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Junior Cobol Programmer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Thrivent

Sr Engineer - COBOL

Minneapolis, MN · On-site

Encourages junior engineers to invest in learning as a part of their job Collaborating within the ... COBOL-based applications in enterprise environments * Experience working with mainframe ...

Jobsbridge

Cobol Developer

Huntington Beach, CA

$53 - $71.75/hr

May coach more junior technical staff. Works under general supervision with latitude for ... Qualifications COBOL, Customer Service, Data Architecture, DB2, Developer, Development, IMS ...

Thrivent Financial

Sr Engineer - COBOL

Minneapolis, MN · On-site

$104 - $141/hr

Encourages junior engineers to invest in learning as a part of their job **Collaborating within the ... and supporting COBOL-based applications in enterprise environments* Experience working with ...

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How much do junior cobol programmer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for junior cobol programmer in the United States is $26.96, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.35 and $33.17 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a junior Cobol programmer?

A Junior Cobol Programmer is an entry-level role focused on developing, maintaining, and troubleshooting COBOL-based applications. They work under senior developers to write and debug code, test applications, and ensure seamless integration with existing systems. This role is common in industries like banking, insurance, and government, where legacy COBOL systems are still in use. Strong analytical skills and attention to detail are essential for success in this position.

What typical responsibilities and challenges can a junior Cobol programmer expect in their daily work?

As a Junior Cobol Programmer, you can expect to spend much of your day developing, modifying, and testing code for mainframe-based business applications under the guidance of senior developers. You'll likely work closely with analysts and other programmers to troubleshoot issues, implement bug fixes, and assist with system upgrades or enhancements. A common challenge in this role is navigating large legacy codebases and understanding undocumented features, which requires patience and attention to detail. Working effectively within team structures and embracing feedback will help you build your skills and grow within the organization.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the junior Cobol programmer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Junior Cobol Programmer, you need a solid understanding of COBOL programming fundamentals, basic database concepts, and attention to detail, usually supported by a relevant degree or coursework in computer science or information technology. Familiarity with mainframe environments, version control systems, and exposure to tools like IBM z/OS or JCL is valuable, and some employers may favor candidates with COBOL-related certifications. Strong problem-solving abilities, eagerness to learn, and clear communication skills help distinguish candidates in this role. These skills ensure you can effectively maintain legacy systems, contribute to team projects, and quickly adapt to evolving business requirements.

Are Junior Cobol programmers still in demand?

Junior COBOL programmers are still in demand in industries such as banking and finance that rely on legacy mainframe systems. These roles often require knowledge of COBOL, mainframe environments, and sometimes additional skills like JCL or DB2. While new opportunities are limited, maintenance and modernization projects sustain ongoing demand for entry-level COBOL programmers.

How much do Junior Cobol Programmers make?

Junior Cobol Programmers typically earn between $50,000 and $70,000 annually, depending on location, experience, and industry. Entry-level roles may start lower, but with skills in mainframe environments and familiarity with legacy systems, salaries can increase with experience.
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Junior Cobol Programmer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Junior Cobol Programmer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 2% Part Time, 7% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 90% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $56,068 per year, or $27 per hour.

Sr Engineer - COBOL

Thrivent

Minneapolis, MN • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 3 days ago

Thrivent rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 20 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

As a Sr COBOL Software Engineer, you will be considered a technical expert in one or more phases of application and/or systems engineering. This role supports Thrivent's Annuity Policy Servicing & Maintenance (APSM) product area and focuses on the design, development, modernization, and support of business-critical annuity policy administration solutions. You will provide technical leadership for COBOL-based enterprise applications and mainframe technologies, partnering with product, engineering, and business stakeholders to deliver stable, scalable, and reliable servicing capabilities. The ideal candidate brings strong experience developing, enhancing, and supporting complex business processing systems, insurance policy administration platforms, and mission-critical production environments. Experience with DXC insurance platforms and products, including wmA, is highly desirable.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Designing Solutions
  • Apply technical knowledge to drive outcomes for customers
  • Ability to work and problem solve independently on initiatives that align to the broader software engineering strategy

Developing Software
  • Works independently and collaboratively with the team to develop core software solutions that deliver business outcomes
  • Consistently delivers software that meets or exceeds team expectations for stability, scalability, resilience, and maintainability
  • Design, develop, maintain, and support COBOL applications that enable annuity servicing, policy maintenance, and policy administration capabilities
  • Analyze business requirements, system behavior, and production issues to deliver reliable software solutions for complex policy administration processes
  • Support modernization efforts by helping integrate mainframe applications with APIs, data services, event-driven patterns, and other distributed technologies

