Mainframe Architect

Bravens Inc., part of the Ampcus Group of Companies, is a Certified Minority-Owned global consulting firm. We specialize in Human Capital services, delivering expert staffing solutions across various sectors, including both IT and non-IT fields. Our focus extends to providing talent with specialized skill sets to meet diverse business needs.

Job title: Mainframe Architect

Work Location : US-Remote/Hybrid

Top Qualifications

• Mainframe z/OS system programming
• Mainframe z/OS Storage Administration
• Mainframe z/VM system engineering (Good to Have)
  
  

Key Responsibilities

○ Provide functional expertise for critical zOS operating system software and mainframe platform capabilities

○ Serve as subject matter expert for the products you will become responsible to support and maintain. Mainly zSeries hardware and software infrastructures and technologies. Lead small projects and provide technical expertise for larger storage projects.

○ Design, develop, enhance, and maintain the zSeries mainframe platform and zOS operating system, including supporting software storage and utilities tools to meet Travelport’s business requirements.

○ Provides high level technical leadership and support in the design, implementation, and administration of storage hardware and the associated management software.

○ Able to understand highly complex storage infrastructures and has ability to design, deploy and manage without supervision.

○ Champions needs of customer community and enhancing user experience as related to storage performance and reliability.

○ Acts as technical point of contact (SME) for the zEnterprise Storage platform.

○ Manage over 450 TB of DASD Storage and over 1.5 PB of TAPE/VTS Storage.

○ Generate and implement enhancements to improve overall system design and/or streamline delivery of related storage products.

○ Understand integration and impact on adjacent systems, as well as short and long-term impact of technical decisions.

○ Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

○ Be able to take direction from senior level team members

○ Technical support interface to Travelport customers for zOS operating system functions including new functionality proof of concepts and assistance with debugging/problem resolution as it relates to our storage infrastructure.

○ Manage and support tools for collecting and reporting on zOS storage management and performance.

○ Provide 24x7 on-call availability and support for the Travelport Storage area.

○ Provide functional expertise for critical zOS operating system software and mainframe platform capabilities

○ Serve as subject matter expert and provide direction to others. Lead small projects and be the key technical expert for larger projects

○ Design, develop, enhance, and maintain the zOS mainframe platform and zOS operating system, including supporting software and utilities to meet Travelport’s business requirements

○ Develop new functionality, integrate IBM APARs, maintain proprietary operating system modifications and utilities and or zOS database management software if required.

○ Generate and implement enhancements to improve overall system design and/or streamline delivery of product. Proactively identify opportunities to improve delivery of daily work

○ Understand integration and impact on adjacent systems, as well as short and long-term impact of technical decisions

○ Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, including dump analysis and dump tools experience

○ Provide operational and production support for Travelport zOS Systems or zOS DB2/IDMS/CICS Database, including third level support and problem resolution for the production, pre-production, and lower-level testing environments

○ Technical support interface to Travelport customers for zOS operating system functions including new functionality proof of concepts and assistance with debugging/problem resolution

○ Working knowledge of Workload Manager and Thruput Manager while working closely with Capacity and Performance Support. This includes knowledge of Syncsort processing along with Syncsorts ZPSaver product

○ Knowledge of support tools for collecting and reporting on zOS system management and performance including Data Collection, Sub-Capacity Reporting Tool, Tivoli Omegamon suite, and the SAS Reporting product. Including CA-View/Deliver and MXG

○ Provide 24x7 on-call availability and support on a rotating basis with other team members

Expertise / Proficiency

○ 5 plus years of experience with zSeries Mainframe hardware and software storage technologies and associated infrastructure. Especially DASD and TAPE (VTS) storage.

○ Demonstrated strong technical aptitude with strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

○ Advanced knowledge of IBM Z hardware and software technologies - architecture, operating systems, and configurations.

○ Self-motivated with the ability to multi-task and embrace an ever-changing environment, competing priorities, and high expectations.

○ Must have a bias for action, be results oriented and have a proven track record of success.

○ Storage management experience with virtual tape for mainframe systems (IBM TS7760/40/20, RMM)

○ Storage management experience for mainframe DASD (IBM DS8x00, FlashCopy, PPRC, Hyperswap/Metro Mirror, GLOBAL Copy, TDMF)

○ Accountability for enforcement of storage rules and standards, monitoring DASD/Tape usage, insuring data integrity and maintaining catalogues, and the routines of z/OS storage backup, archive, migration, restore, compression, idle space release, management reporting, and DASD conversion and/or movement.

○ Technical knowledge and experience in the use and/or administration of IBM utilities, DFP, DFDSS, SMS, HSM, RMM, CA-PDSMAN, DIF/Client/SRS, Catalog Recovery Plus, BVIR Reporting, and TPC-R / CSM User Interface.

○ Backup and recovery of zOS systems for business continuity and Disaster Recovery testing.

○ Project Management skillset desired for use in the Data Storage Management area.

○ Ability to navigate adjacent systems such as z/VM, z/Linux, and z/TPF

○ Additional programming language/technologies a plus - JCL, Java, REXX, Python, HLASM, COBOL, PL/I, artificial intelligence, and automation

○ 10+ years of experience developing, deploying, and supporting the zOS operating system, zOS database subsystems (IDMS/DB2), along with IBM’s DB2 Suite of Tools.

○ Demonstrated strong technical aptitude with strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills

○ Advanced knowledge of IBM Z hardware and software technologies - architecture, operating systems, and configurations

○ Strong zOS operating system with an SMPE, REXX, COBOL, HLASM and C/C++ programming language skillset

○ Experience a plus with zOS control program internals, TCPIP host communications, zOS database management, and Storage Management skills using products such as DTS’s Client/DIF/SRS

○ Ability to navigate adjacent systems such as z/VM, z/Linux, and z/TPF

○ Knowledge of other zOS products a plus - Dumpmaster, Insync, SyncSort, USS and OMVS (NFS/Client/ZFS), ZIP390, and Applications Performance Analyzer

Years of Experience: 12.00 Years of Experience

Bravens Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide consideration for employment to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability.