Mainframe Developer

L2 Support Engineer IBM Mainframe

Experience

2-4 years in IBM Mainframe support or operations

Qualification

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, or related field

Role Summary

The L2 Support Engineer is responsible for providing advanced technical support for HCL Software's IBM Mainframe product portfolio primarily IBM Personal Communications (PCOMM), IBM HATS, IBM Host on Demand (HOD), and IBM CICS. Working between L1 (first response) and L3 (development/architecture), the engineer independently diagnoses complex incidents, drives root cause analysis, and ensures timely resolution within agreed SLAs. The role demands deep hands-on knowledge of z/OS environments, Mainframe connectivity products, and customer-facing communication skills.

Key Responsibilities

Incident Management & Technical Resolution

• Own and resolve L2 incidents related to IBM Mainframe products (PCOMM, HATS, HOD, CICS) within defined SLA targets.
• Perform in-depth diagnosis of job failures, session connectivity issues, application errors, and performance degradation on z/OS and related platforms.
• Analyse JCL, job dumps, and trace files to isolate root cause and implement fixes or workarounds.
• Reproduce customer issues in lab/test environments to validate fixes before deployment.
• Escalate unresolved issues to L3 engineering or IBM support with comprehensive problem documentation, traces, and RCA data.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Communicate clearly with customers and managed services teams, providing regular updates on incident status and resolution timelines.
• Conduct post-incident reviews and deliver Root Cause Analysis (RCA) reports within committed timelines.
• Participate in weekly governance and review calls, representing support operations to the customer.

Knowledge Management & Enablement

• Author and maintain knowledge-base articles, runbooks, and troubleshooting procedures.
• Deliver knowledge transfer sessions to L1 support agents and customer administrators.
• Develop pre-emptive data-collection templates and checklists to accelerate incident diagnosis.

On-Call & Shift Coverage

• Participate in an on-call rotation for after-hours and weekend support coverage.
• Operate in shift-based model ensuring 247 coverage for critical customer environments.

Required Technical Skills

IBM Mainframe Platform

• Hands-on experience with IBM z/OS system commands, operator console, IPL procedures.
• Proficiency with TSO/ISPF, SDSF, and standard Mainframe utilities.

JCL, Languages & Databases

• Strong command of JCL (Job Control Language)
• Working knowledge of COBOL — ability to read and trace program logic for diagnostic purposes.
• SQL and DB2 — querying tables, basic performance troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with REXX or CLIST scripting for automation and operational utilities.

IBM Mainframe Connectivity Products:

• IBM Personal Communications (PCOMM)
• IBM HATS (Host Access Transformation Services)
• IBM Host on Demand (HOD)
• IBM CICS (Customer Information Control System)

Support Operations

• Experience with ITSM platforms (ServiceNow, JIRA Service Management, or equivalent) for incident, problem, and change management.
• Understanding of ITIL framework — incident, problem, change, and knowledge management processes.
• Ability to write clear, structured RCA documents and technical communications for non-technical audiences.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
• 2 – 4 years of hands-on experience in IBM Mainframe technical support, operations, or administration.
• Demonstrated experience triaging and resolving complex incidents in production Mainframe environments.

Core Competencies

• Analytical thinking — ability to break down complex issues and identify root causes systematically.
• Customer focus — clear, empathetic communication with stakeholders under pressure.
• Ownership — takes accountability for issues end-to-end until resolution.
• Collaboration — works effectively across L1, L3, development, and customer teams.
• Continuous improvement — proactively identifies patterns and drives permanent fixes.