Learning and Applying New Techniques
  • Shares new ideas and techniques with team; Encourages junior engineers to invest in learning as a part of their job

Collaborating within the Team
  • Participate in team's collaboration sessions to provide technical expertise to solve a problem/remove technical roadblock for the team
  • Participate in product planning and implementation. Helps team to understand and decompose work

Defining Engineering Standards and Patterns
  • Contribute to develop engineering practices, templates and frameworks in collaboration with the team

DevOps
  • Continuously assessing technology to build more stable, scalable, and resilient software; Use data to measure progress
  • Promote and expand on the use of the CI/CD pipeline to improve the deployment and build process
  • Participates in the team support rotation and provides expert knowledge on focus subsystems

Selecting & Managing Technology Vendors
  • Contribute to define the selection criteria for selecting the right technology vendors
  • Participate in proof of concept / technology along with the vendor

Coaching Engineers
  • Provide training, mentoring, technical guidance, and domain expertise to junior engineers to accelerate their growth and effectiveness
  • Provide technical expertise and help the team to solve technical/software issues
  • Provide domain expertise on software products in their area to junior engineers to help them learn/grow their skills and contribute as part of the team

Recruiting/Building Talent
  • Engage in the tech community to build the Thrivent technology brand and position as the employer of choice in the market
  • Participate in the interview process or be part of the panel to recruit the right talent to the team
  • Contribute to the recruitment to define the structure of the interview process to hire the right talent to the team.
  • Models Thrivent's leadership competencies - courage, collaboration, and commitment by demonstrating resiliency, working together to make the best decisions, and holding yourself and others accountable.
  • Supports and/or develops an environment in which Thrivent employees and colleagues are focused on continuous improvement, exceptional employee engagement, and an unwavering commitment to our clients. Shapes and/or supports a culture that represents the Thrivent purpose, promise and values, ensuring that Thrivent's trust and reputation remain strong with its clients.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:
Required:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or other technical field or equivalent work experience
  • 7+ years of experience in engineering environments, taking abstract concepts and ideas and formulating a detailed software engineering plan to deliver
  • 7+ years of experience developing and supporting COBOL-based applications in enterprise environments
  • Experience working with mainframe technologies including JCL, CICS, DB2, VSAM, and batch processing
  • Sound knowledge of industry standard Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) practices
  • Sound knowledge of version and revision control practices and procedures
  • Sound knowledge of systems design concepts that provide security and stability
  • Expertise in debugging code and/or complex log files for troubleshooting and analysis of product defects
  • Expert knowledge/experience with querying databases for complex data lookup/update
  • Perform code reviews with associate team members
  • Ability to analyze business requirements and translate them into technical solutions

Preferred:
  • Financial Services industry experience
  • Experience in the life insurance or annuity industry
  • Experience supporting policy administration systems
  • Experience with DXC insurance platforms, including wmA or related products
  • Knowledge of annuity contract servicing, payouts, policy maintenance, and policy administration operations
  • Experience working with hybrid mainframe and distributed architectures, including APIs, event-driven integration patterns, and cloud-enabled solutions.
  • Experience working in Agile and iterative software delivery environments

Pay Transparency
Thrivent's long-term growth depends on attracting, rewarding, and retaining people who are committed to helping others thrive with purpose. We accomplish this by offering a wide variety of market competitive compensation programs to attract, reward, and retain top talent. The applicable salary or hourly wage range for this full-time role is $104,063.00 - $140,793.00 per year, which factors in various geographic regions. The base pay actually offered will be determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to, location, relevant experience, skills, and knowledge, business needs, market demand, and other factors Thrivent deems important.
Thrivent is unique in our commitment to helping people to be wise with money and live balanced and generous lives. That extends to our benefits.
The following benefits may be offered: various bonuses (including, for example, annual or long-term incentives); medical, dental, and vision insurance; health savings account; flexible spending account; 401k; pension; life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance; supplemental protection insurance; 20 days of Paid Time Off each year; Sick and Safe Time; 10 paid company holidays; Volunteer Time Off; paid parental leave; EAP; well-being benefits, and other employee benefits. Eligibility for receipt of these benefits is subject to the applicable plan/policy documents. Thrivent's plans/policies are subject to change at any time at Thrivent's discretion.
Thrivent provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. This policy applies to all employees and job applicants.
Thrivent is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please let us know by sending an email to human.resources@thrivent.com or call 800-847-4836 and request Human Resources.

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