Mainframe Systems Programmer II

Senior mainframe systems programmer who evaluates, installs, and configures hardware and software mainframe computing environments. Maintains hardware and software systems for integrity, security, performance, and capacity planning purposes. Participates in planning, implementing, and testing mainframe computing business continuity and disaster recovery plans. Communicates effectively with system users. Coordinates with management to implement mainframe computing objectives. Relies on experience, judgment, and initiative to plan and accomplish objectives. Works under general supervision – typically reports directly to a manager.

1. Evaluates, installs, and configures hardware and software mainframe computing environments.

• Assists with new hardware and software assessments and procurement.
• Oversees mainframe hardware installation and configuration.
• Installs and configures mainframe operating systems and application software on newly acquired hardware.
• Maintains mainframe operating system and application software via patching and upgrades.
• Resolves software-related problems for mainframe systems.
• Ensures that systems operations are performed in accordance with established standards, policies, and procedures.
• Documents systems procedures.

2. Maintains hardware and software systems for integrity, security, performance, and capacity planning purposes.

• Monitors hardware/software configurations to ensure data integrity and system security.
• Monitors hardware and software functionality and assists in failure resolution.
• Performs capacity planning and reporting.
• Documents hardware configurations.
• Documents software configurations.

3. Participates in planning, implementing, and testing mainframe computing business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

• Participates in evaluation and procurement of best-of-breed business continuity and disaster recovery software and hardware practices.
• Participates in business continuity and disaster recovery planning.
• Participates in business continuity and disaster recovery implementation.
• Participates in business continuity and disaster recovery testing.

4. Communicates effectively with system users. Coordinates with management to implement operating systems goals and objectives.

• Assists and supports Programming and Computer Operations personnel as needed.
• Prepares reports of system activities, discussing changes and their ramifications.
• Completes records and other required documents.
• Attends and participates in meetings and committees as required.
• Completes special projects as assigned.
• Communicates information to users including reasons for problems, project status, and deadlines.

Training/Education/Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Required Knowledge:

• Understanding of Credit Union operations and information needs.
• Thorough understanding of programming and information systems.
• Thorough knowledge of business software applications.

Experience Required:

• 10+ year’s work experience in the development of complex mainframe computing environments or equivalent.
• Extensive mainframe systems programming and application development experience.
• Experience with Job Control Language (JCL) – a scripting language used on IBM mainframe operating systems to instruct the system on how to run batch jobs or start subsystems.
• Experience with Rexx (Restructured Extended Executor) – an interpreted scripting and macro programming often used for processing data, text, and generating reports.
• Experience with CLIST (Command List) – a procedural programming language for Time Sharing Option (TSO) in z/OS systems. A CLIST program is a simple list of commands to be executed in strict sequence.
• Experience with ISPF Panel Dialogs (Interactive System Productivity Facility) – an interface to run tools on the underlying Time Sharing Option (TSO). Generally, these panels provide a convenient interface to do tasks, mostly to execute modules of IBM mainframe utility programs.
• TCP/IP network administration experience.
• IBM zSeries hardware experience.

Skills/Abilities:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Well-organized.
• Good communication skills.
• Ability to assist others.
• Able to use PC and terminal keyboards, various computer hardware.