Overview
Remote
$50+
Contract - Independent
Contract - W2
Skills
IBM Mainframe Engineer
Job Details
Role: IBM Mainframe Engineer/ Admin With Datacenter Migration Experience
Experience: 5+ years of relevant experience
Mode of work: Remote
Work Time Zone: EST or CST
Job Summary
- We are seeking an IBM Mainframe Engineer with expertise in data center migration, consolidation, and modernization.
- This role is responsible for planning, executing, and optimizing mainframe migrations while ensuring high availability, minimal downtime, and data integrity.
- The ideal candidate will work with cross-functional teams to transition mainframe workloads from on-premise to new data center locations or cloud-hosted mainframes while adhering to industry best practices.
Detailed Job Description
Key Responsibilities
- Data Center Migration Planning & Execution
- Lead end-to-end migration of IBM mainframes from legacy data centers to new on-premise or cloud-based environments.
- Develop mainframe workload migration strategies, including LPAR, data replication, and application transition.
- Perform impact analysis, risk assessments, and dependency mapping before migration.
- Implement cutover plans, rollback strategies, and failover testing to minimize downtime.
- Mainframe Infrastructure Setup & Configuration
- Configure and optimize IBM zSeries (z/OS, z/VM, z/Linux) environments in the new data center.
- Manage LPAR provisioning, network segmentation, and workload balancing post-migration.
- Tune system parameters, workload scheduling, and CPU resource allocation to maintain performance.
- Ensure successful integration of migrated workloads with existing applications and databases.
- Storage & Data Migration
- Perform high-volume data migrations using tools like IBM DataMover, DFSMS, and SRDF/EMC storage replication.
- Manage tape backup, virtual tape systems (VTS), and storage tiering for migration efficiency.
- Ensure DB2, IMS, and VSAM databases are securely migrated with minimal data loss.
- Conduct pre- and post-migration data integrity checks.
- Network & Security Compliance in Migration
- Implement mainframe network reconfiguration post-migration (TCP/IP, SNA, VTAM, OSA).
- Maintain RACF security policies during and after migration to ensure role-based access control (RBAC) compliance.
IBM Mainframe Engineer
- Ensure encryption of in-transit and at-rest data meets regulatory standards (ISO 27001, PCI- DSS, GDPR).
- Work with security teams to implement firewall rules, VPN access, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote mainframe users.
- Performance Optimization & Troubleshooting
- Monitor CPU, memory, and storage utilization before, during, and after migration.
- Use tools like IBM OMEGAMON, MainView, and Splunk for performance tracking and issue detection.
- Optimize batch job execution, scheduling, and workload distribution post-migration.
- Troubleshoot CICS, DB2, MQ Series, and COBOL application performance issues related to migration.
- Disaster Recovery (DR) & High Availability
- Implement DR and failover mechanisms in the new data center.
- Conduct disaster recovery tests (DR drills) and failover validation to ensure business continuity.
- Integrate mainframe workloads with cloud-based DR solutions (IBM Cloud, AWS, Azure).
- Documentation & Post-Migration Support
- Create runbooks, system configuration documentation, and migration reports.
- Document troubleshooting guides and knowledge base articles for ongoing support.
- Train internal teams on mainframe operations in the new data center environment.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor s or Master s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in IBM mainframe operations, with 3+ years in data center migration projects.
- Proven expertise in z/OS, CICS, DB2, IMS, RACF, JCL, and MQ Series.
- Experience in data migration, workload balancing, and post-migration tuning.
Certifications (Preferred but Not Mandatory)
- IBM Certified System Administrator z/OS
- IBM Certified Database Administrator DB2
- ITIL Foundation Certification (for change management in migrations)
- AWS/Azure Certified Cloud Practitioner (if cloud-hosted mainframe migration is required)
Technical Skills
- Mainframe Platforms: IBM zSeries, z/OS, z/VM, z/Linux
- Storage & Backup: DFSMS, HSM, SRDF, Tape Backup, VTS, DataMover
- Networking & Security: TCP/IP, VTAM, OSA, RACF, MFA, Firewall Configurations
- Database & Applications: DB2, IMS, VSAM, MQ Series, COBOL, JCL
- Monitoring & Performance: IBM OMEGAMON, MainView, Splunk, CA-7 Job Scheduler
- Automation & Scripting: REXX, CLIST, Python for mainframe automation
General Skills
- Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities
- Excellent communication and documentation skills
IBM Mainframe Engineer
- Ability to work independently and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams and mentoring junior mainframe engineers
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