Senior Mainframe Db2 DBA z/OS

Xceedance; Omaha (NE); Remote; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Xceedance in the United States is seeking a Senior Mainframe Db2 DBA (z/OS) for a remote role that can work from anywhere in the US. The role administers, tunes, and secures Db2 for z/OS databases supporting core policy, claims, and financial processing.

Ideal candidates hold IBM Db2 for z/OS DBA certification, strong SQL, and experience with backup/recovery, RACF, and cross-platform data movement. The position offers collaboration across mainframe, data warehouse, and cloud teams.

Qualifications

• IBM Db2 for z/OS knowledge and DBA experience
• Strong SQL and performance tuning skills
• Experience with RACF, DRDA, and backup/recovery processes
• Excellent technical communication and mentoring abilities

Responsibilities

• Administers Db2 for z/OS databases including tuning and design
• Manages backups, recovery, and disaster recovery readiness
• Configures security and authorization (GRANT/REVOKE, RACF)
• Oversees change management and SQL optimization with cross-functional teams
• Supports Db2-to-SQL Server data pipelines and cross-platform integration
• Mentors junior staff and documents runbooks and standards

Job description

Job Title: Senior Mainframe Db2 DBA (z/OS)

Location: Remote (United States; prefer EST and CST)

This role is open only to candidates who are authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Who We Are

Xceedance provides strategic operations support, technology, and data services to drive efficiencies for insurance organizations worldwide. We collaborate with insurers, reinsurers, MGAs, brokers, and captives to launch products, implement intelligent technology, deploy advanced analytics, and achieve business process optimization. We are committed to adding direct value in the business of insurance and help our clients to embrace change, accelerate innovation, and achieve meaningful business outcomes.

Administers, secures, and tunes the company's IBM Db2 for z/OS databases supporting core policy, claims, and financial processing. Owns physical database design review, performance management, backup and recovery, and disaster recovery readiness for the Db2 subsystems. Provides secondary administration for Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance and supports the data pipelines that move mainframe data to the enterprise data warehouse. Treats documentation, cross-training, and knowledge transfer as core deliverables of the role..

What You’ll Be Doing

Database design and change management

• Reviews and approves physical database designs (tablespaces, partitioning, indexing, referential integrity, compression) for new and changed applications.
• Implements DDL and configuration changes through the ITIL change management process; maintains DDL, object inventory, and standards under version control.
• Manages subsystem parameters (ZPARM), buffer pool configuration, and storage allocation.

Performance management

• Monitors subsystem, thread, and application performance; establishes and tracks baselines.
• Analyzes access paths using EXPLAIN and related tooling; identifies and remediates inefficient SQL in partnership with application and data engineering teams.
• Schedules and tunes Db2 utilities (REORG, RUNSTATS, COPY, MODIFY, RECOVER) and maintains the utility calendar.

Backup, recovery, and availability

• Owns the image copy strategy, active and archive log management, and point-in-time recovery procedures.
• Executes and documents recovery tests on a defined cadence [HR/manager: state cadence, e.g., annually].
• Participates in disaster recovery exercises and maintains the Db2 recovery runbooks.

Security and confidentiality

• Administers Db2 authorization (GRANT/REVOKE, roles, RACF integration) under least-privilege principles.
• Supports internal and external audit and regulatory data requests.
• Handles confidential and regulated policyholder and financial data in accordance with company information security policies.

Integration and data movement

• Supports the nightly Db2-to-SQL Server extract pipelines (unload utilities, SFTP, enterprise scheduler) in partnership with EDM Data Engineering.
• Administers DDF/DRDA connectivity and distributed access for downstream consumers.
• Advises on Db2 data structures consumed by warehouse, finance, and analytics teams.

Platform currency

• Plans and executes Db2 version and function-level upgrades and PTF maintenance with Systems Programming.
• Evaluates and recommends Db2 features and tooling that improve performance, availability, or operational efficiency.

Documentation, knowledge transfer, and mentoring

• Maintains runbooks, standards, and architecture documentation for all administered subsystems.
• Cross-trains at least one designated backup administrator on every critical procedure.
• Mentors mainframe developers and data engineers on Db2 design and SQL efficiency.

Secondary platform support

• Provides backup administration for Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance as assigned by the DBA team lead.

Operations

• Participates in the DBA on-call rotation and scheduled off‑hours maintenance windows.
• Follows ITIL incident, problem, and change management practices.

What You Bring

Ideal candidates will have an IBM Certified Database Administrator certification for Db2 for z/OS, along with experience in Microsoft SQL Server administration and Azure SQL Managed Instance. Additional preferred skills include proficiency in COBOL, REXX, and Python; advanced Db2 capabilities such as Data Sharing, Parallel Sysplex, Db2 Connect, DDF tuning, and stored procedures; and familiarity with enterprise job scheduling tools such as Stonebranch and Db2 performance monitoring solutions. ITIL Foundation certification, Agile delivery experience, and knowledge of Property & Casualty insurance data, including policy, claims, premium, and loss information, are also highly desirable.

• Analytical problem solving under production pressure
• Precise technical communication with developers, architects, auditors, and leadership
• Planning and prioritization across competing demands with minimal supervision
• Discretion with confidential and regulated data
• Commitment to documentation and knowledge transfer
• Collaboration across mainframe, warehouse, cloud, and application teams

What You Can Expect from Us

• A collaborative, entrepreneurial environment where your ideas drive change
• Opportunities to work with cutting‑edge technologies and a worldwide network of insurance experts
• A culture rooted in teamwork, integrity, continuous learning, and client success

At Xceedance, you will discover the possibility to exceed yourself and grow persistently with us. We offer career development opportunities to our members for a well-rounded development throughout their journey with us. Xceedance is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.