Mainframe Monitoring Specialist

Company Overview

At 4A Consulting, we turn complexity into opportunity. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Baltimore, MD, we are a women-owned, boutique consulting firm specializing in delivering innovative, data-driven solutions to both the Federal Government and Fortune 500 clients. Our team blends deep industry knowledge with advanced technologies to design tailored strategies that drive measurable and sustainable outcomes. We pride ourselves on an agile, collaborative approach that helps organizations navigate challenges and seize emerging opportunities in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. At 4A, we don’t just deliver projects, we build trusted partnerships that empower our clients to lead with confidence in the digital age.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Mainframe Monitoring Specialistto provide overnight monitoring, problem determination, maintenance support, and technical troubleshooting for enterprise mainframe environments supporting a large federal agency. The role is responsible for maintaining high system availability, responding to hardware and software incidents, coordinating maintenance activities, and working with internal teams, vendors, and facilities personnel to resolve issues quickly and minimize operational disruption.

Schedule:Saturday–Wednesday, 12:00 AM–8:00 AM
Location:Onsite – Urbana, MD
Environment:24x7 Federal Mainframe Operations

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor enterprise mainframe systems and associated hardware, storage, network, and peripheral devices.
• Diagnose and resolve complex z/OS, hardware, software, storage, and network issues in real time.
• Analyze COMM dumps, stand-alone dumps, JES3 dumps, LOGREC, OPSLOG, RMF, and SYSLOG to determine root cause.
• Perform and support IMLs, IPLs, system resets, maintenance, and recovery activities.
• Coordinate with software teams, vendors, facilities, and internal support groups to resolve incidents and system issues.
• Document and track incidents, problems, and changes using ServiceNow (SNOW) and applicable vendor systems.
• Provide timely status updates to management regarding incidents, outages, maintenance, and resolution activities.
• Plan and coordinate preventive maintenance, remedial service, software testing, and multi-vendor activities.
• Support equipment installation, removal, cabling, hardware placement, and data center changes.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, procedures, diagrams, floor plans, work orders, and installation plans.
• Coordinate secure vendor access and data center activities with facilities and security personnel.
• Train and provide technical guidance to other IT specialists.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience supporting large-scale enterprise mainframe environments and associated hardware/peripherals.
• Strong knowledge of z/OS MVS, JES3, MIM, Top Secret, and mainframe storage technologies.
• Experience analyzing system dumps, logs, and performance data.
• Strong troubleshooting skills across mainframe hardware, software, storage, and network environments.
• Experience with ServiceNow or comparable ITSM platforms.
• Ability to troubleshoot and make decisions effectively in a 24x7, time-critical production environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to develop technical documentation, diagrams, reports, and procedures.
• Ability to work onsite in Urbana, MD, on a fixed Saturday–Wednesday, 12:00 AM–8:00 AM schedule, including holidays and during inclement weather when required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with FICON directors, coupling facilities, DASD, virtual tape, and mainframe cloud storage.
• Experience with CAD tools for data center/facility planning.
• Knowledge of ITSM/ITIL practices.
• Experience coordinating large-scale maintenance and multi-vendor operations.
• Experience supporting open systems, servers, storage, and network infrastructure.
• Experience developing technical installation plans, facility work orders, and specialized reports.

Why Join 4A 

• Be part of a mission-driven, women-owned consulting firm with a reputation for excellence.
• Work on high-impact projects across federal and commercial clients.
• Collaborate in an inclusive, growth-oriented culture where innovation is valued.
• Access career development programs, mentorship, and learning opportunities.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, flexible work options, and a focus on work-life balance.

Equal Opportunity Statement

4A Consulting is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an inclusive hiring process. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation due to a disability may contact . This email is intended solely for accommodation requests.

Please note that 4A Consulting participates in the federal E-Verify program. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the US. 4A Consulting will only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.