test materials, and implementation guidance.
• Conduct code reviews and contribute to application testing, release preparation, and deployment activities.
• Evaluate appropriate uses of automation and AI-assisted tools to improve development efficiency and software quality.
• Provide technical direction and share mainframe development expertise with team members as needed., You will work within a large-scale government enterprise computing environment supporting established mainframe applications and ongoing software improvement initiatives. The work combines traditional mainframe development practices with opportunities to improve delivery processes through automation and modern development tools., Contribute your mainframe expertise to enterprise applications that support important government operations. You’ll have the opportunity to apply proven COBOL and mainframe skills, solve challenging technical problems, and help improve the reliability and maintainability of long-standing systems.

Candidates should have professional experience in several of the following areas:

• COBOL application development and maintenance.
• IBM mainframe environments and enterprise application processing.
• CICS transaction processing and online application support.
• JCL, batch execution, job control, and production scheduling.
• DB2, SQL, and relational database concepts.
• VSAM, IDMS, and mainframe file-processing techniques.
• Data conversion, system integration, and migration between established and evolving platforms.
• Troubleshooting, application tuning, software testing, and production support.
• Technical documentation and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

Experience Levels and Technical ExpectationsSenior-Level Experience

Candidates considered at this level should demonstrate the ability to independently develop and maintain COBOL applications, work across CICS, JCL, database, and file-processing technologies, assist with integration and migration activities, and produce clear technical documentation. They should be comfortable diagnosing application issues and coordinating solutions with other technical and business professionals.

Advanced-Level Experience

Candidates considered at this level should demonstrate deeper technical expertise and the ability to lead or guide complex development and modernization work. Expectations may include coordinating data integration and migration, shaping application architecture, improving established systems, resolving difficult technical problems, and providing guidance to other developers and project stakeholders., * Analytical problem-solving: Diagnose complex application behavior and determine practical, supportable solutions.

• Accuracy and accountability: Maintain high standards for code quality, data integrity, testing, and technical documentation.
• Communication: Explain technical findings and collaborate effectively with technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Service orientation: Support system users and business operations with a focus on reliability, responsiveness, and quality.

• 401(k)
• Retirement plan
• Parental leave

Work Location: In person

Pay: $120,000.00 - $195,200.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Life insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off