Senior Mainframe Reverse Engineering Lead

American IT Systems•Dallas, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Mainframe Reverse Engineering Lead to support a large scale AWS Transformation initiative focused on modernizing legacy mainframe applications and data processing systems. The role will be responsible for analyzing existing mainframe applications, documenting business rules and technical processes, and supporting the migration of applications and data to modern cloud based platforms. The successful candidate will perform detailed analysis of COBOL programs, JCL workflows, DB2 databases, VSAM files, batch processing jobs, interfaces, and data transformation logic. Working closely with business SMEs, developers, cloud engineers, and program leadership, this individual will identify and document application functionality, business processes, data flows, system dependencies, and integration points embedded within legacy systems. Key responsibilities include reverse engineering complex applications, creating technical and functional documentation, developing source to target mappings, identifying modernization opportunities, and supporting application migration strategies. The role will also leverage AI assisted analysis and modernization tools to accelerate discovery and improve the quality of transformation artifacts. The Senior Mainframe Reverse Engineering Lead will provide technical leadership throughout the discovery and modernization lifecycle, help identify risks and dependencies, and ensure that modernization efforts preserve critical business functionality while enabling migration to AWS and modern data platforms.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field.
15+ years of overall IT experience.
10+ years of hands-on IBM Mainframe experience.
Strong expertise in COBOL, JCL, DB2, VSAM, CICS, and mainframe batch processing.
Proven experience performing application discovery, reverse engineering, and legacy system analysis.
Experience identifying and documenting business rules, technical logic, and application dependencies.
Strong understanding of data mapping, data transformation, and system integration concepts.
Experience in creating functional specifications, technical documentation, process flows, and dependency diagrams.
Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and communication skills.
Ability to lead discovery and modernization workstreams independently.
Experience leveraging GenAI or AI assisted code analysis and reverse engineering tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience with AWS Mainframe Modernization, AWS Transform services, or similar modernization platforms.
Experience supporting large scale cloud migration and application modernization initiatives.
Knowledge of AWS services including S3, Lambda, Glue, ECS/EKS, and RDS.
Experience with Java, Spring Boot, Python, Spark/PySpark, Airflow, Iceberg, or Cloudera platforms.
Healthcare, Medicaid, Claims Processing, Insurance, or Financial Services industry experience.
Experience working with both onshore and offshore teams.
AWS, TOGAF, or other relevant technical certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

Perform detailed analysis of COBOL programs, JCL workflows, DB2 databases, VSAM files, batch processing jobs, interfaces, and data transformation logic.
Identify and document application functionality, business processes, data flows, system dependencies, and integration points embedded within legacy systems.
Reverse engineer complex applications.
Create technical and functional documentation.
Develop source to target mappings.
Identify modernization opportunities.
Support application migration strategies.
Leverage AI assisted analysis and modernization tools to accelerate discovery and improve the quality of transformation artifacts.
Provide technical leadership throughout the discovery and modernization lifecycle.
Help identify risks and dependencies.
Ensure that modernization efforts preserve critical business functionality while enabling migration to AWS and modern data platforms.