Mainframe performance and capacity management engineer

IT Trailblazers, LLC.; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

IT Trailblazers, LLC. is seeking a Mainframe Performance and Capacity Management Engineer for remote support of mission-critical workloads.

You will perform real-time performance monitoring, anomaly detection, and capacity planning to ensure efficient operation of the mainframe environment. You will use RMF, SmartIS, MICS and other tools to identify bottlenecks, surface insights, and collaborate with DevOps, operations and application teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in information systems, Mathematics, Finance or another quantitative or related subject.
• 10 years of mainframe systems experience with performance management for large, multi-processor, multi-LPAR, Parallel Sysplex environments utilizing z/OS.
• Proven experience in mainframe performance monitoring, observability, capacity management, and data analysis.
• Proven experience resolving systems performance problems in real-time via adjustments to WLM and batch initiators.

Responsibilities

• Monitor real-time z/OS system health and performance across CPU, memory, DASD, and WLM-managed workloads using RMF, SmartIS, MICS and other internal tools.
• Detect, troubleshoot and resolve resource anomalies, workload misbehaviours, and degradation risks in production systems.
• Develop and implement performance tuning strategies by changing service definitions, dispatching priorities, and workload placement.
• Forecast and model workload resource demand and capacity requirements.
• Collaborate with operations, development and infrastructure teams; participate in on-call rotations.

Skills

Mainframe performance

WLM/Workload management

RMF

z/OS

JCL

REXX/Python

Data analysis

Excel/PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor's degree in information systems or quantitative field

Tools

RMF

SmartIS

MICS

SCRT

PR/SM

Job description

Location: Remote

Job Description:

The Mainframe performance and capacity management engineer will be responsible for real-time mainframe performance monitoring, anomaly detection, and incident prevention to support our mission-critical workloads. You will use your expertise in performance optimization, capacity planning, and data analysis to identify both performance and capacity exceptions, ensuring our mainframe infrastructure operates efficiently and effectively. Leverage advanced tools and your technical expertise to safeguard performance, optimize resources, and enable seamless operations across critical business workloads. Collaborate with infrastructure, DevOps, operations, and application teams to ensure optimal workload behaviour, guide performance tuning, and surface insights that drive engineering and business decisions.

Responsibilities:

Performance Management and Capacity Planning:

Monitor real-time z/OS system health and performance across CPU, memory, DASD, and WLM-managed workloads, using tools including RMF, SmartIS, MICS, and other internal tools. Analyze performance data to identify trends, bottlenecks, and potential issues.

Detect, troubleshoot, and resolve resource anomalies, workload misbehaviours, and degradation risks in production systems. Partner with incident response teams to resolve performance issues quickly and accurately.

Develop and implement performance tuning strategies by recommending changes to service definitions, dispatching priorities, and workload placement.

Contribute to capacity planning by forecasting and modelling workload resource demand & capacity requirements.

Support cost modelling, vendor reporting (SCRT), infrastructure sizing, and resource optimization efforts.

Data Analysis:

Collect and analyze system performance data to generate reports and dashboards.

Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and develop metrics to track system performance.

Visualize, summarize, and present data findings, recommendations, and methodology to senior leadership, department leadership and enterprise stakeholders (technical and non-technical stakeholders)

Collaboration and Communication:

Work closely with cross-functional teams, including operations, development, and infrastructure teams.

Provide technical support and guidance to team members and stakeholders.

Participate in on-call rotations and provide timely responses to performance and observability issues.

Participate in migration of performance/capacity tooling to Git change management and DevOps deployment pipelines.

Experience:

Bachelor s degree in information systems, Mathematics, Finance or another quantitative or related subject

10 years of mainframe systems experience with proficiency in performance management for large, multi-processor, multi-LPAR, Parallel Sysplex environments utilizing z/OS

Proven experience in mainframe performance monitoring, observability, capacity management, and data analysis.

Proven experience resolving systems performance problems in real-time via adjustments to WLM and batch initiators.

Basic understanding of PR/SM.

Proficiency in Job Control Language (JCL) & DB2

Proficiency in REXX/Python (plus)

Advanced user of MS Excel (Charts, Pivot tables, Vlookups, PowerPivot) and PowerPoint for data visualization.

Experience with mainframe monitoring tools and performance tuning techniques.

Experience working with large highly transactional datasets to draw insights and create organizational value.

Experience with DevOps is a plus

Qualifications:

Strong analytical, problem solving and strategic thinking skills including the ability to prioritize.

Proficiency in data analysis and creation of dashboards and various visualizations that will provide actionable insights for operations, engineering and management decision making.

Working knowledge of MS Office suite for management reporting using both PowerPoint and Excel analytical functions

Comfortable taking information from disparate systems to bring data elements together for meaningful insights

Analyze and solve business problems at their root, stepping back to understand the broader context.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.

Deep expertise with SMF/RMF data, WLM service definitions, and z/OS workload behavior.

IBM SCRT Reporting (plus)

MICS Product & Reporting experience (plus)

Exhibit good time management skills, independent thinking, and decision-making capabilities.

High sense of urgency and ability to prioritize competing requirements in a fast-paced environment.