JOB TITLE: MAINFRAME (JCL) (PS5)
JOB DURATION: 8+ MONTHS
JOB LOCATION: COLUMBUS, OH (REMOTE)
EXPERIENCE: 9+ YEARS
VISA: UCS/EAD/-EAD/H1B
Job Description:
The Ohio Department of Job & Family Services (ODJFS), Office of Information Services, is seeking a Product Specialist 5 (PS5) with expert-level experience in mainframe batch processing (JCL), MVS operations, and enterprise scheduling using Control M/EM.
This consultant will serve as the subject matter expert responsible for ensuring the availability, stability, and effective use of mainframe batch and scheduling environments, while supporting modernization and migration of legacy file exchange processes to the Axway platform.
The PS5 will collaborate directly with ODJFS JCL and Application Development teams, ODJFS Job Schedulers, and System Specialists to ensure high-quality product performance and alignment with statewide system requirements.
Key Responsibilities
1. Product Ownership & Expert Support
- Serve as the expert owner of the JCL batch environment and Control M/EM scheduling system, ensuring their availability, stability, and productive use by application teams.
- Make sound technical recommendations regarding enhancements, design improvements, and modernization strategies for batch and scheduling products.
- Track and document usage patterns, job volumes, performance behaviors, and operational dependencies.
2. Advanced JCL & Control M/EM Design Oversight
- Conduct and coordinate technical design reviews to ensure batch job structures and Control M/EM workflows meet quality, functional, and technical standards.
- Analyze the technical impact of changes to batch flows, job triggers, and scheduling logic.
- Define and enforce naming conventions, quality standards, product usage patterns, and operational guidelines.
3. Integration with Statewide Systems
- Provide expert design and support for batch and scheduling functionality integrated with statewide platforms such as Axway.
- Confirm that enterprise technical architectures will support all changes introduced by scheduling or batch related enhancements.
4. Testing & Modernization
- Unit test JCL changes, Control M/EM job flows, and Axway file exchange integrations.
- Support migration of legacy JCL jobs and scheduling flows to updated environments.
5. Issue, Risk & Contingency Management
- Anticipate, identify, and track risks or issues affecting batch and scheduling products, developing contingency plans as needed.
- Diagnose and resolve abends, scheduling conflicts, dataset errors, dependency failures, and other operational issues.
6. SME Responsibilities
- Interact with business users, senior technical experts, and high-level stakeholders to communicate product impacts, architectural considerations, and modernization strategies.
- Function as the SME for technical areas involving JCL, Control M/EM scheduling, and batch-to-Axway integration.
7. Documentation & Standards Development
- Document all work for future reference, including batch/job designs, Control M/EM workflows, operational procedures, and modernization changes.
- Identify improvements to standards and contribute to development of product-level policies, patterns, and operational guidelines.
Mandatory skills
- 9+ years of relevant experience.
- Expert-level hands-on experience with JCL, MVS, and mainframe batch utilities.
- Expert-level proficiency with Control M/EM job design, dependencies, calendars, and scheduling standards.
- Ability to work collaboratively with architecture specialists, system specialists, programmers, and vendors.
- Demonstrated experience performing design reviews, leading product tests, resolving complex issues, and supporting integration with statewide systems.
- Strong documentation, communication, and senior-level technical engagement skills
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