Systems Administrator - IBM iSeries

Forward Air Corporation; Coppell (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Air Corporation is seeking a Systems Administrator to manage the IBM i (AS/400) environment, ensuring maximum system availability, reliability, and performance for connected applications and infrastructure.

Responsibilities include system upgrades, patching, backup and recovery, security administration, monitoring, and close collaboration with Infrastructure, Engineering, and business teams to drive operational improvements.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 7+ years of hands-on IBM iSeries (AS/400) administration in a production setting.
• Experience with IBM i OS/400, DB2/400, security management, backup/recovery, and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency with IBM i administration tools such as IBM Navigator for i and IBM Operations Navigator.
• Scripting/automation using CL or SQL is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain IBM iSeries (AS/400) environment, hardware, OS, DB2/400, and related infrastructure.
• Monitor system health, performance, capacity, CPU, memory, and disk usage.
• Perform upgrades, patches, PTF installations, and software deployments with minimal disruption.
• Configure and test backup, recovery, and disaster recovery procedures.
• Execute regular backup/restoration activities and validate recovery readiness.
• Manage user profiles, authorities, and security controls per policy and compliance.
• Monitor security logs, investigate vulnerabilities, and work with stakeholders to remediate issues.
• Conduct performance tuning including workload management, scheduling, memory optimization, and storage management.
• Implement monitoring tools and processes to identify performance bottlenecks and risks.
• Provide technical support for IBM i-based applications and coordinate with developers/business teams.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, OS, DB, and network issues affecting IBM i environment.
• Maintain documentation of configurations, procedures, backups, recovery plans, and standards.
• Generate performance and capacity reports to support planning and improvements.
• Collaborate on IBM i-related projects including migrations, upgrades, integration, and implementations.
• Participate in on-call rotations for critical issues outside business hours.
• All other duties as assigned.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Scripting/Automation

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Bachelor’s degree in CS/IT or related field

Tools

IBM Navigator for i

IBM Operations Navigator

Microsoft 365 (O365)

Job description

Job Description

The Systems Administrator - IBM iSeries/AS400 is responsible for the administration, maintenance, security, and optimization of the organization's IBM i (AS/400) environment, and its connected business applications and infrastructure, to ensure maximum system availability, reliability, and performance. They manage system upgrades, patching, backup and recovery processes, performance monitoring, and security administration while maintaining adherence to organizational standards and best practices. Working closely with Infrastructure, Engineering, and business teams, they help resolve system issues, support strategic initiatives, and contribute to ongoing operational improvements.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain the IBM iSeries (AS/400) environment, including hardware, IBM i operating systems, DB2/400 databases, and related infrastructure components.
• Monitor system health, performance, capacity, CPU utilization, memory usage, and disk consumption to ensure optimal performance and availability.
• Perform system upgrades, operating system updates, patches, PTF installations, and software deployments while minimizing business disruption.
• Configure, manage, and test backup, recovery, and disaster recovery procedures to ensure business continuity and data integrity.
• Execute regular backup and restoration activities and validate recovery readiness for critical business systems.
• Create, maintain, and administer user profiles, authorities, and security controls in accordance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor security logs, investigate vulnerabilities, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to remediate security-related issues.
• Conduct performance tuning activities including workload management, job scheduling, memory optimization, storage management, and system balancing.
• Implement and maintain monitoring tools and processes to proactively identify performance bottlenecks and operational risks.
• Provide technical support for IBM iSeries-based applications, partnering with developers and business teams to resolve issues and optimize application performance.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, operating system, database, and network-related issues affecting the IBM i environment.
• Maintain accurate documentation of system configurations, procedures, backup schedules, recovery plans, and operational standards.
• Generate system performance and capacity reports to support planning, forecasting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional IT teams on IBM i-related projects, including migrations, upgrades, integrations, and new implementations.
• Participate in on-call support rotations as needed to address critical system issues outside normal business hours.
• All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications

• Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent required; Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field preferred.
• Certification/Licensure: IBM i administration certifications, including IBM Certified System Administrator credentials, are preferred but not required.
• Experience: 7+ years of hands-on experience administering IBM iSeries (AS/400) environments in a production setting.
• Strong experience with IBM i (OS/400), DB2/400, system administration, performance tuning, security management, backup and recovery, and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency with IBM i administration tools and utilities, including IBM Navigator for i, IBM Operations Navigator, and related platform management tools.
• Strong knowledge of IBM i hardware configurations, storage management, system architecture, and diagnostic procedures.
• Experience scripting and automating administrative processes using CL (Control Language), SQL, or comparable scripting technologies.
• Familiarity with modern integration technologies, including web services, APIs, and third-party solutions supporting IBM i environments.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.
• Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)
• Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on-site setting (listed in this posting), with travel for related meetings/events.