z/OS Systems Programmer

Quadrant, Inc.•Washington, DC

2d•$55•Onsite

About The Position

Experienced z/OS Systems Programmer (3rd party Software Support Technician) needed to plan, implement, sustain, and provide technical guidance for product installations, upgrades, and maintenance, specifically for IBM z/OS 3rd party software and utilities. This role involves initiating calls to vendors for prerequisite software levels and problem reporting, managing the technical life cycle of assigned z/OS software products, and utilizing IBM SMP/e for software installation and issue resolution. The position requires extensive use of IBM system utilities for dataset and parameter library management, as well as diagnostic tools like system logs, traces, and dumps to resolve product abends. Responsibilities include providing customer support, ensuring system resource availability, managing shared storage, and supporting software products in a parallel sysplex environment. The role also involves ensuring software compliance with the mainframe OS, performing release analysis outside of production, and initiating release processes based on RMCAB change requests. Developing and executing test plans for security, functional, integration, performance, and regression testing is crucial. Collaboration with other system programmers and managers on inter-product dependencies and impact/risk assessment is expected. The role requires the ability to work independently, conduct research, and train junior employees, while adhering to Change Management and CAB policies.

Requirements

Experienced z/OS Systems Programmer (3rd party Software Support Technician)
Experience with IBM z/OS
Mainframe experience
IAT Level 2 certification: (CCNA-Security, CSA+, GICSP, CompTIA Security+ CE, SSCP)
Secret clearance required
Experience interpreting SMP/e output messages to resolve software installation issues and requirements.
Experience using IBM system utilities (IEBGENER, IEBCOPY, IDCAMS).
Experience using system logs, creating and interpreting system traces and dumps, job output, and monitoring tools to diagnose and resolve IBM z/OS product abends.
Ability to work in a team environment and share developed solutions.
Ability to work independently, conduct research, and provide training for lower level employees.

Responsibilities

Plan, implement, sustain, and provide technical guidance for product installations, upgrades, and maintenance of IBM z/OS 3rd party software/utilities.
Initiate calls to vendors to ascertain proper prerequisite software levels, report problems, and receive follow-through procedures.
Assist in the management of the technical life cycle of assigned z/OS software products, packages, or subsystems.
Use IBM SMP/e to receive and apply z/OS software on an IBM Mainframe, interpreting SMP/e output messages to resolve software installation issues.
Use IBM system utilities (IEBGENER, IEBCOPY, IDCAMS) to create, populate, update, and configure datasets and parameter libraries for software implementation.
Use system logs, create and interpret system traces and dumps, job output, and monitoring tools to diagnose and resolve IBM z/OS product abends.
Provide customer support (internal and external) on questions and incidents related to mainframe software, including changes, upgrades, new features, and known problems.
Ensure all system resources required for software installation are available.
Ensure shared storage resources and management tools are properly maintained.
Provide technical, engineering, and consulting services/support for running software products in a parallel sysplex environment.
Ensure installed software products are compliant with the current mainframe OS.
Perform new release/version analysis outside of the production environment before deployment.
Initiate release processes based on approved RMCAB change requests for new and upgraded mainframe products.
Develop test plans, test cases, and test data for release testing, including security compliance, functional, integration, performance, and regression testing.
Coordinate with other system programmers and managers on software product interfaces and impacts.
Determine impacts and risks to changes before implementation.
Work in a team environment and share developed solutions.
Adhere to and participate in the organization's Change Management and CAB policies and procedures.
Work independently, conduct research, and provide training for lower-level employees.