Senior Mainframe IMS Database Administrator

Position Summary

The Database Administrator creates, maintains, designs, monitors and troubleshoots client databases. They use specific database management utilities, develop and implement database recovery mechanisms and procedures, and coordinate security measures to safeguard database integrity.

Key Areas of Focus for this Role

• The successful candidate will perform mainframe database software upgrades coupled with administration and tuning to support our customers’ IMS environments.
• The individual will need to work with vendor personnel to achieve timely solutions of database problems.
• The individual will be responsible for day-to-day database maintenance such as creating backups, performing restores, monitoring file extent growth, scheduling reorganizations, creating and maintaining DR procedures and overall support of customer needs and requests.
• The successful candidate will be called upon to perform a variety of database optimizations that will include general reporting and analysis of the efficiency of the database configuration and periodic review of database performance.
• Expertise and work efforts will focus on the development and support and/or the customization of new services and support efforts.
• System programming knowledge of multiple DBMS’s is a bonus.
• The individual will need to participate in on-call responsibilities.

What the Ideal Candidate Brings to this Role :

Required Qualifications help to assure new Associates are set up for success in their role with Ensono. To be considered for this career opportunity, it is important that you meet all Required Qualifications. Candidates that may meet some, but not all, Other Qualifications are still encouraged to apply.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required and/or equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of professional experience in IMS for administration and systems programming support.  CA and IBM tools for IMS a plus
• Extensive experience with the following:
  • Know ledged in best practices of software management, maintenance and documentation
  • Configure and manage IMS in a parallel sysplex environment
  • Develop innovation, strategies, processes and  best practices in IMS systems programming
  • Establishing policies and procedures pertaining to database management, DR, security, maintenance and utilization
  • Reviewing new versions of IMS for functionality, advising how they benefit the client
  • Evaluating change requests and determine impact to assigned clients
  • Vendor consultations for problems and questions
  • DR recovery of application objects
  • Troubleshooting and solving production database issues
  • Demonstrated ability to respond quickly and effectively to support requests from multiple clients
  • Supporting multiple customer for after hours on-call
  • Database Administration
    • Knowledge of IMS database organization using access methods of VSAM and OSAM
    • Full function database organization types
    • HSAM, HISAM, SHISAM, HDAM, HIDAM, INDEX, GSAM
    • Definition and use of LOGICAL databases
    • HALDB (partitioned):  PHDAM, PHIDAM, ILDS, PSINDEX, etc.
    • Fast Path databases (DEDBs)
• Database Design and related utilities
  • DBD source coding and DBDGEN
  • PSBGEN source coding and PSBGEN
  • How databases are processed using secondary indexes (PROCSEQ=)
  • Correct usage of PROCOPT= to minimize database locking
  • ACBGEN
  • Online Change
  • IMS commands related to ACB and FORMAT changes
• Coding and usage of IMS reorganization utilities (including IBM, BMC, CA)
  • Unload
  • Prefix resolution
  • Reload
  • Prefix update
  • Secondary index build
  • Image copy
  • Pointer checker
• Support planned (disaster recovery) and unplanned (emergency) database recovery activities
  • Knowledge of log archive and change accumulation utilities
  • How to perform a log archive on demand                   
  • Knowledge of IMS DB recovery utility
  • How to use DBRC to generate JCL for forward recovery and point-in-time database recovery.
• Database monitoring 
  • Space management
  • Database dataset space reporting for proactive outage avoidance.
  • How to immediately fix an out of space condition for a VSAM database dataset
• Identification and resolution of performance issues 
  • Online tracing - Usage of IMS TRACE commands and associated utilities for spot monitoring of online program/transaction activity
  • Extracting information from IMS logs using DFSERA10 and related utilities DFSUTR20 and DFSUTR30
  • Use of DFSDDLT0 utility to access data
  • Program/transaction monitoring – Familiarity with usage of IBM’s IMS performance Analyzer product is a plus
  • Using DBRC to monitor database activity

Why Ensono?

Ensono is a place to make better happen – for our clients and for your career. You can do great things through innovation or collaboration, by learning or volunteering, or to promote diversity and inclusion. You can do great things for your own health or for a healthier planet. Whatever it means to you to do great things we want Ensono to be the place you can do it. 

We are a client-facing business, but we do encourage clients to allow us to work remotely most of the time so if you are not required to be on a client site, you can choose to work from home or in our Ensono offices.

Some of our benefits include:

• Unlimited Paid Days Off
• Three health plan options through Blue Cross Blue Shield
• 401k with company match
• Eligibility for dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life and AD&D coverage, and flexible spending accounts
• Paid Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave, and Sabbatical Leave
• Education Reimbursement, Student Loan Assistance or 529 College Funding
• Enhanced fertility coverage
• Wellness program
• Flexible work schedule
• Depending on location, ability to take advantage of fitness centers

As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this role is $95,000 to $148,000 annually based on a full-time schedule. Please note that placement in the range may vary based on numerous factors including but not limited to skills, experience, internal equity, and business needs. In addition to base salary, other compensation programs, depending on eligibility, include an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, and an equity grant under our Associate Equity Appreciation Program.

Ensono is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment to our Associates and building a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.

Pay transparency nondiscrimination statement/posting OFCCP’s pay transparency policy can be found on OFCCP’s website.

If you need accommodation at any point during the application or interview process, please let your recruiter know or email [email protected].