Principal Mainframe Architect

Overview

Principal Mainframe Architect is a senior leadership role responsible for the enterprise mainframe architecture vision, standards, and long-term roadmap to modernize mission-critical platforms.

What you’ll do

• Own and drive the enterprise mainframe architecture vision, strategy, and roadmap aligned with business goals.
• Lead and govern application modernization initiatives such as re-hosting, re-platforming, refactoring, and re-architecting.
• Act as highest-level technical authority for IBM z/OS and mainframe-centered solutions.
• Define and enforce architecture standards, reference architectures, and best practices across mainframe platforms.
• Provide oversight for capacity planning, performance, scalability, resilience, and cost optimization.
• Ensure architecture compliance with security, regulatory, audit, and risk management requirements.
• Serve as escalation authority for critical production and systemic issues.

What you’ll need

• 15+ years of IT experience.
• 10+ years in large-scale mainframe environments.
• Expert-level IBM Mainframe architecture knowledge including z Systems, z/OS, Sysplex, and GDPS.
• Experience with CICS, IMS, DB2, MQ, VSAM, and high-volume transaction systems.
• Background in mainframe application architecture using COBOL, PL/I, Assembler, and JCL.
• Knowledge of mainframe security (RACF/ACF2/Top Secret) and compliance frameworks.
• Experience integrating mainframe workloads with distributed systems, APIs, and cloud platforms (Mainframe → AWS/Azure/GCP).