Overview
Skills
Job Details
We are seeking an experienced Mainframe MQ Specialist who can operate independently in a complex environment. This role requires a true hands-on MQ professional with strong mainframe expertise. This is not a teaching opportunity-contractors must already possess solid mainframe and MQ skills on day one.
Core Technical Requirements (Must-Have)
Extensive hands-on IBM MQ experience on the mainframe
o Able to tune and optimize MQ performance.
o Able to develop or utilize reporting to identify MQ issues and recommend improvements.
Strong mainframe knowledge and navigation capabilities
o Must be comfortable working directly on z/OS.
o Able to support day-to-day MQ activities, changes, and operations with minimal oversight.
Ability to backfill SME tasks
o Internal MQ SMEs will be moved to a major project; this contractor must be capable of picking up a wide variety of MQ-related work across a large, complex environment.
Excellent communication skills are required.
Preferred Skills
Experience with IIB is a plus.
Broader mainframe MQ "jack-of-all-trades" experience is highly beneficial.
Job details from the director:
"I have 2 spots to fill. 1 is for a Mainframe MQ Systems Programmer (must be fluent in Mainframe access and MQ). This is a 12-month engagement. 2 is someone on the mainframe with tuning knowledge of MQ. This is a 6-month engagement or until my budget is exhausted."
Requirements for the 1-year contract:
(Looking for as much of these skills as we can get):
In-depth experience with IBM MQ/IIB functionality, design, integration, and implementation.
Performing MQ and IIB systems programming in a zSeries operating system environment involving maintenance.
Provide MQ administration support to multiple applications.
With analysis, plan, MQ upgrades to new version and apply maintenance. Experience with installation, maintaining, and implementation of z/OS and ISV software .
Understanding Queue Manager, queues, channels and other MQ objects.
Add queue managers to clusters, queue sharing group for load balancing and failover.
Provide technical expertise throughout the software lifecycle including design, implementation, and delivery.
Understanding cloud, virtualization, APIs, and modern software languages.
Software development experience in one or more general purpose programming languages: Python, Java, Go, JCL, REXX, PERL, PHP, JYTHON, zOSMF Workflows, J2EE, MVC, JDBC, Servlets, Ansible.
Understanding or have experience with agile and lean philosophies.
A Plus is knowledge of tuning MQ using SMF or other reporting.
Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills with clear communication.
Ability to collaborate with different roles to achieve common goals
Understanding of RACF/ACF2 security.
Understanding SYSPLEX technology
Must be work well within the team.
Requirements for Second contractor:
6-month contract or until budget is depleted:
MQ Bufferpool tuning
MQ Pageset tuning and rationalization for efficient placement of Queues
MQ CF tuning/resizing and Queue placement
Cognos knowledge to create reporting using JPM tools for MQ reporting
Knowledge of SMF and ability to create MQ reporting based off this data for long term monitoring and tuning
MQ Qdepth analysis and trending to see when Queues may need to be resized
Bonus items if knowledgeable in:
zOSMF scripting to automate MQ builds
MQ Certificate knowledge to consolidate Certificate usage