Mainframe Developer (COBOL / IDMS / JCL)

Location: Des Moines, IA – Remote
Employment Type: Contract – 7+ Months (Potential Extension or Full-Time Conversion)
Industry: Government / Public Sector – Human Services & Eligibility Systems
Interview: Video or In-Person

MUST-HAVE SKILLS – READ BEFORE APPLYING

• Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience with COBOL, JCL, VSAM, and IDMS.

• Strong experience in mainframe application development and batch processing.

• Hands-on experience with IDMS database development, schema/subschema navigation, and IDMS-COBOL integration.

• Experience with VSAM datasets, GDG management, and file-processing applications.

• Experience developing and supporting batch interfaces, flat files, and data exchange processes.

• Knowledge of CA7, Control-M, or equivalent job scheduling tools.

• Experience with FTP/SFTP and automated file transfers.

• Strong legacy application maintenance, troubleshooting, and integration experience.

JOB OVERVIEW

We are seeking an experienced Mainframe Developer to support a large-scale government technology modernization initiative within the Human Services and Public Assistance industry.

The project involves maintaining and enhancing legacy Child Support Enforcement applications while supporting integration with a new statewide eligibility determination platform.

The selected developer will be responsible for COBOL and JCL development, batch processing, IDMS database support, file transformations, and system interfaces to ensure reliable data exchange between legacy and modernized platforms.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, enhance, and maintain COBOL programs and JCL batch jobs.

• Support IDMS database applications, including schema/subschema navigation and IDMS-COBOL integration.

• Work with VSAM datasets, GDG structures, and enterprise batch processing workflows.

• Develop and maintain file layouts, data mappings, transformation logic, and validation routines.

• Analyze legacy mainframe applications and identify system dependencies and integration impacts.

• Support FTP/SFTP file transfers and automated data exchange processes.

• Work with CA7, Control-M, or equivalent scheduling platforms.

• Perform unit, integration, regression, and system testing.

• Troubleshoot production issues, batch failures, and data discrepancies.

• Prepare technical specifications, process documentation, and operational runbooks.

• Collaborate with business analysts, architects, testers, and technical teams during modernization and deployment activities.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 3+ years of hands-on COBOL development experience.

• 3+ years of JCL and mainframe batch processing experience.

• 3+ years of VSAM dataset management and file processing experience.

• 3+ years of IDMS database development and support experience.

• Experience with GDG, FTP/SFTP, and enterprise job scheduling.

• Experience supporting legacy system modernization and multi-system integrations.

• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and communication skills.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Child Support Enforcement or Human Services application experience.

• State government eligibility or public assistance systems.

• Large-scale legacy modernization initiatives.

• Production support, release management, and deployment.

• ADS/O experience.

• Agile or hybrid project environments.

What Makes a Candidate Stand Out?

Candidates with a strong COBOL and IDMS development background who have worked on government, human services, or eligibility platforms and have hands-on experience supporting legacy-to-modern system integrations will be particularly relevant.