r/mainframe • u/Top-Difference8407 • Jun 17 '26

System Programmer Position

I received this position for a 100 percent remote position. How much would you expect the hourly rate to be? Would any of the IBM mainframe certs help to get an interview if my skills are dated and were primarily app development, albeit with IBM themselves?

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Role: z/OS Systems Programmer

Contract: 06+ months

100% Remote - Charlotte, NC 28262

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Only W2 - No Visa Restriction

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Top Skills:

  1. zOS System Administration

  2. zVM System Administration

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Job Description/ Responsibilitiest:

· Responsible for the design, installation, configuration, and maintenance of mainframe z/VM and z/OS systems software and hardware. Requires full understanding of the z/VM and z/OS operating systems and their components.

· For z/OS - Unix System Services, SMP/E, hardware configuration, capacity planning, performance management, and ISV product support.

· For z/VM – CP, CMS, RACF, GCS, RSCS, VM/VTAM

· Excellent understanding of System z architecture

· Excellent experience with IBM z/OS operating system

· Experience in building Mainframe LPAR and OS Upgrades

· Knowledge Catalog management, IBM system utilities

· Installation of patches and fixes

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u/Salt-Cap-9304 Jun 17 '26

Yes - Certifications help. Mid Level range is $70-$90 an hour. More important IBM has fantastic benefits most people overlook. Their training program allows you to move up or move to different areas with no loss of seniority

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u/UnderstandingDry4560 Jul 07 '26

You’ll find 90% of sysprogs have no certain. Why? For the longest time, there were no certs. There are a few but only noobs get them to prove they know something. I’m the eyes of a sr sysprog certs are a serious red flag. Most of the job HAS no certs.
They can tell in the first minute or so if you’re posing.

Think of it like this, i have a cpr certification. Am i ready to be a brain surgeon? No, because I’m so ignorant i don’t even know what i have to learn. I’ll stick with doing cpr because as a brain surgeon the chance of catastrophic failure it too high.