Senior Mainframe Developer / COBOL Senior Consultant

Location: Trenton, NJ (Onsite)

Duration : Contract

Interview Type: In person

Job Summary

Candidates should have strong background in Cobol, ADABAS, and Natural. strong in JCL as well.

Job Description

We are looking for a Senior Mainframe Developer / COBOL Senior Consultant to evaluate existing systems and user needs in order to analyze, design, recommend, and implement information system changes. This position will be a full-time contract role and is onsite in Trenton, NJ.

What You’ll Do

Participate in development efforts supporting the project involving multiple legacy mainframe applications

Analyze existing legacy systems and provide code walkthroughs, logic analysis, and technical documentation to ITS development teams

Design, develop, modify, test, and maintain COBOL and NATURAL programs, along with associated JCL jobs, based on functional specifications and enhancement requests

Perform ongoing maintenance and enhancements to batch and online mainframe applications

Troubleshoot and resolve production issues, job failures, and system abends, including root cause analysis and corrective actions

Analyze ADABAS database structures, files, and access methods to support application development and system integration

Develop and maintain data feeds, file layouts, and interface processes between legacy systems and modernized ITS components

Participate in system design reviews, technical planning sessions, and code reviews

Produce and maintain technical documentation, including program specifications, data definitions, job flows, and system architecture documentation

Support system testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing UAT

Implement best practices for mainframe development, including coding standards, version control, and change management

Assist with performance tuning and optimization of batch jobs, database access, and program execution

Provide production support for mission‑critical applications and collaborate closely with analysts, architects, and development teams

What You’ll Need

Required:

Advanced experience with COBOL programming in enterprise mainframe environments

Strong expertise in JCL development and job scheduling

Extensive experience with NATURAL programming

Working knowledge of ADABAS database architecture and file structures

Experience analyzing and maintaining large legacy mainframe codebases

Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills for batch and online applications

Experience with system integration, data interfaces, and file transfer processes

Proficiency with mainframe utilities, debugging tools, and job monitoring tools

Strong documentation and communication skills

Ability to work independently while coordinating with multiple technical teams

Preferred:

Experience supporting taxation or government revenue systems

Familiarity with CICS and online transaction processing environments

Experience with data migration or modernization projects involving legacy mainframe applications

Knowledge of mainframe security, scheduling systems, and source code management tools

Experience working within large‑scale enterprise or government IT environments

Physical Demands

Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA and other federal, state, and local standards

Sedentary work that involves sitting or remaining stationary most of the time with occasional need to move around the office to attend meetings

Ability to conduct repetitive tasks on a computer, utilizing a mouse, keyboard, and monitor

Flexible work from home options available.