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Mainframe Development Jobs in Maryland (NOW HIRING)

Sr. Mainframe Developer

Woodlawn, MD · On-site

$51 - $65.50/hr

Experience with Mainframe Assembler development. * Certification such as IBM Mainframe Developer Professional, Interskill - Mainframe Application Programmer - COBOL and IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS ...

Mainframe SRE

Kettering, MD · On-site

$48.50 - $62.50/hr

Collaborate with DevOps and development teams to extend CI/CD practices into mainframe pipelines * Document standard operating procedures, runbooks, and post-incident reviews * Participate in on-call ...

Mainframe CICS Systems Engineer

Baltimore, MD · On-site

$48.75 - $62.50/hr

ETS provides capabilities for all stages of Morgan Stanley's software development lifecycle ... The Mainframe CICS Systems Programmer/Engineer is responsible for all phases of CICS engineering ...

Mainframe Systems Engineer III

Hagerstown, MD · On-site

$171K - $203K/yr

The Mainframe Systems Engineer III candidate must have experience in one or more of the following ... in solution development, maintenance of templates, playbooks and automation used during ...

The Mainframe Systems Engineer III candidate must have experience in one or more of the following ... in solution development, maintenance of templates, playbooks and automation used during ...

This role requires someone at a senior level of mainframe DB2 support. The individual will work ... We invest over $3.6 billion each year in R&D to help organizations and society move confidently and ...

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Showing results 1-20

Mainframe Development information

See Maryland salary details

$28.4K

$90.4K

$143.5K

How much do mainframe development jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for mainframe development in Maryland is $90,368.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $71,267.00 and $111,635.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Mainframe Development vs Mainframe Testing?

AspectMainframe DevelopmentMainframe Testing
Primary FocusDesigning, coding, and maintaining mainframe applicationsVerifying and validating mainframe applications for bugs and performance
Required SkillsCOBOL, JCL, DB2, CICSTesting tools, scripting, debugging, knowledge of mainframe environments
Work EnvironmentDevelopment teams, coding in mainframe environmentsQuality assurance teams, testing labs, mainframe systems
CertificationsCOBOL certifications, IBM mainframe certificationsISTQB, mainframe testing certifications

While Mainframe Development involves creating and maintaining mainframe applications, Mainframe Testing focuses on ensuring those applications work correctly and efficiently. Both roles require knowledge of mainframe environments and related skills, but they serve different stages in the software lifecycle.

Is mainframe development a good career?

Mainframe development is a stable career with high demand in industries like finance and government that rely on legacy systems. It requires knowledge of languages such as COBOL and tools like JCL, and often offers competitive salaries and job security due to the specialized skills involved.

Is mainframe development still in demand?

Mainframe development remains in demand in industries such as finance, government, and healthcare that rely on legacy systems for critical operations. Skilled mainframe developers with knowledge of COBOL, JCL, and mainframe environments are sought after to maintain and modernize these systems, ensuring their continued relevance in enterprise IT infrastructure.

What does a mainframe developer do?

A mainframe developer designs, codes, tests, and maintains applications running on mainframe computers, often using languages like COBOL, PL/I, or Assembler. They work in environments that require high reliability and security, and typically collaborate with system administrators and analysts to ensure smooth operation of enterprise systems.
Infographic showing various Mainframe Development job openings in Maryland as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $90,368 per year, or $43.4 per hour.

Sr. Mainframe Developer

Woodlawn, MD • On-site

JS Consulting
Custom Software Development Services • 1 - 10 employees

$51 - $65.50/hr

Contractor

Re-posted 25 days ago


Job description

Job Title- Sr. Mainframe Developer

Project Location – Woodlawn, MD (5 days per week onsite)

Duration- 6+ months contract

Skills: Strong experience with IBM z/OS (OS/390/MVS) environment developing and maintaining JCL and COBOL, Dialog Manager, Endevor, z/OS, CLIS, JCL, and DB2 for application software systems.

Position Description:

  • Responsible for conforming to customer standards and requirements and will be involved in creating and maintaining code and database structures such as COBOL, Restructured Extended Executor (REXX), Job Control Language (JCL), CLIST, DB2, as well as numerous mainframe utility tools such as SYNCSORT, File-AID/Related Data XPERT (RDX), etc. Responsible for unit testing and validation against desired outcomes. The resource is expected to function as part of a team, maintain a high level of collaboration with SSA of customers, and must demonstrate excellent communication skills to ensure success.
  • Develop JCL and software code using customer defined standards and software engineering best practices
  • Evaluate impacts of database schema changes on existing software components
  • Investigate and repair application defects related to business logic, middleware, or database (DB2).
  • Design, develop, test, debug, and implement next-generation COBOL programs using software engineering, best practices and latest technologies
  • Create and update JCL for efficient batch processing
  • Evaluate the impact of new operating systems, or versions of COBOL and Endevor on programs.
  • Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors, offering technical advice and influencing key stakeholders to achieve strategic objectives and enhance Leidos business outcomes.
  • Investigate and repair application defects regardless of component: COBOL, business logic, CICS configurations, middleware, or database (PL/SQL and Data Modeling).
  • Brief management, customer, team, or vendors using written or oral skills at appropriate technical level for audience
  • All other duties as assigned or directed.?

Requirements  

  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering or a related field.
  • Masters or Doctorate degree may substitute for required experience
  • 10+ years of experience with Mainframe.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust. Contract requirement.

FACTORS TO HELP YOU SHINE (Required Skills)

These skills will help you succeed in this position:

  • Experience developing and maintaining COBOL applications including working with structures, copybooks, and CICS maps
  • Experience developing applications for use on IBM z/OS.
  • Experience debugging COBOL Programs, CLIST, PROC, COBOL error tracing, and using Visual Studio COBOL viewer.
  • Basic experience with CICS programs, including how COBOL programs interact with BMS maps that define to user interface.
  • Experience using Endevor with TADZ for reporting and analysis such as browsing, scanning elements, measuring usage statistics.
  • Working knowledge / experience with ISPF, TSO, JES, and Job Control Language (JCL).
  • Experience developing and modifying JCL for job execution and batch operations
  • Hands-on experience with batch and online processing.
  • Excellent communication and written skills
  • Experience with mainframe-based software configuration management systems such as Endevor.
  • Experience with Control-M or other mainframe-based job scheduling tools.
  • Detail oriented and committed to consistently completing repetitive production-like tasks on-time and error-free.
  • Ability to independently research problems and provide solutions.

HOW TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD (Desired Skills)

Showcase your knowledge of modern development through the following experience or skills:

  • Working knowledge of SAS and REXX.
  • Experience with Mainframe Assembler development.
  • Certification such as IBM Mainframe Developer Professional, Interskill - Mainframe Application Programmer - COBOL and IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS Programming
  • Solid knowledge of relational databases (PostgreSQL, DB2), and SQL
  • Experience with modern development software, tools, and methodologies.
  • Experience working on Agile projects and understanding Agile terminology.
  • Experience with DevOps and toolset (Git/Bitbucket, Docker, Jenkins, SonarQube)?

Education           

  • Bachelor's Degree with 7+ years of experience.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust. Contract requirement.

Respectfully,