Senior Mainframe/Cobol Developer

Job Description

We are looking for a Senior Mainframe Developer / COBOL Senior Consultant to evaluate existing systems and user needs in order to analyze, design, recommend, and implement information system changes. This position will be a full-time contract role and is onsite in Trenton, NJ. 

What You’ll Do

• Participate in development efforts supporting the project involving multiple legacy mainframe applications
• Analyze existing legacy systems and provide code walkthroughs, logic analysis, and technical documentation to ITS development teams
• Design, develop, modify, test, and maintain COBOL and NATURAL programs, along with associated JCL jobs, based on functional specifications and enhancement requests
• Perform ongoing maintenance and enhancements to batch and online mainframe applications
• Troubleshoot and resolve production issues, job failures, and system abends, including root cause analysis and corrective actions
• Analyze ADABAS database structures, files, and access methods to support application development and system integration
• Develop and maintain data feeds, file layouts, and interface processes between legacy systems and modernized ITS components
• Participate in system design reviews, technical planning sessions, and code reviews
• Produce and maintain technical documentation, including program specifications, data definitions, job flows, and system architecture documentation
• Support system testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing UAT
• Implement best practices for mainframe development, including coding standards, version control, and change management
• Assist with performance tuning and optimization of batch jobs, database access, and program execution
• Provide production support for mission‑critical applications and collaborate closely with analysts, architects, and development teams 

What You'll Need

Required Qualifications

• Advanced experience with COBOL programming in enterprise mainframe environments
• Strong expertise in JCL development and job scheduling
• Extensive experience with NATURAL programming
• Working knowledge of ADABAS database architecture and file structures
• Experience analyzing and maintaining large legacy mainframe codebases
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills for batch and online applications
• Experience with system integration, data interfaces, and file transfer processes
• Proficiency with mainframe utilities, debugging tools, and job monitoring tools
• Strong documentation and communication skills
• Ability to work independently while coordinating with multiple technical teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting taxation or government revenue systems
• Familiarity with CICS and online transaction processing environments
• Experience with data migration or modernization projects involving legacy mainframe applications
• Knowledge of mainframe security, scheduling systems, and source code management tools
• Experience working within large‑scale enterprise or government IT environments