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Introduction

We are seeking a skilled Java Back-end Developer to build and deliver robust software modules that facilitate seamless integration for modern web services hosted on our z/OS mainframe environment. This role is crucial for bridging traditional enterprise data with contemporary application needs, focusing on high performance, security, and observable systems.

Your role and responsibilities

• Software Module Delivery: Design, develop, test, and deploy Java-based backend integration modules that meet business requirements and technical specifications.

• API Development & Integration: Build and manage highly secure APIs for both internal consumption and integration with off-platform services, implementing modern authentication mechanisms such as JWT (JSON Web Tokens) and the Bearer Token scheme, utilizing JSON as the primary data interchange format.

• z/OS Application Server Management: Deploy and maintain web services within a WebSphere Application Server (WAS) Liberty profile environment on z/OS.

• Database Integration: Develop efficient data access layers to interact with foundational mainframe data sources, leveraging VSAM files and DB2 relational databases. This includes experience interfacing with data exposed via modern NoSQL approaches, such as key-based lookups or document-based storage patterns.

• Security Implementation: Implement strong authentication and authorization controls using Enterprise Security Managers (ESMs) such as RACF, ACF2, or TopSecret.

• Observability & Monitoring: Integrate monitoring and tracing capabilities into all services using OpenTelemetry standards to ensure system health and performance are fully observable.

• Collaboration: Work closely with front-end developers, mainframe systems programmers, and data engineers to ensure end-to-end functionality and reliability

• The ideal candidate would have a strong technical aptitude and a flair for picking up new skills

• The role provides ample opportunity for learning and career growth and is only constrained by the individual’s appetite for learning

Required education

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred education

Master's Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

• 8+ years of IT experience

• Java Expertise: Deep proficiency in Java back-end development, including experience with modern frameworks, best practices for building scalable enterprise applications, clean coding principles, and the ability to identify and resolve code smells through refactoring.

• API & Web Services: Extensive experience designing and implementing RESTful web services and working with APIs, including understanding secure API communication protocols, JWTs, Bearer token authentication flows (e.g., OAuth 2.0), and working with JSON data formats.

• z/OS Environment Knowledge: Familiarity with the z/OS operating system, JCL, and deploying applications within a mainframe context.

• Database Connectivity: Experience connecting to and manipulating data within mainframe data stores (VSAM, DB2, potentially IMS).

• Security Fundamentals: Strong grasp of application security principles, Security by Design methodologies, experience leveraging OWASP guidelines for secure coding practices, and hands-on experience integrating with ESMs like RACF for identity and access management.

• Application Servers: Practical experience administering or developing on IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) or specifically WAS Liberty profiles.

• Observability Tools: Experience implementing monitoring and tracing using OpenTelemetry or similar industry-standard tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, Jaeger).

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Regulatory Compliance: Preferred experience working with regulatory security and compliance frameworks and requirements (e.g., PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, SOX) in a development context.

• Data Modernization: Specific experience with solutions that expose non-relational mainframe data (like VSAM) as modern NoSQL, key-based, or JSON-accessible endpoints is a major plus.

• Mainframe Databases: Experience with other core mainframe databases such as IBM DB2 or IBM IMS.

• Modern DevOps Practices: Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, Git, and automated testing in a mainframe-adjacent environment.

• Scripting: Knowledge of REXX or Python for automation tasks within the z/OS environment