Senior Mainframe Developer

About the role

As a Senior Mainframe Engineer, you will make an impact by owning the end-to-end development, optimization, and operational stability of enterprise mainframe applications. You will be a valued member of the Mainframe Engineering team and work collaboratively with application teams, database administrators, and infrastructure stakeholders to ensure high performance, reliability, and modernization of critical systems.

In this role, you will:

• Own the full lifecycle of COBOL programs, JCL procedures, and CICS transactions, ensuring high-quality and maintainable code through peer reviews.
• Lead DB2 database design and administration, including schema design, SQL tuning, stored procedures, and data integrity across high-volume environments.
• Contribute to z/OS platform architecture and operations, including workload management (WLM), RACF security, and storage management (SMS/DFSMS).
• Drive performance tuning and optimization across applications, batch processes, CICS transactions, and DB2 access paths to meet SLA requirements.
• Act as L3 escalation support, diagnosing complex incidents such as system abends, DB2 deadlocks, and system-level issues using tools like IPCS.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to governance, best practices, and modernization initiatives, including integration with cloud and distributed systems.

Work model

We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this role’s business requirements, this is a hybrid position requiring 2–3 days per week in a client or Cognizant office. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance through our various wellbeing programs.

The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations.

What you need to have to be considered

• Strong hands-on experience (typically 6+ years) in COBOL and JCL development in enterprise environments
• Deep expertise in DB2, including SQL optimization, performance tuning, and database design
• Solid experience with CICS transaction processing and troubleshooting
• Proven knowledge of z/OS concepts, including WLM, RACF, and storage management (SMS)
• Experience in performance tuning across batch processing, database, and online systems
• Ability to troubleshoot complex production issues, including system dumps, abends, and deadlocks

These will help you stand out

• Experience with IMS DB or additional legacy data systems
• Exposure to IBM MQ or z/OS Connect EE for integration with distributed systems
• Familiarity with REST/JSON integration and API enablement for mainframe applications
• Experience using modern DevOps practices, including Git-based CI/CD pipelines for mainframe
• Knowledge of Unix System Services (USS) or modernization tooling such as Zowe CLI

Benefits:

Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements:

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance.
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off.
• 401(k) plan and contributions.
• Long-term/Short-term Disability.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Compensation

The annual salary for this position ranges from $100,000 to $117,000, depending on experience and qualifications. This role is also eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, subject to performance and applicable plan terms.

Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law

We’re excited to meet people who share our passion for technology and innovation and who can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don’t hesitate to apply, even if you meet most—but not all—of the requirements. We value transferable skills, diverse experiences, and fresh perspectives.

This position does not offer visa sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work without sponsorship now or in the future, including OPT, CPT, or any other work authorization requiring employer sponsorship.