Senior Mainframe System Programmer - DB2

Software International; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Senior Mainframe System Programmer with DB2 experience for a long-term contract in Toronto. The successful candidate will provide technical direction, oversee DB2 architecture, and collaborate across teams to ensure operational resilience. This role requires extensive expertise in mainframe technologies, particularly in z/OS administration and DB2 performance tuning.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience in Mainframe technology, particularly z/OS.
• Expertise in z/OS DB2 Systems programming and data sharing.
• Strong diagnostic and troubleshooting capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for DB2 incidents and system architecture.
• Collaborate with vendors and internal teams for solutions.
• Participate in disaster recovery exercises for mainframe systems.

Skills

Mainframe technology

DB2 programming

SMP/E software installation

Assembler

COBOL

REXX

DB2 performance tuning

Unix System Services

REST Services

WebSphere MQ

Job description

About the job Senior Mainframe System Programmer - DB2

Software International (SI) supplies technical talent to a variety of clients ranging from Fortune 100/500/1000 companies to small and mid-sized organizations in Canada/US.

We have a Permanent or 12 month renewable contract as a Senior Mainframe System Programmer - DB2 with our large consulting client, working on a long term project for one of Canada's largest banks. This could be an indefinite contract or a permanent role.

Type: Permanent or Long Term Contract

Duration: permanent role or 12 months to start + possible multiple extensions

Salary or Rate: approximately $150,000 - $175,00 + bonus as permanent employee or $80 - $100/hr + C2C - depending on overall experience

Location: Remote, Toronto, ON, Canada

As a Sr. Mainframe System Programmer, DB2, you are responsible for providing technical direction and subject matter expertise to ensure stable, reliable environments for complex sharing initiatives in compliance with established controls, standards, policies, and procedures. You will collaborate with and advise senior management, utilizing your solid understanding of business dynamics to analyze and protect test environment integrity and mitigate risks, present alternative solutions, and recommend solutions using available resources for complex initiatives with key dependencies. You will provide technical leadership, interpret complex information, and coordinate client, provider, and vendor relationships to meet and manage service expectations, aligned to best practices. In addition, you will help to develop the team to maximize individual contributions and professional growth, while functioning effectively with your colleagues.

You will be the primary escalation point for DB2 related incidents works closely with internal and external vendors for support. The role is technical lead for all DB2 system architecture design, implementation, and testing. The role leads DB2 problem identification, analysis and resolution of issues. The role works closely with application development teams for current, future design and operational requirements. The role plans and participates in annual mainframe systems disaster recovery exercises, and provides on-call support.

How you'll succeed

• Technical Expertise you will leverage your solid technology expertise to review and analyze current client software and requirements to determine the most effective solution to include in business proposals; install, upgrade and customize ISV software tools in a multi-system z/OS mainframe environment, and help to ensure software and hardware remains current to avoid End of Support costs.
• Effective Communication you will work to accomplish organizational goals that are consistent in supporting both IT and Business objectives, communicate effectively and patiently across technology teams to influence teams to adopt solutions to keep critical systems secure and operationally resilient. You will provide and document problem analysis, resolution, and prevention, designing procedures and best practice techniques, using IBM and ISV online tools for opening and managing problem report tracking and resolution. You will actively participate in periodic disaster recovery exercises, maintaining disaster recovery readiness of systems, and monitoring status of systems to proactively prevent issues from occurring.
• Relationship Management You will collaborate with internal business partners in Application Development, Infrastructure, IT Operations, and IT Production Support to accomplish organizational goals that are consistent in supporting both IT and Business objectives. You will work directly with Hardware and Software vendors on solutions, build your network, and deepen existing relationships. You will leverage your verbal, written, and presentation communication skills to build strong partnerships, while influencing participants to mutually beneficial outcomes.

Who you are

• You can demonstrate 10+ years' experience in Mainframe technology operating systems and specifically zOS Systems administration and programming with DB2. You also have,
  • Expertise in z/OS DB2 Systems programing and data sharing within a multi-LPAR environment.
  • In-depth working knowledge of SMP/E software installation and maintenance management.
  • Strong programming skills with Assembler, COBOL, CLIST, REXX and knowledge of User Exits.
  • Knowledge of REST Services and WebSphere MQ.
  • Experience with DB2 internal control parameters and SysView or other monitoring tools.
  • Strong problem diagnostic, troubleshooting and dump reading skills using a variety of vendor tools.
  • Extensive experience with DB2 performance tuning concepts in a Parallel Sysplex environment and experience with RACF security protocols and related encryption technologies.
  • Experience reviewing new versions of DB2 for functionality, advising how they benefit the business.
  • Strong knowledge of SMS, IDCAMS, DF/DSS and other standard utilities and subsystems.
  • Experience extracting information from DB2 logs, and have DB2 Database system recovery experience.
  • Knowledge of DB2 SMF record structure and performance analyzer software.
  • Knowledge of WLM environment pertaining to DB2, solid working knowledge of DB2 Utilities, TSO and FTP.
  • Knowledge in Unix System Services(USS) related to DB2 requirements in USS.
  • Understanding of DB2 connect and Security exits.