Senior z/OS Mainframe Systems Programmer – Hybrid

NTT DATA; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid role

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

NTT DATA in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced z/OS Systems Programmer to join a full-time hybrid role based in Sheffield. You will upgrade, maintain, and support the z/OS OS and IBM/CA ISV products, ensuring systems are stable, secure, and performant.

The role requires deep expertise in z/OS architecture, RACF, JES2/JES3, SMF, RMF, and mainframe networking, with the ability to collaborate with multiple teams and provide off-hours support when needed.

Qualifications

• Multiple years of z/OS systems programming experience.
• Very strong Parallel Sysplex skills.
• Strong experience with z/OS, TSO/ISPF, USS, SDSF, JCL, and RACF.
• Experience installing several IBM and CA products.
• Deep mastery of z/OS architecture, including IPL procedures, JES2/JES3 configurations, Sysplex management, SMF data collection, and parmlib customization.
• Proficiency in writing and debugging system-level routines and automation in Assembler, REXX, and JCL.
• Experience managing hardware and logical resources across LPARs.
• Analytical troubleshooting skills for abends, storage hangs, and performance anomalies.
• Performance monitoring knowledge.
• Networking knowledge.
• Experience planning and leading hardware refreshes, feature activations, and migrations with minimal downtime.
• Ideally worked in a bank or an organisation with large installations.
• Confidence to work independently and start contributing from day one.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to be a true team player.
• Willingness to provide off-hours support when required.

Responsibilities

• Upgrade, maintain, and support the z/OS operating system.
• Upgrade, maintain, and support ISV products, particularly from IBM and Computer Associates (CA).
• Work closely with other engineering teams to ensure systems are stable, available, up to date, and running efficiently.
• Manage DASD and tape allocation across LPARs using HCD/HCM.
• Configure LPARs in HMC.
• Perform security administration using RACF or equivalent.
• Ensure data integrity and swift recovery using DFSMShsm policies and recall management, FDR/ABR backups, and FlashCopy or virtual tape replication.
• Optimize system throughput and response times using RMF and SMF report analysis, OMEGAMON or BMC MainView dashboards, and WLM classification and tuning.
• Configure and support mainframe connectivity including VTAM and SNA definitions, TCP/IP stack on z/OS, and OSA adapter and Coupling Facility communication.
• Execute OS and product upgrades using SMP/E and z/OSMF workflows.
• Use Broadcom, IBM, and BMC tooling for fix management and compliance reporting.
• Plan and lead hardware refreshes, feature activations, and migrations with minimal downtime, including IPL scheduling, vendor coordination, and change-control governance.
• Produce clear system diagrams, runbooks, and upgrade plansCollaborate with application teams, storage, networking, and security groups.
• Stay current on IBM Redbooks, z/OS release notes, firmware updates, and vendor training or industry conferences

Skills

z/OS systems programming

Parallel Sysplex

z/OS, TSO/ISPF, USS, SDSF, JCL, RACF

IBM/CA products

z/OS architecture

Assembler/REXX/JCL

LPAR resource management

abends troubleshooting

RMF/SMF

Networking

hardware refresh planning

independent contributor

Tools

HMC

Job description

NTT DATA in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced z/OS Systems Programmer to join a full-time hybrid role based in Sheffield. You will upgrade, maintain, and support the z/OS OS and IBM/CA ISV products, ensuring systems are stable, secure, and performant.

The role requires deep expertise in z/OS architecture, RACF, JES2/JES3, SMF, RMF, and mainframe networking, with the ability to collaborate with multiple teams and provide off-hours support when needed.