z/OS Systems Programmer

Veteran-Owned Firm Seeking a Lead z/OS Systems Programmer for a Hybrid (2 days on-site) Critical Mission in Annapolis, MD

My name is Stephen Hrutka. I lead a Veteran-Owned management consulting firm in Washington, DC. We specialize in Technical and Cleared Recruiting for the Department of Defense (DoD), the Intelligence Community (IC), and other advanced defense agencies.

At HRUCKUS, we support fellow Veteran-Owned businesses by helping them recruit for positions across organizations such as the VA, SBA, HHS, DARPA, and other leading-edge R&D-focused defense agencies.

We seek to fill a z/OS Systems Programmer position in Annapolis, MD.

The ideal candidate is an Annapolis, MD resident who holds an Active Secret Clearance and possesses 8 years of hands-on experience as a z/OS Systems Programmer. They must demonstrate a deep understanding of z/OS internals, JES2/JES3, WLM, and SMP/E, along with proven technical expertise in one or more subsystems such as CICS, DB2, IMS, or MQ.

If you’re interested, I'll gladly provide more details about the role and discuss your qualifications further.

Thanks,

Stephen M Hrutka

Principal Consultant

HRUCKUS LLC

Executive Summary: HRUCKUS is looking for an experienced z/OS Systems Programmer to support, maintain, and enhance the client’s IBM mainframe environment, ensuring the stability, security, and performance of mission-critical systems.

Position Description: We are seeking an experienced z/OS Systems Programmer to support, maintain, and enhance the client’s IBM mainframe environment. The ideal candidate will have deep technical expertise in z/OS, subsystem configuration, system tuning, and operational support in a mission critical environment. This role ensures the stability, security, and performance of mainframe systems across production, test, and development environments.

Position Job Duties

• z/OS Installation & Maintenance: Install, configure, and maintain z/OS and related IBM system software; manage SMP/E processes and PTF/RSU installations; maintain PARMLIB/PROCLIB and plan IPLs.
• Subsystem Administration: Support and tune subsystems such as JES2/JES3, CICS, DB2, MQ, and IMS; troubleshoot subsystem issues to ensure performance and availability.
• Performance & Capacity Management: Perform workload analysis using RMF/SMF; tune WLM policies; provide recommendations to optimize CPU, memory, I/O, and storage utilization.
• Storage & I/O Configuration: Work with storage teams on SMS/HSM and DASD management; support IODF/HCD updates; validate TS7700/VTL replication.
• Security & Compliance: Support RACF rules and digital certificates; assist with STIG compliance and vulnerability remediation; ensure configurations align with regulatory standards.
• Automation & Operations: Develop automation scripts (REXX, CLIST, SA/Ops); support job scheduling; integrate with monitoring and alerting tools.
• Incident & Change Management: Provide Tier III support for escalated issues; conduct root cause analysis (RCA); participate in change management and DR tests.
• Documentation & Collaboration: Create technical documentation and SOPs; collaborate with cross-functional teams; assist in modernization and cloud integration initiatives.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance
• 8 years of hands-on experience as a z/OS Systems Programmer
• Deep understanding of z/OS internals, JES2/JES3, WLM, SMP/E
• Experience with one or more subsystems (CICS, DB2, IMS, MQ)
• Strong diagnostic and problem-solving skills
• Experience with REXX, JCL, and mainframe utilities
• Knowledge of TCP/IP, VTAM, and network configuration on z/OS
• Experience with DR, backup/restore, and high availability environments
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills
• Excellent communication and documentation abilities
• Ability to work in 24x7 mission-critical environments
• Collaborative team player with a focus on quality and reliability
• Ability to adapt and learn emerging mainframe and automation technologies
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with z/OSMF, Ansible for z/OS, and automation frameworks
• Exposure to security tools (zSecure) and RACF administration
• Mainframe experience in a cloud, MFaaS, or hosting environment
• Familiarity with federal compliance frameworks (NIST, STIG, RMF)
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Systems, or equivalent experience
  
  

Details

• Job Title: z/OS Systems Programmer
• Location: Annapolis, MD 21403
• Security Clearance Requirement: Active Secret Clearance
• Assignment Type: Full-time
• Salary Range: $150,000 to $170,000 annually.