IMS / DB2 Database Engineer (L3 Support)

Job Title: IMS / DB2 Database Engineer (L3 Support)

Location: Richardson, TX 75082 / Baskin Ridge ,NJ / Tampa FL (Hybrid)

Duration: 12 Months

IMS / DB2 Database Engineer (L3 Support)

• Need an experienced IMS and DB2 (Mainframe) database engineer with prior expertise supporting large telecom OSS applications running on IBM z/OS.
• The engineer will provide Tier 3 support for database-related code fixes, performance tuning, schema changes, bind/plan/ACB maintenance, and resolution of data-related issues in production.
• The engineer should be able to support Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams responsible for operational monitoring, ensuring that all database components remain available, optimized, and stable 24/7.
• This role supports multiple integrated systems that depend on DB2 and IMS databases for planning, dispatch, inventory, scheduling, and network operations.

Responsibilities

Provide Tier 3 support for DB2 and IMS database subsystems including:

• Support database changes required for code fixes, enhancements, or vulnerability remediation
• Analyze DB2 packages, plans, SQL performance, and buffer pool behavior
• Support bind, rebind, package versioning, and collection maintenance
• Modify DB2 tables, indexes, views, synonyms, and statistics as needed
• Perform IMS database maintenance including ACBGEN, DBDGEN, PSBGEN
• Review and deploy IMS database structural changes across TEST, PRE-RELEASE, and RELEASE
• Assist in resolving production data issues involving record corruption, mismatched keys, or incorrect table loads
• Debug SQL-related abends (SQLCODEs, SQLSTATEs) and IMS abends (U- or A-codes)
• Review SAS or batch jobs for database access patterns impacting performance
• Ensure database availability during nightly, weekly, and monthly batch cycles
• Monitor space utilization, reorganize databases, and maintain high-performance availability Assist Tier 2 Support as needed by:
• Responding to questions or failures involving DB2 or IMS batch jobs
• Validating database connectivity for applications during upgrades or migrations
• Providing routine maintenance such as RUNSTATS, REORG, image copies, and index rebuilds
• Supporting refresh processes between environments (TEST, PREL, REL)
• Supporting SQL and DLI/DBB calls used by application teams
• Maintaining integration flows with external systems (NDM, MQ, TIRKS, WFA subsystems)

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience with DB2 for z/OS (packages, plans, utilities, SQL tuning)
• Minimum 7 years of experience with IMS (DB DC), including DBD/PSB/ACB management
• Strong understanding of IMS and DB2 utilities such as REORG, RUNSTATS, LOAD/UNLOAD, ICOPY, CHANGE ACCUM
• Experience with SQL tuning, EXPLAIN, access path analysis, and performance monitoring
• Familiarity with mainframe file systems (VSAM, GDGs, PDSEs)
• Strong knowledge of the compilation flow between DB2 precompile, bind, load module, and execution
• Experience supporting DB2 and IMS changes via Endevor or similar CM tools
• Ability to participate on-call support for critical database escalations (as needed)

Nice to Have

• Experience with telecom OSS systems such as WFA-DO, WFA-DI, TIRKS, Ericsson/Telcordia applications
• Experience with IBM tools: OMEGAMON, MainView, FileAid/DB2, IMS Explorer, QMF, Platinum tools
• Experience handling database migrations (DB2 version upgrades, IMS version upgrades)
• Experience debugging SAS/REXX/COBOL/PL1 programs that use DB2 or IMS
• Experience integrating mainframe databases with distributed platforms (AWS, Oracle, Kafka, ETL tools)
• Experience in a high availability 24/7 operational environment