Role: VSE Systems Programmer
Location: 100% Remote
Preferred Qualifications
- Extensive experience supporting IBM VSE environments in a systems programming capacity.
- Working knowledge of z/OS administration and migration projects.
- Experience with JCL, batch processing, system utilities, and performance tuning.
- Familiarity with IBM mainframe software installation, maintenance, and problem determination.
- Ability to support highly customized enterprise environments with minimal supervision.
- Strong troubleshooting, communication, and documentation skills.
Operating Systems & Mainframe Platforms
- IBM z/VSE
- IBM z/OS (preferred, especially for migration support)
- IBM Z (System z) hardware
Systems Programming
- VSE system installation, maintenance, and upgrades
- IPLs and system initialization
- SMP/E (primarily for z/OS; some familiarity is valuable during migration)
- System performance monitoring and tuning
- Storage and DASD management
- Capacity planning
Languages & Utilities
- JCL (Job Control Language)
- REXX (preferred)
- Assembler (highly desirable)
- COBOL (working knowledge is helpful)
- CICS administration and support
- VSE/POWER
Storage & Backup
- DFSMS (z/OS)
- FDR or equivalent backup/recovery solutions
- Tape management systems
Networking & Communications
- VTAM
- TCP/IP for z/VSE and/or z/OS
- SNA (if the environment still utilizes it)
Security
- RACF (or equivalent security products such as ACF2 or Top Secret)
- User administration and security administration
Monitoring & Automation
- IBM OMEGAMON
- MainView (BMC)
- CA SYSVIEW
- IBM Tivoli products (where applicable)
- Automation tools such as IBM System Automation or OPS/MVS (for z/OS)
Migration Experience: This is probably the most valuable qualification beyond VSE itself:
- VSE to z/OS migration projects
- Application and workload migration
- Data migration
- Cutover planning
- Testing and validation
- Disaster recovery planning
Nice-to-Have Experience
- Broadcom (CA) mainframe tools
- BMC mainframe utilities
- IBM z/VM (if virtualization is used)
- DB2 for z/OS
- IBM MQ
- Change management tools (Endevor, Changeman)
- Source control solutions used in mainframe environments