COBOL Developer

Job Summary
We are seeking a skilled and analytical COBOL Developer to join our Mainframe Engineering team as a contractor. In this role, you will be responsible for the end-to-end development of new mainframe applications as well as the ongoing maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimization of our existing legacy systems. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in COBOL, JCL, DB2, and CICS, with a strong ability to translate business requirements into efficient, scalable, and highly available mainframe solutions.

Key Responsibilities
Development & Enhancements:
Analyze business requirements and translate them into detailed technical specifications and design documents.
Design, code, test, and deploy new COBOL applications and modules within the mainframe environment.
Develop and modify complex JCL (Job Control Language) streams for batch processing.
Integrate COBOL programs with databases (DB2) and transaction processing systems (CICS).
Conduct thorough unit testing, integration testing, and support User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
Collaborate with cross-functional teams (QA, Business Analysts, and distributed systems teams) to ensure seamless API integrations and data flow.

Maintenance & Production Support:
Provide ongoing maintenance, support, and monitoring for existing COBOL applications.
Troubleshoot, debug, and resolve production incidents, abends, and performance bottlenecks in a timely manner.
Analyze and optimize long-running batch jobs and SQL queries to improve system performance and reduce CPU utilization.
Perform root cause analysis for recurring issues and implement permanent fixes.
Maintain and update system documentation, runbooks, and process diagrams.
Participate in disaster recovery planning, testing, and execution.

Required Qualifications & Skills
Technical Skills:
Languages: Strong proficiency in COBOL and JCL.
Databases & File Management: Hands-on experience with DB2 (including complex SQL) and VSAM.
Transaction Processing: Experience with CICS for online transaction processing (OLTP).
Environment & Utilities: Proficient in TSO/ISPF, SDSF, and standard IBM utilities (e.g., IDCAMS, SORT, IEBCOPY).
Debugging & Monitoring: Experience with troubleshooting tools such as Xpediter, Abend-AID, File-AID, or Strobe.
Version Control: Familiarity with mainframe source code management tools like Endevor, ChangeMan, or Panvalet.

Soft Skills:
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical stakeholders.
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
Detail-oriented with a strong focus on code quality and system reliability.