Mainframe and z/OS Connect Admin | Ampcus | Columbus, OH (Onsite)

Ampcus Inc; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Ampcus is actively seeking a veteran Mainframe and z/OS Connect Administrator to join our Columbus, OH operations on an onsite 6+ month contract. The role demands 15+ years of IT experience with IBM z/OS Connect EE, CICS Transaction Server, Liberty Server, and strong security controls.

You will expose CICS transactions as REST APIs, configure JSON integrations, manage RACF security, and drive CI/CD DevOps automation for reliable mainframe performance in multi-LPAR HA environments.

Qualifications

• 15+ years total IT experience in enterprise mainframe administration.
• 5+ years with IBM z/OS Connect EE.
• Expert in IBM z/OS, z/OS Connect EE, CICS Transaction Server.
• Proficient in exposing CICS transactions as REST APIs and managing REST/JSON.
• Security knowledge including RACF, TLS/SSL, OAuth2, JWT.

Responsibilities

• Administer IBM z/OS Connect EE and Liberty Server environments.
• Manage CICS Transaction Server, CICSPlex SM, and Sysplex environments.
• Design and maintain HA multi-instance and multi-LPAR mainframe architectures.
• Expose legacy CICS as REST APIs and handle JSON payloads.
• Enforce enterprise security policies (RACF, TLS/SSL, JWT, OAuth2).
• Troubleshoot production issues and support CI/CD automation for mainframe deployments.

Skills

Mainframe administration

z/OS Connect EE

CICS Transaction Server

REST APIs

DevOps CI/CD

Education

Advanced degrees in CS/IT

Tools

Liberty Server

CICSPlex SM

Sysplex

TLS/SSL

JWT/OAuth2

Job description

Position Summary

Ampcus is actively seeking an elite, highly experienced Mainframe and z/OS Connect Administrator with 15+ years of total IT experience to join our enterprise client operations in Columbus, OH on an onsite contract basis for an expected duration of 6+ months. In this critical enterprise systems role, you will be responsible for administering IBM z/OS Connect EE, IBM CICS Transaction Server, Liberty Server environments, and robust security protocols across multi-instance and multi-LPAR high-availability architectures. You will leverage your deep practical expertise in exposing CICS transactions as REST APIs, configuring JSON integrations, managing RACF security, and implementing CI/CD DevOps automation to ensure uncompromised mainframe performance and connectivity. This opportunity is exclusively open to local candidates currently based in Columbus, OH.

Detailed Job Description

As a Mainframe and z/OS Connect Administrator supporting enterprise operations in Columbus, OH via Ampcus, you will take full technical ownership of mainframe connectivity infrastructure, API enablement, and transaction server administration. Your day-to-day responsibilities include administering IBM z/OS Connect EE, managing IBM CICS Transaction Server and CICSPlex SM/Sysplex environments, configuring Liberty Server instances, and securing API endpoints using TLS/SSL, OAuth2, and JWT authentication. You will collaborate closely with development and operations teams to expose legacy CICS transactions as modern REST APIs, troubleshoot complex production issues under high-pressure conditions, and enforce RACF security policies. Furthermore, you will drive DevOps and CI/CD pipeline automation for mainframe deployments and ensure seamless high-availability across multi-LPAR architectures.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer and configure IBM z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition (EE) environments and Liberty Server instances.
• Manage IBM CICS Transaction Server, CICSPlex SM, and Sysplex operational environments.
• Design, configure, and maintain multi-instance and multi-LPAR high-availability (HA) mainframe architectures.
• Expose legacy CICS transactions as modern REST APIs and manage JSON data interchange payloads.
• Implement and oversee robust enterprise security frameworks including RACF, TLS/SSL encryption, JWT, and OAuth2 authentication.
• Troubleshoot complex production issues, analyze diagnostic logs, and provide rapid problem resolution across mainframe systems.
• Drive DevOps adoption, pipeline integration, and CI/CD automation for z/OS and API deployment workflows.
• Collaborate with cross-functional development and infrastructure teams to ensure seamless enterprise application integration.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Minimum of 15+ years of overall professional IT experience specializing in enterprise mainframe administration.
• Minimum of 5+ years of specialized hands-on experience with IBM z/OS Connect EE.
• Expert-level practical knowledge and administration skills in IBM z/OS, z/OS Connect EE, and CICS Transaction Server.
• Proven proficiency in exposing CICS transactions as REST APIs and managing REST/JSON web services.
• Strong expertise in enterprise security administration including RACF, TLS/SSL, OAuth2, and JWT authentication frameworks.
• Hands-on experience with Liberty Server administration, CICSPlex SM, and Sysplex environments.
• Demonstrated capability configuring multi-instance and multi-LPAR high-availability architectures.
• Mandatory local candidate residency in Columbus, OH (Onsite) with immediate availability for a 6+ month contract.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Advanced postgraduate degrees in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related technical disciplines.
• Professional IBM certifications in z/OS system administration or application development.
• Prior professional experience within major financial services, insurance, or telecommunications enterprise environments.
• Experience integrating mainframe systems with hybrid cloud platforms and enterprise service buses.
• Strong background in automated testing and mainframe performance tuning methodologies.

Salary/Rate: Market Competitive / Standard Contract Rate

Recruitment Pro Tip

When applying for this Mainframe and z/OS Connect Admin position at Ampcus, ensure your resume explicitly highlights your 5+ years of z/OS Connect EE experience, REST API exposure capabilities, and confirms your local residency in Columbus, OH.