IBM MQ System Administrator

Unisys Corporation; Connecticut; On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Unisys is seeking an IBM MQ System Administrator to lead cluster configuration, MFT management, and routine maintenance across distributed environments. The role emphasizes upgrading MQ versions, automating tasks with PowerShell and Linux scripts, and implementing monitoring solutions to ensure robust message delivery and performance.

The ideal candidate will debug MQ applications, resolve MQRC errors, and collaborate with application teams to optimize message flows and security settings in

Qualifications

• Requires IBM MQ System Administrator experience with cluster configuration and support.
• Strong experience with IBM MQ Managed File Transfer (MFT) setup and monitoring.
• Routine MQ maintenance including patching, backups, security, and tuning.
• Proven ability to plan and execute MQ version upgrades and post-upgrade validation.
• Automate admin tasks using PowerShell and Linux shell scripting.
• Experience implementing and managing MQ monitoring solutions and debugging MQ applications.

Responsibilities

• Design, configure, and support IBM MQ Clusters with HA and workload balancing.
• Set up and coordinate IBM MQ MFT, resource monitors, and secure file movement.
• Perform MQ maintenance: log management, queue manager tuning, and patch application.
• Plan multi-node upgrades, test compatibility, and validate post-upgrade systems.
• Develop automated MQ deployments, monitoring alerts, and health checks.
• Debug message flows, analyze MQRC errors, and trace root causes in distributed environments.

Skills

IBM MQ Clusters

IBM MQ MFT

MQ maintenance and patching

MQ version upgrades

PowerShell scripting

Linux shell scripting

MQ monitoring

MQ application debugging

Job description

What success looks like in this role:

Position Summary

This role requires an IBM MQ System Administrator with strong experience in MQ cluster configuration and support, IBM MQ Managed File Transfer (MFT), and routine MQ maintenance including patching and performance tuning. Candidates must be proficient in planning and executing MQ version upgrades, as well as automating administrative tasks through PowerShell and Linux shell scripting. The position also involves implementing and managing MQ monitoring solutions and performing MQ application debugging to resolve message flow issues and MQRC errors in complex distributed environments.

Core Responsibilities

Core MQ Expertise

• Strong experience designing, configuring, and supporting IBM MQ Clusters, including workload balancing, high availability, cluster maintenance, and troubleshooting cluster-specific issues.
• Proficiency with IBM MQ Managed File Transfer (MFT): setup, agent configuration, resource monitors, coordination queue managers, and secure file movement design.
• Deep knowledge of MQ maintenance activities, including log file management, queue manager tuning, security configuration maintenance, backup/restore procedures, and patch application.
• Hands-on experience performing MQ version upgrades, including multi-node upgrade planning, testing compatibility with applications, rolling upgrades in clustered environments, and post-upgrade validation.

Scripting & Automation

• PowerShell scripting experience for automating administrative tasks in Windows-based MQ environments such as queue manager provisioning, monitoring, and system checks.
• Linux shell scripting (bash, ksh, etc.) proficiency to automate MQ activities, log analysis, environment deployments, and cluster routines.
• Ability to build automated routines for MQ deployments, monitoring alert actions, and MQ health checks.

Monitoring & Troubleshooting

• Ability to develop custom monitoring scripts leveraging MQ APIs or command-line tools.
• Advanced skill in MQ application debugging, including analyzing message flows, diagnosing blocked or orphaned connections, resolving message delivery delays, interpreting MQRC error codes, and tracing root causes in distributed environments.

Additional Competencies

• Solid understanding of messaging patterns and MQ security (TLS, CHLAUTH rules, connection authentication).
• Experience working in enterprise environments requiring strict change control.
• Ability to collaborate with application teams to advise on MQ best practices, message flow optimization, and integration design.
• Strong documentation skills to maintain configuration standards, operational procedures, and upgrade/migration guides.

You will be successful in this role if you have:

• IBM MQ cluster configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting
• IBM MQ Managed File Transfer (MFT) setup, monitoring, and support
• MQ maintenance tasks including patching, backups, and performance tuning
• MQ version upgrade planning, execution, and validation
• PowerShell scripting for automation in Windows MQ environments
• Linux shell scripting for automation, deployments, and MQ health checks
• MQ monitoring setup using enterprise tools and custom scripts
• MQ application debugging including message flow analysis and MQRC error resolution

This role may require access to export-controlled commodities and technology. Therefore, to conform to U.S. export control regulations, applicant should be eligible for any required authorizations from the U.S. Government.

Unisys is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that considers all qualified applicants without regard to age, caste, citizenship, color, disability, family medical history, family status, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, parental status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status or any other category protected by law.

This commitment includes our efforts to provide for all those who seek to express interest in employment the opportunity to participate without barriers. If you are a US job seeker unable to review the job opportunities herein, or cannot otherwise complete your expression of interest, without additional assistance and would like to discuss a request for reasonable accommodation, please contact our Global Recruiting organization at [e-mail] or alternatively Toll Free: 888-560-1782 (Prompt 4). US job seekers can find more information about Unisys' EEO commitment here.