Mainframe Technical Lead

Cognizant; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 95,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Paid holidays

401(k) plan

Parental leave

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Cognizant is seeking an experienced Mainframe Technical Lead in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This hybrid role requires 8–12 years in mainframe development and leadership across dev, production support, and delivery.

The candidate will design, develop, test, and optimize COBOL-based applications using DB2, JCL, and VSAM, mentor juniors, and drive SDLC activities in collaboration with analysts and QA teams.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of hands-on Mainframe development experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Strong programming in COBOL; extensive DB2 SQL design, development and tuning.
• Knowledge of JCL, VSAM, and Mainframe batch processing.
• Hands-on with TSO/ISPF and Mainframe utilities.
• Working knowledge of SAS for reporting and data analysis.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze requirements and prepare technical design specs.
• Design, develop, test, and maintain Mainframe apps using COBOL, DB2, JCL, VSAM.
• Develop batch and online processing programs to meet business needs.
• Create and troubleshoot JCLs, PROCs, and batch schedules.
• Write complex DB2 SQL queries and optimize performance.
• Perform impact analysis, reviews, testing, and production deployment.
• Support production incidents and implement permanent fixes.
• Use Mainframe tools (TSO/ISPF, SDSF, File-AID, SPUFI) for development.
• Collaborate with analysts, testers, and stakeholders across the SDLC.
• Prepare technical docs, implementation plans, and procedures.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies and release activities.
• Mentor junior developers and share knowledge.

Skills

Mainframe dev

COBOL

DB2 SQL

JCL/VSAM

TSO/ISPF

SAS reporting

Analytical skills

Communication

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IT/Engineering

Tools

Endevor

File-AID

Abend-AID

Expeditor

Control-M

ChangeMan

Job description

Mainframe Technical Lead

Cognizant is seeking an experienced Mainframe Technical Lead to join our team supporting a leading banking client. This full-time position is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and follows a hybrid work model. The successful candidate will bring 8–12 years of Mainframe development experience and provide technical leadership across application development, production support, and delivery activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze business requirements and prepare technical design specifications.
• Design, develop, test, and maintain Mainframe applications using COBOL, DB2, JCL, and VSAM.
• Develop and modify batch and online processing programs to meet business requirements.
• Create, maintain, and troubleshoot JCLs, PROCs, and batch schedules.
• Write complex DB2 SQL queries and optimize database performance.
• Perform impact analysis, code reviews, unit testing, system testing, and production implementation.
• Support production incidents, perform root cause analysis, and implement permanent fixes.
• Use TSO/ISPF, SDSF, File-AID, SPUFI, and other Mainframe tools for development and debugging.
• Collaborate with business analysts, testing teams, and stakeholders throughout the SDLC.
• Prepare technical documentation, implementation plans, and operational procedures.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, and release activities.
• Mentor junior developers and contribute to knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 8–10 years of hands-on Mainframe development experience.
• Strong programming expertise in COBOL.
• Extensive experience with DB2 database design, SQL development, and performance tuning.
• Strong knowledge of JCL, VSAM, and Mainframe batch processing.
• Hands-on experience with TSO/ISPF and Mainframe utilities.
• Working knowledge of SAS for reporting, data analysis, and processing.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Endevor, File-AID, Abend-AID, Expeditor, Control-M, and ChangeMan.
• Exposure to Mainframe modernization initiatives.
• Experience in banking, financial services, insurance, or retail environments.
• Knowledge of Agile/Scrum methodologies.
• Experience with application support, incident management, and release management.

Salary and Other Compensation

The annual salary for this position is between CAD 95K and CAD 112K, depending on the successful candidate’s experience and other qualifications.

This position is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant’s applicable plans.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term and short-term disability
• Paid parental leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Disclaimer

The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

Important Disclaimers

Please note: A few of our roles may require in-person interviews at Cognizant offices or client locations, depending on project or client needs.

Application Deadline

Applications for this position will be accepted until November 7, 2026. Candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as the posting may close sooner if a sufficient pool of qualified applicants is identified.