Mainframe Database Administrator (Db2)

Job Description

Job Description

Mainframe  Database  Administrator (Db2) | $56- $70Per  Hour |  Hybrid  Contract   

What Matters Most

• Competitive Pay of $56 - $70 per hour 
• Schedule: Flexible Hybrid, approximately 50% in-office
• Location: Omaha, NE
• Contract opportunity
• 10+ years of IBM Db2 for z/OS administration experience in a production environment
• Opportunity to support critical databases used for policy, claims, and financial processing
• Hands-on responsibility for database performance, backup and recovery, disaster recovery, security, and availability
• Opportunity to work across mainframe, data warehouse, cloud, and application teams

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Db2 Database Administrator to administer, secure, tune, and support IBM Db2 for z/OS databases used for critical policy, claims, and financial processing. This role is responsible for physical database design review, performance management, backup and recovery, disaster recovery readiness, security, and ongoing administration of Db2 subsystems.

The ideal candidate brings deep production experience with IBM Db2 for z/OS and is comfortable working independently on complex database issues. This individual will partner closely with application development, data engineering, mainframe, warehouse, cloud, and other technology teams while also maintaining strong documentation and helping cross-train and mentor technical team members.

Responsibilities:

• Administer, secure, tune, and maintain IBM Db2 for z/OS databases
• Review and approve physical database designs, including tablespaces, partitioning, indexing, referential integrity, and compression
• Implement DDL and configuration changes through formal ITIL change management processes
• Maintain DDL, database object inventories, and standards under version control
• Manage Db2 subsystem parameters, buffer pool configurations, and storage allocation
• Monitor subsystem, thread, and application performance and establish performance baselines
• Analyze access paths using EXPLAIN and related tools and partner with development teams to improve inefficient SQL
• Schedule and tune Db2 utilities including REORG, RUNSTATS, COPY, MODIFY, and RECOVER
• Manage image copy strategy, active and archive logs, and point-in-time recovery procedures
• Execute and document database recovery testing and participate in disaster recovery exercises
• Maintain Db2 recovery runbooks and related technical documentation
• Administer Db2 authorization, roles, and RACF integration using least-privilege principles
• Support internal and external audit and regulatory data requests
• Support Db2-to-SQL Server data pipelines in partnership with Data Engineering
• Administer DDF/DRDA connectivity and distributed database access
• Plan and execute Db2 version and function-level upgrades and PTF maintenance
• Evaluate Db2 features and tools that can improve performance, availability, and operational efficiency
• Maintain runbooks, standards, and architecture documentation
• Cross-train backup administrators on critical database procedures
• Mentor mainframe developers and data engineers on Db2 design and SQL efficiency
• Provide backup administration support for Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Managed Instance as assigned
• Participate in DBA on-call rotations and scheduled off-hours maintenance windows

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, MIS, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 10 or more years of experience administering IBM Db2 for z/OS in a production environment
• Working knowledge of z/OS, JCL, TSO/ISPF, and RACF concepts
• Strong experience with Db2 utilities, including REORG, RUNSTATS, COPY, MODIFY, and RECOVER
• Experience with EXPLAIN and access path analysis
• Experience with buffer pool tuning, backup and recovery, and database logging
• Advanced SQL skills, including performance analysis and rewriting complex queries
• Experience working within formal change, incident, and problem management processes
• Ability to independently address complex technical issues with minimal supervision
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in production environments
• Precise technical communication skills
• Ability to prioritize competing demands and work effectively with minimal supervision
• Ability to handle confidential and regulated data appropriately
• Strong commitment to documentation, knowledge transfer, and cross-functional collaboration

Work Authorization & Employment Status Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor or assume responsibility for employment visas, including but not limited to H-1B, now or in the future. We also cannot accept C2C (Corp-to-Corp) or third-party candidates.

Benefits and Perks: