Systems Operations Engineer

Senior Systems Operations Engineer (Mainframe Production Support)

We are not accepting C2C or 1099 arrangements.


Location: Chandler, AZ (preferred); Des Moines, IA (secondary)
Schedule: Flexible 8-hour shift between 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM PST
Employment Type: Contract-to-hire (no sponsorship available)

About the Role

We are seeking experienced Senior Systems Operations Engineers to support mission-critical mainframe applications in a highly specialized production environment. In this role, you will ensure the reliability, stability, and performance of core systems while collaborating with global teams in a follow-the-sun support model.

This position requires deep expertise in mainframe technologies and hands-on experience in production application support.

What You'll Do

• Provide Level 2/Level 3 production support for critical applications (Automated Credit, Rewards, Credit Card Hub)
• Monitor system health and ensure high availability and performance of mainframe environments
• Analyze and troubleshoot failed batch jobs (JCL) and system issues
• Perform root cause analysis and lead issue resolution for complex production incidents
• Partner with Production Control teams to restart and recover failed processes
• Execute and support ad hoc job runs and business-critical requests
• Document incidents, resolutions, and follow-up actions in tools like ServiceNow and JIRA
• Maintain knowledge base and contribute to continuous improvement practices
• Collaborate with offshore teams to ensure seamless 24/7 operational coverage
• Engage with application teams and business stakeholders to resolve issues efficiently

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Systems Engineering, Technology Architecture , or related field
• Hands-on experience in mainframe application production support
• Experience troubleshooting in a high-volume, production-critical environment
• Strong understanding of system operations, incident management, and production workflows

Preferred Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience supporting mainframe systems
• Experience working in a global, distributed support model
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to manage ambiguous or complex issues
• Proven ability to collaborate across technical and business teams

Technical Skills

Required:

• Mainframe technologies: JCL, COBOL, CICS, DB2
• Scheduling and system tools: CA7, IDCAMS, Mainview
• File management tools: File Manager, File Analyzer, EZTRIEVE
• Ticketing and documentation tools: ServiceNow, JIRA, Confluence (or equivalent)

Nice to Have:

• Monitoring tools (e.g., Dynatrace)
• Messaging systems (e.g., MQ)

Team & Work Environment

• Team consists of U.S.-based engineers and offshore (India) support staff
• Operates in a follow-the-sun model with 12-hour handoffs
• U.S. team supports daytime operations; offshore team covers overnight
• Requires strong communication and coordination across time zones

Additional Information

• This is a specialized mainframe-focused role , not a general platform support position
• Candidates should be proactive, adaptable, and detail-oriented
• Opportunity for full-time conversion based on performance