Software Engineer Principal - Mainframe

PNC; United States; On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/prescription coverage

Dental and vision options

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Education assistance

Job summary

PNC is seeking a Principal Software Engineer for Mainframe to lead architecture decisions and drive enterprise-grade mainframe development in Pittsburgh, PA. You will guide COBOL-based systems, CICS, JCL, and batch processing while mentoring engineers and aligning with SDLC and DevOps practices.

The role emphasizes design of scalable, high-availability solutions and collaboration across cross-functional teams to modernize legacy mainframe platforms.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of industry-relevant experience.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• No required certifications.
• Experience in regulated, high-availability environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of mainframe applications.
• Provide subject matter expertise in COBOL-based development.
• Develop, enhance, and maintain applications utilizing: COBOL, CICS, JCL, CA7/Control-M.
• Design and optimize high-throughput batch and online processing systems.
• Translate complex business requirements into robust technical solutions.
• Drive modernization initiatives, integrating mainframe with distributed architectures.
• Lead troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and performance tuning across mainframe environments.
• Ensure SDLC, DevOps practices and governance standards.
• Collaborate with architects, product owners, and infrastructure teams.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership.

Skills

Mainframe Development

COBOL

CICS

JCL

CA7/Control-M

SDLC

DevOps

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CA7 / Control-M

Batch Scheduling

Job description

Position Overview

At PNC, our people are our greatest differentiator and competitive advantage in the markets we serve. We are all united in delivering the best experience for our customers. We work together each day to foster an inclusive workplace culture where all of our employees feel respected, valued and have an opportunity to contribute to the company’s success. As a Software Engineer Principal-Mainframe within PNC’s C/IB organization, you will be based in Pittsburgh PA

PNC is an in-office company that fosters a supportive culture where employees can thrive and achieve balance. We encourage candidates to connect with their recruiter and hiring manager to understand workplace expectations and ensure the role aligns with their goals.

PNC will not provide sponsorship for employment visas or participate in STEM OPT for this position.

Job Description

The Principal Software Engineer provides technical direction, drives architecture decisions, and ensures alignment with PNC’s engineering standards and strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of mainframe applications supporting enterprise banking systems
• Provide subject matter expertise in COBOL-based development, ensuring scalable and maintainable solutions
• Develop, enhance, and maintain applications utilizing:
  • CICS (Channels & Containers)
  • JCL (Job Control Language)
  • Batch processing and scheduling tools (CA7 / Control-M)
• Design and optimize high-throughput batch and online transaction processing systems
• Analyze and translate complex business requirements into robust technical solutions
• Drive modernization initiatives, including integration of mainframe systems with distributed architectures
• Lead troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and performance tuning efforts across mainframe environments
• Ensure adherence to SDLC, DevOps practices, and enterprise governance standards
• Collaborate cross-functionally with architects, product owners, and infrastructure teams
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across project teams

Preferred Skills:

• Strong experience in Mainframe Development
• Advanced proficiency in:
  • COBOL
  • CICS (Channels & Containers)
  • JCL
  • CA7 / Control-M (job scheduling and batch processing)
• Proven ability to design and support mission-critical, large-scale systems
• Deep understanding of batch and real-time processing frameworks
• Experience working in regulated, high-availability environments (e.g., banking, financial services)
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills

Nice to have:

• Prior technical leadership or lead engineering experience
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a self-motivated, independent contributor
• Strong solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to drive outcomes
• Experience leading or supporting application modernization initiatives
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at multiple levels

PNC Employees take pride in our reputation and to continue building upon that we expect our employees to be:

• Customer Focused - Knowledgeable of the values and practices that align customer needs and satisfaction as primary considerations in all business decisions and able to leverage that information in creating customized customer solutions.
• Managing Risk - Assessing and effectively managing all of the risks associated with their business objectives and activities to ensure they adhere to and support PNC’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework.

Qualifications

Successful candidates must demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities for a role. Listed below are skills, competencies, work experience, education, and required certifications/licensures needed to be successful in this position.

Preferred Skills

Application Development, Business Management, CICS COBOL, COBOL, Customer Solutions, Design, Group Problem Solving, Job Control Language (JCL), Mainframe Programming, Process Improvements, Release Management, Software Solutions, User Experience (UX) Design

Competencies

Application Design, Architecture, Packaged Application Integration, Product and Vendor Evaluation, Software Process Improvement (SPI), System Development Life Cycle, Technical Troubleshooting

Work Experience

Roles at this level typically require a university / college degree, with 5+ years of industry-relevant experience. Specific certifications are often required. In lieu of a degree, a comparable combination of education, job specific certification(s), and experience (including military service) may be considered.

Education

Bachelors

Certifications

No Required Certification(s)

Licenses

No Required License(s)

Benefits

PNC offers a comprehensive range of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time employees include: medical/prescription drug coverage (with a Health Savings Account feature), dental and vision options; employee and spouse/child life insurance; short and long-term disability protection; 401(k) with PNC match, pension and stock purchase plans; dependent care reimbursement account; back-up child/elder care; adoption, surrogacy, and doula reimbursement; educational assistance, including select programs fully paid; a robust wellness program with financial incentives.

In addition, PNC generally provides the following paid time off, depending on your eligibility: maternity and/or parental leave; up to 11 paid holidays each year; 9 occasional absence days each year, unless otherwise required by law; between 15 to 25 vacation days each year, depending on career level; and years of service.

To learn more about these and other programs, visit pncthrive.com.

Disability Accommodations Statement

If an accommodation is required to participate in the application process, please contact us via email at [e-mail]. Please include “accommodation request” in the subject line title and be sure to include your name, the job ID, and your preferred method of contact in the body of the email. Emails not related to accommodation requests will not receive responses. Applicants may also call 877-968-7762 and say “Workday” for accommodation assistance. All information provided will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

At PNC we foster an inclusive and accessible workplace. We provide reasonable accommodations to employment applicants and qualified individuals with a disability who need an accommodation to perform the essential functions of their positions.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

PNC provides equal employment opportunity to qualified persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or other categories protected by law.

This position is subject to the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDIA) and, for any registered role, the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (SAFE Act) and/or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), which prohibit the hiring of individuals with certain criminal history.

California Residents

Refer to the California Consumer Privacy Act Privacy Notice to gain understanding of how PNC may use or disclose your personal information in our hiring practices.