Principal Mainframe Software Engineer

Compunnel, Inc.; Merrimack (NH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech solutions provider is seeking a Principal Mainframe Software Engineer to lead and modernize high-volume, business-critical mainframe systems. This senior technical role requires a deep expertise in mainframe technologies and the ability to deliver comprehensive technical solutions while mentoring teams. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience, strong skills in COBOL, JCL, and system architecture, alongside a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field. This position offers a chance to influence engineering practices and drive excellence in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in mainframe software engineering.
• Experience with batch and online processing on mainframe systems.
• Minimum 8 years of development experience using COBOL.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize mainframe applications and systems.
• Lead architecture design initiatives for hybrid and mainframe solutions.
• Ensure system performance and reliability across platforms.
• Mentor teams in Agile and iterative environments.

Skills

COBOL

JCL

VSAM

CICS

IOM

SQL

Analytical skills

Debugging

Problem-solving skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience

Tools

IBM DB2

Oracle

PostgreSQL

Control-M

Job description

Overview

The Principal Mainframe Software Engineer will serve as a senior technical leader responsible for designing, modernizing, and ensuring the reliability, performance, and scalability of high-volume, business-critical mainframe systems. This role requires deep expertise in mainframe technologies, strong architectural leadership, and the ability to deliver end-to-end technical solutions while mentoring teams and driving engineering excellence across hybrid and modernized platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop deep understanding of the enterprise mainframe ecosystem, including core applications, data flows, integrations, and end-to-end processing
• Lead and contribute to architecture design initiatives for mainframe and hybrid-platform solutions
• Define and implement application- and system-level architectures for high-performance, resilient environments
• Design, engineer, and optimize batch and online mainframe applications
• Lead modernization efforts integrating legacy mainframe systems with distributed or cloud architectures
• Ensure production readiness, system performance, quality assurance, and compliance with enterprise standards
• Recommend and implement development tools, testing frameworks, and engineering methodologies
• Author and maintain technical documentation including architecture diagrams, integration specifications, and modernization playbooks
• Lead full project lifecycle planning and execution for large-scale, cross-platform initiatives
• Identify engineering risks and implement mitigation strategies to ensure system resilience
• Serve as senior technical liaison to business and technology partners
• Proactively monitor, diagnose, and resolve production issues, perform root-cause analysis, and ensure 24/7 system reliability
• Mentor and influence teams in Agile and iterative SDLC environments

Required Skills

• Strong hands-on expertise with COBOL, JCL, VSAM, CICS, IOM
• Required 10+ years of experience candidate.
• Experience with batch and online processing on mainframe systems
• Enterprise batch scheduling experience with Control-M
• Strong database skills with IBM DB2 (preferred); Oracle and PostgreSQL experience acceptable
• Strong SQL skills for data analysis and performance debugging
• Strong analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills
• Experience working in Agile / Iterative SDLC environments
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience

Experience

Minimum 8 years of hands-on mainframe development experience using COBOL