Mainframe Automation System Programmer

Hiring !!!

Greetings from Modern Agile Technologies.

Position: Mainframe Automation System Programmer
Location: Plano, TX (Onsite)
Duration: Full Time


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Experience required: 5-10 years

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Must Have Technical/Functional Skills 

The Automation System Programmer is responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining automation solutions that reduce manual effort, improve reliability, and enhance operational efficiency across mainframe platforms (z/OS, DB2, IMS, CICS, MQ, JES2/3). This role focuses on developing scripts, tools, and frameworks to automate routine tasks, system commands, monitoring, and recovery processes, ensuring compliance with audit and security standards.

Required Qualifications

•       5+ years in Mainframe System Programming with strong focus on automation.

•       Proficiency in Rexx, CLIST, JCL, and experience with IBM Workload Scheduler automation.

•       Familiarity with z/OS subsystems (DB2, IMS, CICS, MQ) and operational workflows.

•       Strong understanding of WTOR handling, command automation, and event-driven triggers.

•       Experience with version control (Git) and DevOps practices for mainframe.

Preferred Qualifications

•       Exposure to Ansible for z/OS or similar automation frameworks.

•       Knowledge of REST APIs for mainframe integration with enterprise automation tools.

•       Experience in observability platforms (OMEGAMON, IBM Z Monitoring Suite).

•       Certifications: IBM z/OS, Automation tools, ITIL.

Success Metrics

•       Automation Coverage: % of manual tasks automated (target: 30–50% reduction in toil).

•       Incident Reduction: Fewer repetitive incidents due to proactive automation.

•       Change Compliance: 100% artifact capture for automated changes.

•       Efficiency Gains: Measurable reduction in batch window and operator interventions.

Tools & Environment

•       Languages: Rexx, CLIST, JCL, optional Python for z/OS.

•       Automation Frameworks: Ansible for z/OS, IBM Workload Scheduler.

•       Monitoring: OMEGAMON, RMF/SMF.

•       Version Control: Git, ChangeMan.

Roles & Responsibilities 

•       Automation Development & Maintenance

•       Design and implement automation scripts (Rexx, CLIST, JCL, Ansible for z/OS) for routine operational tasks, health checks, and system recovery.

•       Develop WTOR confirmation automation for operator commands with validation logic.

•       Automate batch scheduling workflows in IBM Workload Scheduler (IWS/TWS) and integrate with enterprise orchestration tools.

•       Create self-healing mechanisms for common issues (e.g., MQ transmit queue backlogs, DB2 log utilization alerts, IMS region restarts).

Monitoring & Alerting

•       Build real-time monitoring dashboards for system health (CPU, DASD, queue depths, buffer pools).

•       Implement event-driven automation for proactive remediation (e.g., auto-restart channels, clear JES backlog).

•       Integrate automation with SIEM/SOC tools for security compliance.

Governance & Compliance

•       Ensure all automation adheres to audit requirements: capture execution logs, approvals, and artifacts.

•       Maintain version-controlled repositories for scripts and automation frameworks.

•       Validate automation against SOX/ISO controls and enforce segregation of duties.

Performance & Optimization

•       Automate capacity checks and performance tuning tasks for DB2, IMS, and CICS regions.

•       Reduce batch window through job stream optimization and dynamic workload balancing.

Collaboration & Documentation

•       Work closely with System Programmers, Operations, and Application teams to identify automation opportunities.

•       Document all automation solutions with runbooks, rollback plans, and audit evidence.

•       Provide training and knowledge transfer to operations teams.