Mainframe Tape Storage Infrastructure Engineer II

Battle Tested; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Battle Tested is seeking an experienced Mainframe Tape Storage Infrastructure Engineer II to support enterprise IBM System z storage in a regulated, mission-critical environment. You will design, implement, maintain, and operate storage services across multiple data centers and regions.

The ideal candidate brings deep hands-on mainframe storage experience, a solid understanding of z/OS I/O architecture, and the ability to troubleshoot complex production issues.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on experience supporting enterprise mainframe storage environments.
• Experience with 24/7, mission‑critical production systems in highly regulated organizations.
• Strong understanding of z/OS I/O architecture, CHPIDs, control units, and I/O paths.
• Working knowledge of FICON protocols and multipathing concepts.
• Experience diagnosing I/O performance using RMF, SMF, and DCOLLECT.
• Experience working closely with z/OS systems programmers.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and production support skills.
• Ability to communicate technical issues clearly and collaborate across teams.
• Availability to participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation, including some weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Build, implement, maintain, and support mainframe tape and storage infrastructure across enterprise environments.
• Diagnose and resolve storage, connectivity, and I/O performance issues to maintain production availability.
• Support storage projects throughout their lifecycle, including design, deployment, operations, and improvement.
• Collaborate with z/OS systems programmers and other teams to deliver reliable infrastructure solutions.
• Translate requirements into infrastructure designs, deployment templates, and operational playbooks.
• Ensure solutions comply with enterprise architecture, security, and risk standards.
• Develop scripts and automation to reduce manual work and improve consistency.
• Evaluate third-party technologies against requirements, including on-site assessments.
• Provide technical guidance and knowledge sharing to other engineers and juniors.
• Work independently on complex problems and provide weekend/holiday on-call coverage.

Skills

z/OS I/O architecture

FICON protocols

RMF/SMF/DCOLLECT

24/7 on-call availability

Troubleshooting production systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Scripting/automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related

Advanced technical certifications

Tools

CA1 tape management

ACC/SRS

DFHSM

DFSMS

IBM utilities and exits

ICF catalogs

DB2 storage perspectives

REXX scripting

Assembler (read/modify)

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Mainframe Tape Storage Infrastructure Engineer II to support enterprise IBM System z storage infrastructure in a highly regulated, mission-critical environment. This role supports the design, implementation, maintenance, and operation of storage services across multiple data centers and regions.

The ideal candidate brings strong hands-on mainframe storage experience, a deep understanding of z/OS I/O architecture, and the ability to troubleshoot complex production issues. You will partner with systems programmers, infrastructure engineers, and project teams to improve reliability, performance, automation, and operational efficiency.

Schedule requirement: Participation in a 24/7 on-call rotation is required, including some weekend and holiday support.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, implement, maintain, and support mainframe tape and storage infrastructure across enterprise environments.
• Diagnose and resolve complex storage, connectivity, and I/O performance issues to maintain production availability.
• Support storage projects throughout their lifecycle, including design, deployment, operations, and ongoing improvement.
• Collaborate with z/OS systems programmers and other technical teams to deliver reliable, integrated infrastructure solutions.
• Translate business and technical requirements into infrastructure designs, deployment templates, operational playbooks, and support procedures.
• Ensure infrastructure solutions comply with enterprise architecture, engineering, security, and risk management standards.
• Develop scripts and automation to reduce manual work, improve consistency, and streamline repeatable processes.
• Evaluate third-party technologies against functional, performance, and operational requirements, including on-site assessments when needed.
• Provide technical guidance, peer reviews, and knowledge sharing to support other engineers and junior team members.
• Work independently on complex technical problems, using sound judgment to assess options and recommend solutions.
• Participate in the on-call rotation and provide scheduled weekend and holiday coverage as required.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on experience supporting enterprise mainframe storage environments.
• Proven experience supporting 24/7, mission‑critical production systems in highly regulated organizations.
• Experience supporting large-scale infrastructure across multiple data centers, regions, or global operations.
• Strong understanding of z/OS I/O architecture, including channel path identifiers (CHPIDs), control units, and I/O paths.
• Working knowledge of FICON protocols and multipathing concepts.
• Experience diagnosing I/O performance using RMF, SMF, and DCOLLECT.
• Experience working closely with z/OS systems programmers.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and production support skills.
• Ability to communicate technical issues clearly, collaborate across teams, and manage competing priorities.
• Availability to participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation, including some weekends and holidays.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Relevant advanced technical certifications or vendor training.
• Experience with or working knowledge of:
• CA1 tape management.
• ACC/SRS.
• DFHSM and DFSMS.
• IBM utilities and exits.
• ICF catalogs.
• DB2 and IMS from a storage administration perspective.
• REXX scripting and operational automation.
• Assembler, including the ability to understand and modify existing code as needed.
• Experience providing technical leadership to subject matter experts and supporting engineering standards.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices, solution design, and infrastructure delivery processes.

Core Skills