Senior Technical Engineer / Developer

FedTec; Woodlawn (MD); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness benefits

Paid time off

401(k) retirement plan

Life & disability insurance

Employee assistance program

Job summary

FedTec is seeking a Senior Technical Engineer / Developer to modernize COBOL-based data extraction into SAS and SQL within SSA’s EDW, supporting the SSR, Numident, MEF, and MBR/PHUS files.

The role requires reverse-engineering legacy COBOL, validating outputs, and delivering end-to-end data extraction solutions in an AWS S3 cloud environment with Greenplum databases. Strong documentation and SCRUM participation are essential.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in COBOL and a 4GL language such as FOCUS.
• Experience with JCL, SAS/SAS Enterprise Guide, File-AID, DB2, Control-M, Endevor.
• Working knowledge of Visual Basic, Toad, DBeaver, and SQL.
• Proficiency with MS Office, Visio, SharePoint BI, Jira, and InfoPath.
• Experience with SSA production mainframe systems (IBM z/OS) and modern data platforms (Syncsort, Greenplum, AWS S3).
• Demonstrated modernization of legacy systems by replacing COBOL with SAS/SQL and validating outputs.
• Knowledge of SAS BI Platform 9.4 TS M7/M9 and mainframe SAS connections.
• Strong documentation skills for runbooks and requirements.
• Bachelor-level degree and 10+ years’ progressive development leadership.
• Familiarity with SSA Master Files (SSR, Numident, MEF, MBR/PHUS) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Reverse-engineer legacy COBOL to develop SQL/SAS equivalents.
• Compare legacy vs new outputs across modules and APIs.
• Replace SSR/MBR/PHUS COBOL with modern data extraction tools.
• Develop code in SAS/SQL within the EDW architecture.
• Provide end-to-end lifecycle support and technical documentation.
• Work with AWS S3, EDW/ADW environments and data pipelines.
• Attend SCRUM meetings and document learnings and differences.
• Produce runbooks and user documentation for new processes.
• Coordinate knowledge transfer with SMEs and end users.
• Migrate and validate code to production per AIS/DRAPA guidance.

Skills

COBOL

FOCUS (4GL)

JCL

SAS/SAS Enterprise Guide

SQL

Control-M

Endevor

VB / Visual Basic

Toad

DBeaver

Jira

InfoPath

MS Office / Visio / SharePoint BI

AWS S3 / Greenplum / EDW

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related technical field

Tools

Syncsort

SAS 9.4 TS M7/M9

SAS Data Integration Studio

SAS Enterprise Guide

Greenplum data connection tools

Job description

Title: Senior Technical Engineer / Developer

Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust.

