Database Administrator - IMS/Mainframe

Description

Role Overview We are looking for an experienced Senior Mainframe DBA having atleast 7+ years of experience to join our team, providing round-the-clock (24x7x365) database administration and operational support for enterprise Mainframe database environments.

The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in troubleshooting, performance tuning, and database operations of Mainframe on on-premise environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide 24x7 production support for Mainframe databases (such as DB2 for z/OS, IMS, VSAM, or IDMS). by participating in rotational shifts and on-call duties.
• Administer, monitor, and maintain Mainframe databases in production and non-production environments.
• Implement and manage backup, recovery, tuning, high availability and DR (Disaster Recovery) strategies.
• Perform routine health checks, proactively identify performance bottlenecks, and optimize queries and database configurations.
• Automate routine operations and reporting using Mainframe utilities, scripting languages, or job scheduling tools (JCL, REXX, Python, Shell, etc.).
• Manage database security, user permissions, and compliance with organizational policies.
• Coordinate and execute database patching, upgrades, and migrations with minimal downtime.
• Collaborate with application and infrastructure teams to support deployment activities and resolve databaserelated issues.
• Monitor and resolve incidents, including root cause analysis and documentation of resolutions.
• Automate routine operational tasks using scripts or management tools. Maintain accurate documentation of database procedures, configurations, and support processes for internal knowledge sharing.

Required Skills And Experience

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 7+ years of hands-on experience as a DBA managing Mainframe database environments(e.g., IBM DB2 for z/OS, IMS, VSAM, IDMS. etc)
• In-depth knowledge of Maintenance DB architecture, scaling, global distribution, partitioning, consistency models, and throughput management.
• Strong scripting and database troubleshooting skills.
• Proactively analyze and optimize database performancetuning queries, indexes, and configurations.
• Enforce security best practices, including authentication, access control, data encryption, and compliance monitoring
• Proficiency with Mainframe utilities, JCL, scripting (REXX, Python, or other), and automation tools.
• Support cloud database deployments, migrations, and upgrades within Azure and GCP environments,
• Automate and optimize routine operational tasks using scripting (Python, shell scripting, IaC etc) and Azure automation tools.
• Deep knowledge of high availability (HA), replication, backup/recovery, and failover strategies for Mainframe.
• Experience with database monitoring tools - Dynatrace, Azure Monitor, Nagios etc and automation frameworks such as Ansible and Terraform .
• Solid understanding of database security best practices.
• Proven experience with patching, upgrading, and migrating databases.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operations setting.
• Ability to support DB audit requirements and license management. Excellent communication and documentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications in Mainframe DBA
• Experience supporting modernization or migration projects (Mainframe to distributed/cloud platforms).
• Exposure to cloud-based database services (Azure, GCP etc).
• Experience with automation tools (e.g., PowerShell, Ansible, Terraform, Shell scripting). Exposure to additional Mainframe technologies (IMS, CICS, VSAM, etc.).

(ref:hirist.tech)