Senior IBM z/OS Systems Programmer

Founded in 2007, Initiate Government Solutions (IGS) is a Woman-Owned Small Business and a fully remote IT services provider supporting federal partners nationwide. We deliver innovative Enterprise IT and Health Services solutions with a strong focus on data analytics, health informatics, cloud migration, AI, and the modernization of federal information systems.

Our vision is to be a health IT trendsetter, continuing to solve the nation’s most challenging healthcare IT issues by conceiving, designing, and building solid, creative, and innovative open-source solutions. 

Our mission is to innovate, design, and deliver tailored solutions that balance technical advancement with cost-awareness while providing exceptional service.

IGS is currently recruiting for a remote Senior IBM z/OS Systems Programmer to join their growing team. 

The qualified individual will provide planning, which includes development of implementation and installation plans for IBM Mainframe projects. The implementation plan shall include: detailed steps and requirements to successfully implement OS’s, software or hardware upgrades, or installations to IBM System z/OS mainframe platform. 

Assignment of Work and Travel:

This is a remote access assignment. Candidates will work remotely daily and will remotely access customer systems and therein use approved IGS and customer-provided communications systems. Travel is not required; however, the candidate may be required to attend onsite client meetings as requested.

Responsibilities and Duties (Included but not limited to):

• Provide timelines and milestones required for implementation or upgrade of the IBM mainframe platform to meet government established project deadlines.
• Use required software tools, including IBM System Modification Program/extended (SMP/e), IBM system utilities (including IEBGENER (generalized copy utility), IEBCOPY (utility to copy, compress, merge partitioned data sets), IDCAMS (access method services), to create, populate, update and configure required datasets and parameter libraries and members to successfully implement software installations and upgrades on the IBM mainframe platform.
• Create and deliver detailed installation/upgrade documentation, using government specified software and processes and formats. This documentation will include detailed dataset names, configuration parameters, and installation/upgrade procedures used to install/upgrade the IBM mainframe OS, software or hardware. 
• Use IBM SMP/e to successfully receive and apply z/OS software and other related software on an IBM Mainframe. This includes interpreting SMP/e output messages to resolve software installation issues and requirements, use SMP/e panels to manage software installation packages, define SMP/e required parameters to successfully install and maintain OS and associated software products.
• Create, define and manage system and user catalogs on the IBM Mainframe platform. This includes using the appropriate catalog management utilities to create, update, merge and debug system and user catalogs.
• Diagnose and resolve IBM z/OS system abends and abnormal operating environment problems using system logs, and other available logs and documents. This includes creating and interpreting system traces and dumps, job output, and monitoring tools.
• Create, populate, secure and troubleshoot IBM z/OS USS (UNIX Systems Services) file systems and mount points. Manage the USS environment on an IBM z/OS mainframe platform.
• Create/update and debug z/OS parameters using government processes and procedures and requirements (aka PARMLIB).
• Plan, create and update accurate, detailed documentation for IBM z/OS mainframe platform software/hardware installation/upgrades.
• Use IBM z/OS mainframe job processing to analyze and debug batch processing issues. This includes an understanding of dispatching priorities and IBM z/OS mainframe security products and standard IBM mainframe software integration.
• Use IBM z/OS mainframe communications products, including Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
• Create, update, and debug Job Entry Subsystem (JES2) parameters and statements.
• Use knowledge of storage management tools and techniques including Data Facility Hierarchical Storage Manager (DFHSM), IBM utility used for backup and recovery (ADRDSSU), Systems Managed Storage (SMS) and virtual tape systems to perform installation, upgrade and debugging of IBM z/OS platform issues

• Five years' experience supporting COOP in an IBM mainframe ACE with the ability to ensure system availability during a disaster recovery or simulation.
• Must possess one of the following required certifications:

            A+ CE

            CCNA Security

            Network +CE

            SSCP

• Ability to support customers across multiple time zones
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Active Secret security clearance
• Ability to maintain a Secret security clearance. 
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship due to clearance requirements. 

Preferred Qualifications and Core Competencies:

• Associate’s degree (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) and three years' experience or Bachelor’s degree (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) and two years' experience supporting COOP in an IBM mainframe ACE with the ability to ensure system availability in the event of a disaster recovery or simulation situation.
• Prior successful experience working in a remote environment.

Successful IGS employees embody the following Core Values:

• Integrity, Honesty, and Ethics: We conduct our business with the highest level of ethics. Doing things like being accountable for mistakes, accepting helpful criticism, and following through on commitments to ourselves, each other, and our customers. 
• Empathy, Emotional Intelligence: How we interact with others including peers, colleagues, stakeholders, and customers’ matters. We take collective responsibility to create an environment where colleagues and customers feel valued, included, and respected. We work within a diverse, integrated, and collaborative team to drive towards accomplishing the larger mission. We conscientiously and meticulously learn about our customers’ and end-users’ business drivers and challenges to ensure solutions meet not only technical needs but also support their mission.
• Strong Work Ethic (Reliability, Dedication, Productivity): We are driven by a strong, self-motivated, and results-driven work ethic. We are reliable, accountable, proactive, and tenacious and will do what it takes to get the job done. 
• Life-Long Learner (Curious, Perspective, Goal Oriented): We challenge ourselves to continually learn and improve ourselves. We strive to be an expert in our field, continuously honing our craft, and finding solutions where others see problems.  

Compensation: There are a host of factors that can influence final salary, including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications.

Benefits: Initiate Government Solutions offers competitive compensation and a robust benefits package, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision care, matching 401K and profit sharing, paid time off, training time for personal development, flexible spending accounts, employer-paid life insurance, employer-paid short and long term disability coverage, an education assistance program with potential merit increases for obtaining a work-related certification, employee recognition, and referral programs, spot bonuses, and other benefits that help provide financial protection for the employee and their family.

Initiate Government Solutions participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program.