Information Technology Specialist II

The California Department of Technology is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Information Technology Specialist II (IT Spec II) to serve as a lead technical expert within the organization. This position provides advanced technical leadership, innovative problem solving, and strategic guidance for complex technology initiatives, and plays a critical role in designing, developing, and implementing technology solutions that advance the organization’s mission and deliver meaningful impact to constituents across California. About the Role Under the direction of the Enterprise Systems Services Information Technology Manager I (IT Mgr I), the IT Spec II will lead technical initiatives, provide expert leadership and mentorship, and proactively address hardware and software challenges. Architect & Deploy Architect, design, develop, and implement software or hardware that meets organizational enterprise architecture standards, ensuring security, reliability, and accessibility. Review software architecture and recommend technical and operational feasibility. Develop written procedures for system maintenance and installation. Ensure timely maintenance following the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Implement security solutions and technical artifacts across all IT systems and platforms. Lead and mentor team members, including training documentation and sessions. Advise management and customers on technical solutions and hardware procurements. Debug software issues using systematic methods. Resolve major system outages and develop work‑arounds at the software level. Generate advanced reports and detailed analyses. Systems Analysis & Oversight Analyze system reports, records, and documentation to identify issues, trends, risks, and opportunities. Plan, manage, coordinate, install, and maintain department‑wide mainframe and client/server software/hardware. Proactively resolve technology issues and conduct disaster recovery testing. Maintain regular communication with internal and external customers as a technical advisor. Lead technical advisory during audit reviews. Calculate sub‑capacity licensing using reporting tools. Conduct in‑depth analysis from system records and other tools. Review and analyze customer account charges and dynamic pricing inquiries related to usage spikes. Issue Diagnosis & Security Diagnose malfunctions and perform recovery/restoration of data, system software, and/or hardware. Monitor and assess security controls, documenting changes and conducting impact analyses. Review and analyze customer billing inquiries related to spikes or additional usage. Resource Optimization & Maintenance Review supported software for resource optimization. Develop automated processes for production environment checks. Review data for obsolescence and purging. Perform change management for product upgrades and resolutions. May require contact for service outages or emergencies. Must maintain consistent attendance and is expected to work outside normal hours as needed. Some work may be required on the CDT Computer Room floors. Travel may be required for troubleshooting, meetings, training, and conferences. Must pass a fingerprint background check completed by DOJ and FBI. Qualifications Knowledge of z/OS operating systems and related software. Knowledge of z/OS hardware. Familiarity with Windows desktop environments (MS Office, Teams, Citrix). Experience with zSystem components, workloads, and utilities (e.g., JES2/JES3, TSO, ISPF, JCL, CLIST, REXX, SMF, RACF, SMP/E). Understanding of zSystems concepts, workload types, and workflow. Software installation experience on zSystems platform. Ability to work with diverse technical, management, and vendor personnel. Teamwork experience. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Customer‑service orientation and effective communication to meet business needs. Session Manager, TSO, Passport application access to Mainframe. Linux on z and USS concepts. Ability to work independently in a remote setting. Punctuality and reliable attendance. Strong organizational and prioritization skills. Analytical, debugging, and problem‑solving skills. Leadership skills; ability to train and mentor. In‑depth analysis skills. Preferred Knowledge – Enterprise Systems Services Design and support of zSystems capacity planning, RACF administration, and output management. SMF data management and reporting. Performance and capacity planning for zSystems. RACF administration and support. Output management or administration of third‑party software. New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification. State employees are subject to transfer salary rules of up to a one‑step (5%) increase or the minimum of the classification, whichever is higher. #J-18808-Ljbffr California Department of Technology