Senior Mainrame IMS Engineer # 26-27083

Us Tech Solutions; Alaska; On-site; USD 83,000 - 114,000; Part time

Job summary

Us Tech Solutions in Alaska is seeking an experienced Mainframe IMS Engineer to manage IBM IMS DB and IMS TM environments across development, DR, and production. The role emphasizes availability, security, and recoverability of mission-critical IMS systems for enterprise applications.

Responsibilities include IMS administration, installation, and performance tuning; vendor coordination; and ensuring uptime in a 12+ month contract. Strong expertise with SMP/E, SYSLOGS, and DBRC is required.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of IMS infrastructure and database engineering experience.
• Experience leading upgrades, migrations, DR testing, and major incident resolution.
• Strong experience with IBM IMS DB and IMS TM.
• Experience with IMS SYSGEN, DBD, PSB, ACB, DBRC, IMS Connect.
• Strong knowledge of z/OS, JCL, TSO/ISPF, JES2, SDSF, SMP/E.
• Experience in IMS backup, recovery, and database reorganization.
• Strong Troubleshooting and performance tuning skills.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain IMS DB and IMS TM environments across development, test, DR, and production platforms.
• Install, configure, and maintain IMS software using SMP/E; apply maintenance and upgrades.
• Define and maintain DBDs, PSBs, and ACBs; perform reorganization, recovery, and optimization.
• Monitor IMS performance; tune regions and database structures for optimal performance.
• Design and support backup and recovery strategies; manage image copies and DBRC processes.
• Provide L2/L3 support for IMS production incidents and coordinate with vendors.

Skills

IMS DB/IMS TM

z/OS Admin

SMP/E

JCL

Troubleshooting

Performance Tuning

DR Testing

Capacity Planning

DBRC

IMS Connect

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

IBM IMS certification

ITIL Foundation certification

Tools

IMS Connect

SMP/E

DBRC

DBD/PSB/ACB

Job description

$60-$83 per hour

Any City, AK

Contract

Duration: 12+ Months Contract with possible extension

Summary: We are seeking an experienced Mainframe IMS Engineer responsible for the installation, administration, support, and performance management of IBM IMS Database and Transaction Manager environments. The role focuses on ensuring the availability, reliability, security, and recoverability of mission-critical IMS systems supporting enterprise applications.

Roles & Responsibilities:

IMS Administration & Operations:

• Administer and maintain IMS DB and IMS TM environments across development, test, DR, and production platforms.

• Manage IMS control regions, message processing regions (MPRs), BMPs, and database resources & perform IMS startup, shutdown, restart, and operational support activities.

• Ensure availability and stability of business-critical IMS applications and databases.

Installation, Maintenance & Upgrades:

• Install, configure, customize, and maintain IMS software using SMP/E.

• Apply maintenance, PTFs, fixes, and version upgrades; Perform IMS SYSGEN activities and subsystem configuration changes; Support IMS modernization and migration initiatives.

Database Administration & Management:

• Manage IMS databases including: Full Function Databases, HALDB, Fast Path (DEDB), HIDAM, HDAM, HISAM, HSAM

• Define and maintain DBDs, PSBs, and ACBs; Perform database reorganization, recovery, and optimization activities.

Performance & Capacity Management:

• Monitor IMS transaction and database performance; Tune IMS regions and database structures for optimal performance.

• Analyse CPU usage, response times, storage consumption, and throughput; Support capacity planning and workload forecasting activities.

Backup, Recovery & Resilience:

• Design and support backup and recovery strategies; Manage image copies, database recovery, restart, and DBRC processes.

• Support disaster recovery exercises and resilience testing; Ensure recovery procedures meet defined RTO and RPO targets.

Incident & Problem Management:

• Provide L2/L3 support for IMS production incidents.

• Diagnose and resolve IMS subsystem, database, and transaction processing issues; Analyse dumps, logs, abends, and performance bottlenecks.

IMS Integration & Middleware Support:

• Support IMS integration with: DB2, CICS, MQ, z/OS, RACF, VTAM/TCP-IP, IMS Connect

• Support application connectivity and transaction processing environments.

Change & Release Management:

• Participate in CAB reviews and production implementations; Support IMS application deployments and infrastructure changes.

• Ensure compliance with change management and governance processes; Maintain operational and technical documentation.

Vendor & Stakeholder Coordination:

• Work with IBM and software vendors for product issues and upgrades; Coordinate with z/OS, CICS, DB2, MQ, Storage, Security, and Application teams.

• Provide technical guidance to project teams and business stakeholders.

Experience:

• 10 + years of experience

Required Skills & Experience:

• 10–18+ years of IMS infrastructure and database engineering experience.

• Experience leading upgrades, migrations, DR testing, and major incident resolution.

• Strong experience with IBM IMS DB and IMS TM.

• Experience with: IMS SYSGEN, DBD, PSB, ACB, DBRC, IMS Connect

• Strong knowledge of: z/OS, JCL, TSO/ISPF, JES2, SDSF, SMP/E

• Experience in IMS backup, recovery, and database reorganization.

• Strong troubleshooting and performance tuning skills.

• Exposure to sysplex and data-sharing environments.

Preferred Technical Skills:

• IMS Parallel Sysplex.

• IMS Shared Queues.

• IMS Connect and API integration.

• IMS Monitoring and Performance Tools.

• Knowledge of DB2, CICS, MQ, and RACF security.

• REXX and automation scripting exposure.

• Experience working in a 24x7 enterprise support model.

• Strong documentation and knowledge-transfer capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• IBM IMS certification (preferred).

• ITIL Foundation certification.

• Experience in BFSI, Insurance, Banking, or other high-availability environments.

• Exposure to audit, compliance, and regulatory controls.

• Experience with DR planning and recovery testing.

Skills:

• IBM IMS DB/IMS TM, IMS System Programming, IMS SYSGEN, SMP/E, DBD/PSB/ACB/DBRC, IMS Database Administration, IMS Backup & Recovery, z/OS Administration, IMS Performance Tuning, IMS Connect

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience

US Tech Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

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