z/OS Connect Lead

Salary: $123,000 - 163,000 per year
Requirements:
We are looking for a Senior Mainframe Developer with 7+ years of hands-on experience in COBOL, CICS, and DB2 for online and batch applications, including analysis, coding, unit testing, migration, and production support. We need strong CICS application programming expertise, including COMMAREA and CICS screens. We require experience building CICS web services with SOAP and REST. We expect solid troubleshooting ability for production and test issues such as CICS abends, DB2 SQL errors, and timeouts. We require experience creating and exposing APIs with IBM z/OS Connect. We need a strong grasp of REST and JSON fundamentals, including HTTP methods, status codes, headers, and JSON payload design. We expect familiarity with OpenAPI/Swagger 2.0 and 3.0 documents. We value basic Java and development-tool familiarity, including Gradle, containers, and IDEs such as VS Code. We need a high-level understanding of z/OS concepts such as regions, started tasks, RACF/SAF security, SMF/WLM, and how CICS, Db2, and IMS fit into the environment. We expect knowledge of CICS, Db2, and IMS basics to help map transactions, stored procedures, and programs to APIs. We need the ability to interpret COBOL copybooks or similar data layouts to map mainframe structures to JSON fields. Nice to have: experience with MQ or other middleware, including COBOL copybook to JSON mapping and service enablement of existing business logic. Nice to have: familiarity with API testing tools such as Postman, ReadyAPI, or SoapUI.
Responsibilities:
We will have you develop, analyze, code, test, migrate, and support COBOL, CICS, and DB2 applications for both online and batch processing. We will rely on you to troubleshoot and resolve issues in production and test environments. We will have you build and expose APIs using IBM z/OS Connect. We will expect you to work with REST and JSON-based service definitions and related OpenAPI artifacts. We will have you support CICS web services and assist with payload validation and service enablement. We will expect you to map mainframe business logic and data structures into service-friendly interfaces.
Technologies:
API COBOL Gradle HTTP IBM Support JSON Java OpenAPI Postman REST SOAP SQL Security Swagger VS Code Web AI LESS
More:
We are Kforce, working with a client in Armonk, NY on a Senior Mainframe Developer opportunity. This role includes comprehensive benefits for eligible employees, such as medical, dental, and vision coverage, HSA and FSA options, 401(k), and life, disability, and ADD insurance. Salaried personnel receive paid time off, and hourly employees may be eligible for paid sick leave where required. This position is not eligible for bonuses, incentives, or commissions, and we are an equal opportunity employer committed to fair consideration for all qualified applicants.
last updated 29 week of 2026