Senior CICS System Programmer

MainframeMaster; Eden Prairie, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 92,000 - 164,000; Full time

Job summary

Optum in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is seeking a Senior CICS System Programmer specializing in CICS on IBM z/OS. You will maintain and optimize CICS environments across multi-LPAR and Parallel Sysplex, support DR planning, and collaborate with automation and app teams in a globally scaled operation.

We value 8+ years in z/OS/CICS, strong ITSM experience, and hands-on with monitoring tools like Mainview, Splunk, MXG. Telecommuting from anywhere in the U.S. is supported.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of z/OS system programming including TSO, JCL, started tasks and RACF.
• 7+ years of CICS system programming with upgrades and RSU application.
• 7+ years with z/OS file types (PDS/PDSE, VSAM, zFS) and Unix commands.
• 7+ years ITSM experience (Incident, Change, Release).
• 7+ years of metric/monitoring tool usage to assess system health.
• 5+ years CPSM (CICS Plex System Manager) experience.

Responsibilities

• Configure, maintain, and optimize CICS on IBM z/OS across multi-LPAR/Parallel Sysplex.
• Create and manage CICS regions; support resource definitions and stability.
• Diagnose incidents using Mainview, Splunk, MXG, Omegamon, Sysview, Abend-aid.
• Support z/OS Connect APIs; contribute to automated deployments with XL Deploy/Artifactory.
• Leverage AI tools to streamline workflows and capacity planning.
• Participate in disaster recovery planning and 24x7 on-call support.

Skills

z/OS

TSO

JCL

RACF

CICS

PDS/PDSE

VSAM

zFS

ITSM

CPSM

Monitoring tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

BMC Mainview

Splunk

MXG

Omegamon

Sysview

Abend-aid

XL Deploy

Artifactory

Job description

# Senior CICS System ProgrammerOptumFull-timeEden Prairie, MinnesotaUSD 91,700 - 163,7002 viewsPosted September 3, 2026## Job DescriptionOptum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.As a Senior I O Engineer specializing in **CICS** System Programming, you will play a critical role in maintaining and optimizing the **CICS** environment on IBM z/OS systems. In this role, you will apply deep technical expertise in system integration, software maintenance, and performance tuning across multi-LPAR, Parallel Sysplex environments. Our operational environment is continuously evolving, and you will leverage enterprise-approved AI productivity and diagnostics tools to analyze capacity data, summarize complex team communications, and streamline documentation. Working alongside cross-functional automation and application teams, you will help implement proactive health check systems, manage **CICS** regions, and guide disaster recovery planning to sustain operational resilience on a global scale.You will enjoy the flexibility to telecommute\\* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.Primary Responsibilities:• Configure, maintain, and optimize **CICS** environments on IBM z/OS across multi-LPAR, Parallel Sysplex environments to ensure high system resilience• Create and manage **CICS** regions, support application teams with resource definitions, and troubleshoot stability issues• Diagnose and resolve system incidents independently using monitoring tools such as BMC/AMI Mainview, **Splunk**, and **MXG**, as well as **Omegamon**, **Sysview**, and Abend-aid• Support the integration of z/OS Connect APIs and contribute to automated deployments using tools like **XL Deploy** and **Artifactory**• Use enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate tasks, analyze capacity planning metrics, and drive continuous operational improvement• Evaluate emerging technology trends to inform environment design, strategic optimization, and intelligent automation strategies• Partner with external vendors to compile diagnostic documentation, troubleshoot technical issues, and manage support tickets• Perform disaster recovery planning, performance optimization, and region decommissioning initiatives• Support 24x7 critical operations as part of a scheduled on-call rotation## Requirements & SkillsRequired Qualifications:• 8+ years of system programming experience including z/OS skills with **TSO**, **JCL**, started tasks, and **RACF**• 7+ years of **CICS** system programming experience including upgrades and applying RSUs to the **CICS** product and related ISV products• 7+ years of experience working with multiple z/OS file types and file systems, including PDS/PDSE, **VSAM**, and **zFS** (including allocation and related Unix commands)• 7+ years of experience with IT Service Management (ITSM) processes, including Incident, Change, and Release management• 7+ years of experience utilizing metric and monitoring tools to evaluate system health• 5+ years of **CPSM** (**CICS** Plex System Manager) experience• Ability to work on-call to support 24x7 operations as part of a scheduled rotationPreferred Qualifications:• Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field• Experience using enterprise-approved productivity tools (such as Microsoft 365 Copilot) to draft technical communication and recap collaborative sessions• Experience utilizing AI-driven tools or intelligent analytics to analyze capacity planning data, system logs, or automated alerts• Experience with **Java** and **JVM** Administration on z/OS and/or **CICS**• Experience with IBM Operational Decision Manager (ODM) or Mainframe Configuration Managers• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while mentoring junior team members• Experience utilizing metric and monitoring tools (such as BMC/AMI Mainview, **Splunk**, and **MXG**) to evaluate system health\\*All Telecommuters will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.