FedTec is seeking a Senior Technical Engineer / Developer to support the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Masterfile Replacement Access Initiative (MRAI) under the Technology, Customer Data & AI Statement of Work. This role will modernize legacy COBOL-based data extraction processes into modern SAS and SQL code within SSA's Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), replacing extracts from the Supplemental Security Record (SSR), Numident, Master Earnings File (MEF), and Master Beneficiary Record/Payment History Update System (MBR/PHUS) Master Files.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Reverse-engineer legacy COBOL modules to develop new code in SQL and/or SAS, working toward a one-for-one match of the legacy extract output.
• Analyze legacy/COBOL compression types, modules, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), SAS programs, Control-M jobs, and CIO-owned APIs to compare outputs between legacy and new processes.
• Review RAPA DRAPA COBOL modules for the SSR and MBR/PHUS Master Files in order to replace them with modern data extraction tools.
• Program and develop code in modern coding language(s) that replicates the specified extract files, working within the approved MRAI process flow architecture in the EDW.
• Provide full life-cycle development support for process solutions, including technical support in the use of SQL, SAS, and SAS/SQL products implemented on the DRAPA/CIO-defined platform.
• Use large-data ETL tools such as Syncsort, along with EDW and Analytics Data Warehouse (ADW) Greenplum tables, to develop extracts within SSA's AWS S3-hosted secure cloud environment.
• Use SAS software versions including SAS Business Intelligence Platform 9.4 TS M7/M9, SAS Enterprise Guide, SAS Data Integration Studio, and mainframe SAS with Greenplum data connection tools.
• Consult with RAPA DRAPA subject matter experts (SMEs) at each phase of the project lifecycle, provide detailed weekly written project plan reporting, and respond to SME and project team questions on data sources, elements, and dependencies.
• Attend SCRUM meetings led by the SSA Project Manager; document lessons learned during COBOL reverse engineering, validate that new code output matches legacy output, document known and explainable differences, and annotate new code to explain data extraction, manipulation, and cleaning.
• Provide end-user code documentation, including runbooks outlining requirements for new data extraction processes and output file validation.
• Conduct activity close-out knowledge transfer sessions and desk-level training with RAPA DRAPA SMEs and end users, walking them through contractor-produced runbooks across multiple sessions to build confidence running new code.
• Support current Work Activities including moving the Census MBR, PHUS, CWHS MBR/PHUS, and DAF MBR/PHUS extracts into production, obtaining end-user sign-off on SSI CER (CERALL) and SSR Household extracts, and continuing support for MRAI NUMI, MEF, SSR, and MBR data extracts.
• Perform final code validation, update programs to address new requirements or identified issues, execute end-user and parallel testing, and transfer MRAI code to the production environment as defined by AIS/DRAPA.
• Assist with and troubleshoot program issues, and update, upgrade, test, and migrate existing MRAI code from SAS 9.4 M7 (ARC 3.0) to SAS 9.4 M9 (ARC 4.0).

Basic Qualifications – Required Education, Certifications, Skills, and Experience

• Proficiency in COBOL and a fourth-generation programming language (4GL), such as FOCUS.
• Experience with Job Control Language (JCL), SAS/SAS Enterprise Guide, File-AID, DB2, Control-M, and Endevor (Environment for Developers and Operations).
• Working knowledge of Visual Basic, Toad, DBeaver, and SQL.
• Proficiency with MS Office, Visio, SharePoint 2016 Business Intelligence, Jira, and InfoPath.
• Experience with SSA production mainframe systems (PPF/MISF) – IBM z/OS mainframe systems accessed via a TSO/ISPF interface – along with Syncsort, Greenplum, and AWS S3 cloud storage and data platforms.
• Demonstrated experience modernizing legacy government systems by replacing COBOL code with modern SAS and/or SQL, including reverse-engineering legacy modules and validating that new code produces matching extract outputs.
• Experience with SAS Business Intelligence Platform (9.4 TS M7/M9), SAS Enterprise Guide, SAS Data Integration Studio, and mainframe SAS with Greenplum data connections.
• Strong technical documentation skills, including runbooks, business process documents, and detailed functional requirements.
• Bachelor's degree in a related technical field and 10+ years of progressive application development and technical leadership experience, including full software development life cycle responsibility.
• Highly desired (not required): familiarity with SSA Administrative Master Files, including the Supplemental Security Record (SSR), Numident, Master Earnings File (MEF), and Master Beneficiary Record/Payment History Update System (MBR/PHUS).

When You Join FedTec, You Are Joining a Family! We take pride in our work and the true and transparent relationships we build with our employees and partners. Just as you would do for your own family, we prioritize your safety, health, and happiness. That is why we've created the FedTec Total Well-Being program, offering benefits like:

• Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision plans with valuable features like Telehealth virtual care and resources to support your physical and mental well-being.
• Time to Recharge: Generous paid time off to relax and rejuvenate.
• Financial Security: 401(k), company-paid short- and long-term disability, life insurance, and additional voluntary coverage.
• Life & Family Support: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Pet Insurance, and Prepaid Legal services.
• Recognition & Growth: The FedTec Applause program rewards outstanding contributions, while our Learning & Development programs support your career growth.
• Fitness & Wellness: The FedTec Fit Program includes an on-staff Fitness Coach, personal and group training sessions, company fitness challenges, and ongoing wellness support.

Visit fedtec.com to learn more about who we are and where you can make an impact!

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we consider all qualified applicants without regard to disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We are committed to a fair and inclusive workplace where advancement is based on merit, skills, and contributions.