What are the responsibilities and job description for the Mainframe Monitoring Specialist position at Midasis Technologies LLC?
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Mainframe Monitoring Specialist to provide continuous operational monitoring, problem determination, and technical support for enterprise mainframe environments at a large federal agency.
In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring rapid response to system issues, minimizing service outages, supporting routine and emergency maintenance, and assisting with facility/equipment planning. You will interface daily with software teams, vendors, management, and facilities personnel to maintain maximum uptime across multiple national support centers.
Key Responsibilities
System Operations & Troubleshooting
- Real-time Monitoring: Continuously monitor and support multiple mainframe systems, CPUs, DASD, virtual tape systems, cloud storage, coupling facilities, and network hardware.
- Problem Resolution: Identify, diagnose, and resolve complex hardware, software, and network issues under time-critical conditions.
- Diagnostic Analysis: Analyze system logs and dumps using COMM dumps, Stand-Alone dumps, JES3 dumps, LOGREC, OPSLOG, RMF, and SYSLOG.
- System Maintenance: Perform Initial Program Loads (IPLs) and Initial Machine Loads (IMLs) before and after scheduled maintenance activities.
Facility & Hardware Coordination
- Equipment Installation: Install, uninstall, and manage IT equipment; prepare work orders and develop installation plans for cabling and hardware placement.
- Facility Planning: Attend facility planning meetings with building management and security stakeholders; create/update floor plans, diagrams, and CAD drawings.
- Vendor & Access Management: Coordinate secure data center access for vendors with OPSS personnel; oversee multi-vendor preventive maintenance, service calls, and system testing.
Incident Management & Documentation
- ITSM & Logging: Record, update, and track incidents and changes using ServiceNow (SNOW), vendor support portals, and the DSUSF SPRB Activity Log.
- Reporting: Provide clear written and oral status updates to management regarding system problems, outages, and resolutions.
- Training & Documentation: Draft technical documentation, procedures, and specialized reports; mentor and train junior IT Specialists in problem resolution and maintenance workflows.
Basic Qualifications
- Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree plus a minimum of 5 years of experience supporting large-scale mainframe environments and attached peripheral devices.
- Core Technical Knowledge: Strong expertise in z/OS MVS, JES3, MIM, Top Secret, and mainframe-attached storage technologies.
- Diagnostic Capabilities: Proven experience analyzing dumps, system logs, and performance data (RMF/OPSLOG) to resolve time-sensitive outages.
- Tooling: Direct experience using ServiceNow (SNOW) or comparable enterprise ITSM ticketing systems.
- Shift Availability: Must be able to work fixed Night Shift hours (Thu–Mon, 3:30 PM – 12:00 AM) in a 24x7 environment, including holidays and severe weather conditions.
- Onsite Presence: Must work 5 days a week onsite at the customer facility in Durham, NC.
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with FICON directors, coupling facilities, and mainframe cloud storage architectures.
- Experience using CAD tools for data center facility layout and physical planning.
- Knowledge of IT service management best practices (ITIL/ITSM) across both mainframe and open systems environments (servers, storage, networking).
- Demonstrated ability to create detailed technical installation plans, cabling diagrams, and work orders.