Mainframe Administrator

IPolarity LLC•Hanover Township, NJ

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a highly skilled Mainframe DB2 Systems Administrator to manage and support DB2 for z/OS subsystems in a mission-critical enterprise environment. This role is responsible for installation, configuration, performance tuning, and overall health of DB2 subsystems, ensuring high availability, security, and optimal performance.

Requirements

7–12+ years of mainframe experience
3–5+ years in DB2 Systems Programming / Administration
Experience with IBM DB2 for z/OS and Replication products (Qrep, SQLrep and CDC) - software installation, version upgrades and maintenance, certification testing, documentation of operational procedures, disaster recovery testing
Deep knowledge of ZPARMs and subsystem configuration
Deep knowledge of Buffer pools, logs, BSDS, catalog/directory
Strong troubleshooting skills for System-level DB2 issues
Strong troubleshooting skills for Performance and connectivity problems
Proficiency in JCL, TSO/ISPF, SDSF

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with DB2 utilities and performance tools
Familiarity with Monitoring tools (OMEGAMON, MainView)
Knowledge of DevOps tools for mainframe (Endevor, ISPW, etc.)
Exposure to Cloud integration or hybrid architectures
Experience with Large-scale DB2 upgrades or migrations
Experience with Performance optimization initiatives
Knowledge of Modernization tools (z/OS Connect, APIs)
Experience with software support for BMC for DB2 Tools, IBM z/OS Connect, Software AG ADABAS and Natural products
Programming experience with REXX
Working knowledge of SQL, JIRA, SMP/E, RACF, TCP/IP, Network certificates, Splunk
Working knowledge of other Mainframe Subsystems (CICS, IMS, MQ)

Responsibilities

Install, configure, and maintain DB2 for z/OS subsystems
Perform version upgrades, patching (PTFs/APARs), and system maintenance
Manage subsystem configuration and initialization parameters
Maintain core DB2 components: ZPARMs (DSNZPARM), Buffer pools, Logs and BSDS, Catalog and directory
Monitor and tune DB2 system-level performance (CPU, memory, I/O)
Optimize: Buffer pools, Locking and concurrency, Thread and connection performance
Support capacity planning and performance analysis using DB2 and system tools
Manage and support: DB2 Data Sharing environments (Sysplex), Coupling Facility integration, Workload balancing and failover
Ensure DB2 availability and resilience through DR strategies
Analyze and resolve: Subsystem failures, Dumps, logs, and abends, Connectivity issues affecting DB2 operations
Perform root cause analysis and implement preventive actions
Support interaction with: Batch (JCL), CICS, IMS, MQ and distributed systems