RPG System Analyst/Programmer

Programmers.io; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Programmers.io is seeking an RPG System Analyst/Programmer in St. Louis, MO to own and evolve retirement administration platforms on IBM i (AS/400). You will translate business needs into reliable technical solutions and participate in knowledge transfer with senior staff.

Responsibilities cover RPG development and maintenance, business analysis, documentation, and day-to-day IBM i operations. Collaboration with IT leadership and external partners is essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years hands-on software development in an IBM i (AS/400) environment.
• Experience across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) from requirements and design through deployment and ongoing maintenance.
• Demonstrated history of working in high-compliance or data-sensitive environments where data accuracy is paramount.
• History of documenting code, data structures, and business rules so system knowledge is transferable.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and modernize core RPG applications using RPG (ILE/Free), CL, and SQL.
• Translate business requirements into technical specifications and support user acceptance testing (UAT).
• Absorb and document institutional knowledge and maintain system documentation in the repository.
• Support day-to-day IBM i operations, scheduled jobs, file exchanges, and interfaces with external partners.
• Troubleshoot production issues and assist with backup, restore testing, and security procedures.
• Collaborate with IT Manager, business analysts, senior technical staff, and external vendors.

Skills

RPG (ILE/Free)

CL

DDS

SQL

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication

Tools

RDi

ACS

VS Code

APIs/REST/JSON

FTP

Job description

One of our leading client is looking for RPG System Analyst/Programmer in St. Louis MO

Position Purpose:

• Serves as a hands-on programmer/analyst for the organization’s core business systems (IBM i/AS400), developing, maintaining, and modernizing the RPG applications that power the critical retirement administration platforms used by UBG. Translates business requirements into reliable technical solutions and supports the stability of mission-critical systems.
• Participates in a structured knowledge-transfer program with UBG’s senior systems analyst to build deep familiarity with existing applications, data structures, and business rules, with the expectation of assuming primary development responsibility for the platform over time.
• Demonstrates a proactive willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies, methodologies, and industry best practices to ensure continuous improvement and future-proofing of business systems.
• RPG Development & Maintenance (45%): Develop, maintain, modernize, and extend core applications using RPG (ILE/Free), CL, and SQL. Implement fixes and enhancements to existing programs, and design database structures (DB2 for i) to support evolving business administration needs.
• Business Analysis & Process Support (20%): Translate business requirements into technical specifications. Analyze existing workflows to recommend and build automated solutions that reduce manual processing time for retirement plan administration. Support user acceptance testing (UAT) for system changes.
• Knowledge Transfer & Documentation (20%): Absorb and document institutional knowledge of existing systems through structured knowledge transfer. Maintain and expand system documentation in the company’s documentation repository, including program documentation, data flows, integrations, and business rules, so that systems knowledge remains current and transferable.
• Operational Support & Stability (15%): Support the day-to-day operation of the IBM i environment, including scheduled jobs, file exchanges with external partners, and interfaces with non-IBM i systems. Troubleshoot and resolve production issues, and support backup, restore testing, and security procedures for mission-critical systems.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Core Development: Strong proficiency in RPG (RPGLE and Free Format required; able to read and maintain fixed-format RPG III/IV), CL (Control Language), and DDS.
• Database Skills: Solid SQL skills, ideally within the DB2 for i environment, including embedded SQL, query construction, and indexing; performance tuning experience is a plus.
• Modern Toolsets: Proficiency using modern development tools (RDi, ACS, or VS Code for IBM i) rather than relying solely on SEU (Source Entry Utility).
• Integration Skills: Ability to integrate legacy systems with modern applications via APIs, XML, JSON, or secure file transfer.
• Troubleshooting: Strong debugging and problem-solving skills, including the ability to reverse-engineer undocumented legacy code to implement fixes or enhancements.
• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Works effectively as part of a team with the IT Manager, business analysts, senior technical staff, and external vendors, and documents work so that others can understand and support it.

Required Background/Qualifications:

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in software development within an IBM i (AS/400) environment.
• Full Lifecycle Experience: Proven track record across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), from requirements and design through deployment and ongoing maintenance.
• Data Integrity Focus: Demonstrated history of working in high-compliance or data-sensitive environments (e.g., banking, insurance, healthcare, benefits administration) where data accuracy is paramount.
• Documentation Discipline: History of documenting code, data structures, and business rules so that systems knowledge is transferable rather than held by a single individual.

Preferred Background/Qualifications:

• Industry Knowledge: Prior experience in the retirement administration sector (Defined Benefit/Defined Contribution plans), with an understanding of plan rules, vesting schedules, and ERISA compliance.
• Legacy + Modern Fluency: Expert-level knowledge of the IBM i (AS/400) ecosystem, including RPG, ILE, CL, and FTP, coupled with modern integration skills (API, REST, SQL) to prevent system obsolescence.
• Modern Integration: Experience using open-source languages (Python, PHP, Node.js) running in the IBM i PASE environment to create web-facing interfaces.
• Vendor Coordination: Experience working with external MSPs, hosting providers, software vendors, or third-party developers on integrations and support issues.

Desired Background/Exposure:

• GoAnywhere (File Encryption/Decryption) – maintenance of scheduled jobs for exchanging files with our 401(k) recordkeeper.
• SQL Server Management Studio – maintenance of multiple databases for other internal systems, validation and verification of data to assist with troubleshooting issues on the UBG websites, adding encrypted Empower API credentials for any new UBG 401(k) Groups.
• DocuWare (Document Storage) – administration of users and tasks, Workflow routing, and maintenance.
• PlanetPress (Document Creation) – maintenance of letters and forms, Workflow management of the distribution of letters and forms to intended recipients.
• UBG websites – assist with identifying the potential causes of reported website issues to support third-party developer resolutions, and maintenance of UBG Employer website users