Mainframe COBOL Developer

Staffing Spot, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Staffing Spot, Inc. in San Francisco is seeking a Mainframe COBOL Developer to create, modify, and maintain batch and online COBOL programs, manage JCL, and support DB2 and CICS.

You will troubleshoot abends, analyze job logs with SDSF, handle GDG generations, and collaborate with QA and production support to ensure reliable batch processing. The role requires strong debugging skills, extensive mainframe experience, and the ability to work in a fast-paced production environment.

Qualifications

• Proficient in COBOL batch and online programs, including file handling and copybooks.
• Experience with JCL JOB/EXEC/DD, procedures, restart handling and COND logic.
• DB2 embedded SQL, cursors, joins, and SQLCODE troubleshooting.
• VSAM datasets and IDCAMS tooling; CICS online transactions support.
• Experience with SDSF for job monitoring and abend analysis.
• Strong debugging, testing, and production support in mainframe environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop, modify, and maintain COBOL programs on IBM Mainframe.
• Write, debug, and optimize batch and online applications.
• Create and maintain JCL jobs for batch processing.
• Analyze abends, job failures, and performance issues.
• Collaborate with business analysts, QA, and production support teams.
• Prepare technical documentation and deployment support.

Skills

debugging

mainframe

sql

cobol

Tools

COBOL

JCL

DB2

VSAM

CICS

TSO/ISPF

SDSF

Job description

Mainframe COBOL Developer

• Create, modify, and maintain JCL for batch application execution.
• Work with JOB, EXEC, DD, PROC, INCLUDE, and symbolic parameters.
• Execute programs using standard utilities such as SORT, IEBGENER, IEBCOPY, and IDCAMS.
• Manage input files, output files, temporary datasets, and GDG generations.
• Troubleshoot job failures and resolve common system and application abends.
• Handle job restarts, checkpoint/restart logic, and rerun procedures.
• Analyze job logs and spool output using SDSF.
• Monitor batch dependencies and scheduling requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance COBOL programs on IBM Mainframe.
• Write, debug, and optimize COBOL batch and online applications.
• Create and maintain JCL jobs for batch processing.
• Work with DB2 SQL queries, tables, cursors, and stored procedures.
• Handle VSAM datasets and file processing.
• Support CICS online transactions and troubleshoot production issues.
• Perform unit testing, integration testing, debugging, and code reviews.
• Analyze abends, job failures, and performance issues.
• Prepare technical documentation and support deployment activities.
• Collaborate with business analysts, QA teams, and production support teams.

Required Technical Skills

• COBOL: Programs, file handling, tables, arrays, copybooks, subprograms.
• JCL: JOB, EXEC, DD statements, procedures, COND, restart handling.
• DB2: Embedded SQL, cursors, joins, SQLCODE troubleshooting.
• VSAM: KSDS, ESDS, RRDS, IDCAMS.
• CICS: Transactions, maps, COMMAREA/channels (role-dependent).
• Mainframe tools: TSO/ISPF, SDSF, Abend-AID or equivalent debugging tools.
• SDLC: Requirement analysis, coding, testing, implementation, production support.

Skills: debugging,mainframe,sql,cobol