The CICS Systems Programmer is responsible for installation, configuration, support, and maintenance of CICS environments on the z/OS platform. This role ensures stability, performance, and availability of CICS applications while supporting system upgrades, automation, and troubleshooting across enterprise environments.

Basic requirements for all CICS System Programmer Positions:

  • 10+ years System programming experience including general z/OS skills with TSO, JCL, started tasks, RACF and similar core system programming skills.
  • 5+ years CICS system programming experience including upgrade and RSU of the CICS product and related ISV products.
  • Demonstrated knowledge and proficiency in the use of TSO and ISPF.
  • Demonstrated basic knowledge of z/OS, basic operations console operations and commands.
  • Practical understanding of SMPE and how to use it.
  • Demonstrated understanding of JCL and ability to create and modify JCL jobstreams.
  • Demonstrated understanding of z/OS dataset configurations and the ability to properly allocate various dataset configurations.
  • Experience working with Vendors to create and manage support tickets including describing the issues, gathering, packaging and uploading documentation and follow up as needed.
  • Experience working with all types of z/OS files types and file systems - Including PDS/PDSE and VSAM.
  • Experience with zFS including allocation and related Unix commands to manage the space.
  • Experience working with ITSM processes including Incidents, Change and related processes.
  • Experience creating and updating application resource definitions.
  • Familiarity with Configuration Manager a plus.
  • Experience assisting applications with CICS applications including troubleshooting stability issues, coaching on best practices and resource definition assistance.
  • Ability to work independently.
  • Interprets policies and applies experience.
  • Quickly come up to speed on Customer operations and application mix.
  • Ability to work as a team player in both a partner role and mentor as appropriate.
  • Ability to work with various monitoring and metric tools to evaluate the health of the system and identify problems or potential problems including BMC/AMI Mainview, Splunk and MXG.
  • Expectation of being on call to support 24x7 operations as part of a scheduled rotation.
  • Experience with Java and JVM Administration on z/OS and/or CICS a plus.

Additional Basic requirements for a Grade 28 CICS System Programmer:

  • Experience with CICS product upgrades, including working through the HOLD DATA, Authoring, and executing the process including all required scheduling and paperwork.
  • Ability to mentor new hires on CICS and specifically how Customer runs CICS.
  • Ability to lead the PLM efforts for CICS and related ISV products including documenting and executing the process, doing enhancements to simplify and automate as appropriate.
  • Experience with Java on z/OS a major plus.
  • Ability to design and document complex processes for product installation, with a goal to automate the process as much as possible.

Additional Basic requirements for a Grade 29 Principal CICS System Programmer:

  • Ability to read and write COBOL programs.
  • Familiarity with zOSMF automation flows and willingness to support and create them.
  • Experience with CPSM Routing planning, design and definitions.
  • Experience troubleshooting stability issues with applications and making recommendations that are actionable to address the issues.
  • Experience with CPSM internals and how to influence them during region startup to delay routing until the region is fully started up.
  • Experience with setting thresholds and reporting in BMC/AMI (Mainview) for CICS.
  • Familiarity with CICS Liberty configuration and setup.
  • Experience with JVMs would be highly desired.
  • Experience working with application teams to do design reviews and best practice coaching.
  • Experience reviewing stability issues and working with application teams by suggesting solutions to address them.
  • Inventory and documenting team processes and procedures.
  • Reviewing Help Desk knowledge for better routing of tickets the first time.
  • Familiarity with Endevor Source Code management.
  • Familiarity with GitHub desired.

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