Sr. z/OS Connect Specialist

Job Title: z/OS Connect Specialist
Location: Remote
Duration: 6-12 months Contract (with possible extension)

Key Responsibilities

• Install, configure, customize, upgrade, and maintain IBM z/OS Connect environments.
• Perform end-to-end administration of z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition, including runtime setup, server configuration, API/service deployment, security configuration, and operational support.
• Configure and manage z/OS Connect server.xml, started tasks, runtime libraries, configuration files, and related system components.
• Support API provider and API requester configurations within z/OS Connect.
• Create, deploy, validate, and troubleshoot REST API services using JSON, OpenAPI/Swagger definitions, and service archives.
• Configure and support backend integration with:
• Batch or REST-enabled mainframe services
• Administer and troubleshoot WebSphere Liberty profile components used by z/OS Connect.
• Configure and manage security for z/OS Connect environments, including:
• / SAF authentication and authorization
• TLS / SSL certificates
• Keyrings and keystores
• User and group access controls
• API-level security policies
• Support certificate management, secure communication, network connectivity, and port configuration.
• Troubleshoot z/OS Connect startup issues, API invocation failures, backend connectivity problems, security failures, response delays, and runtime errors.
• Analyze logs, traces, dumps, Liberty messages, z/OS Connect diagnostics, and system logs to resolve technical issues.
• Support performance monitoring, tuning, and capacity review for z/OS Connect API workloads.
• Work with application teams to expose existing mainframe transactions and data as secure APIs.
• Collaborate with architecture, security, network, middleware, and application teams to support API modernization requirements.
• Manage incident, problem, change, release, and service request activities as per ITIL processes.
• Support production deployments, planned maintenance, DR activities, upgrades, patching, and audit/compliance requirements.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, including installation guides, configuration documents, runbooks, troubleshooting guides, and operational procedures.
• Recommend modernization, automation, and continuous improvement opportunities related to mainframe API enablement.

Required Technical and Professional Expertise:

• 8+ years of experience with IBM z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition
• Proven expertise in installation, customization, configuration, and support of z/OS Connect environments
• Deep understanding of: z/OS Connect server configuration and runtime components,API provider/requester configuration
• REST API enablement, JSON processing, and OpenAPI/Swagger definitions
• Policy management and service archive deployment
• Strong experience integrating z/OS Connect with CICS, IMS, Db2, and MQ
• Expertise in troubleshooting API-related issues including performance, connectivity, and authentication failures
• Strong z/OS System Programming / Administration experience, including SMP/E, JCL, JES2, TSO/ISPF, USS, RACF, TCP/IP, and SDSF
• Experience managing system datasets, libraries, and configuration components
• Strong knowledge of WebSphere Liberty profile on z/OS, including JVM and deployment configuration
• Hands-on experience with RACF/SAF security, TLS/SSL, and certificate management
• Strong understanding of enterprise production support processes (incident, problem, change, release management)

Preferred Technical and Professional Experience:

• Experience with mainframe API modernization initiatives and hybrid cloud integration
• Exposure to enterprise integration patterns and microservices architecture
• Experience working in large-scale, global delivery or managed services environments
• Domain experience in Banking, Financial Services, Insurance (BFSI), Retail, or Healthcare
• Familiarity with automation tools and DevOps practices in mainframe environments

Experience with performance monitoring and tuning for API workloads and z/OS system