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Mainframe Monitoring Jobs (NOW HIRING)

HELP DESK

Washington, DC

$23.25 - $31.75/hr

At least Two years' experience in desktop/laptop troubleshooting and Mainframe monitoring or operations support. 3.Excellent written and oral communications are required as this position will ...

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Mainframe Monitoring information

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$10

$53

$72

How much do mainframe monitoring jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for mainframe monitoring in the United States is $53.38, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $47.12 and $60.58 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is mainframe monitoring?

Mainframe monitoring refers to the process of continuously observing and analyzing the performance, availability, and health of mainframe computer systems. This involves tracking various system metrics, such as CPU usage, memory utilization, job processing, and network connectivity, to ensure optimal operation and detect potential issues before they impact business operations. Monitoring tools help IT teams quickly identify and resolve problems, maintain system uptime, and support capacity planning for future needs.

What are some common challenges faced in a mainframe monitoring role and how can they be managed?

Mainframe Monitoring professionals often face challenges such as quickly identifying and resolving system bottlenecks, maintaining uptime during peak usage, and responding to unexpected incidents. These challenges require strong analytical skills, familiarity with monitoring tools, and effective communication with infrastructure and application teams. Regular training, proactive performance tuning, and establishing clear escalation procedures can help address these issues and ensure smooth mainframe operations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a mainframe monitoring specialist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Mainframe Monitoring Specialist, you need a solid understanding of mainframe systems (such as IBM z/OS), incident response, and system performance metrics, often supported by experience or certifications in mainframe operations. Familiarity with monitoring tools like IBM OMEGAMON, CA SYSVIEW, or Tivoli, as well as ticketing systems, is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for promptly identifying and resolving issues. These skills ensure system reliability, minimize downtime, and maintain seamless business operations dependent on mainframe environments.

What is the difference between Mainframe Monitoring vs Mainframe Support?

AspectMainframe MonitoringMainframe Support
Primary FocusReal-time system performance and health monitoringIssue resolution and troubleshooting
Skills & CertificationsMonitoring tools, basic scripting, system knowledgeMainframe systems, JCL, troubleshooting skills
Work EnvironmentMonitoring dashboards, automated alertsHelp desks, troubleshooting sessions
Industry UsageIT operations, system administrationSupport teams, technical assistance

While Mainframe Monitoring focuses on overseeing system performance and preventing issues, Mainframe Support involves resolving problems when they occur. Both roles require knowledge of mainframe systems, but Monitoring emphasizes proactive oversight, whereas Support is reactive. Understanding these differences helps organizations assign the right tasks to the appropriate specialists.

Are mainframe monitoring jobs in demand?

Mainframe monitoring jobs are in steady demand due to the continued reliance of large organizations on mainframe systems for critical operations. These roles often require knowledge of monitoring tools, system performance, and troubleshooting skills, with demand remaining stable as many enterprises maintain legacy systems alongside modern infrastructure.

Is mainframe monitoring hard to learn?

Mainframe monitoring involves understanding complex systems and specialized tools like z/OS and monitoring software, which can require a learning curve for beginners. However, with proper training and experience in system administration and scripting, it becomes manageable for those with technical aptitude.
More about Mainframe Monitoring jobs
Infographic showing various Mainframe Monitoring job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 62% Full Time, and 38% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $111,026 per year, or $53.4 per hour.

Systems Engineer (mainframe monitoring)

OBXtek

Woodlawn, MD โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 23 days ago


Job description

Company Description
OBXtek Inc.
OBXtek is an award winning Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business providing information technology and management services to the federal government. As the prime contractor on over 85% of its work, OBXtek is a leader in its field and has a robust corporate infrastructure that provides support for all of its programs. OBXtek has realized exceptional growth over the last four years and has been awarded prime contracts with 10 federal agencies. This growth is a result of providing customers with successful project execution and quantifiable results, responsive customer service, timely recruiting, quality assurance/quality control and competitive pricing.Solid Financial Resources and low Employee Turnover (5%)
Job Description
Work with SSA personnel and other contractors to monitor the online applications and detect, notify and troubleshoot problems, which may adversely affect the performance of the online systems and delivery of service to SSA customers.
Monitor WebSphere MQ and WebSphere Application Server (WAS) applications utilizing various monitoring tools including Omegamon/Omegaview, Tivoli ITCAMS, CICSplex and ABEND Aid to identify/isolate problems.
Monitor more than 650 CICS regions in production, training and integration environments utilizing various monitoring tools including Omegamon/Omegaview, Tivoli ITCAMS, CICSplex and ABEND Aid to identify/isolate problems.
Monitor DB2 and IDMS database subsystems and coordinate with other branches and teams within the division to identify and resolve issues.
Respond to Hot Terminal, SSA Alerts and email messages identifying problems
Work independently and with other Monitor Room personnel to troubleshoot problems detected in the online applications including Short on Storage and Maxtask conditions.
Upon detection of a problem, begin level 1 troubleshooting activities such as reading system and application dumps and provide recommendations and perform basic resolution activities.
Investigate CICS storage violations and recommend dynamic changes to CICS region settings to correct or contain CICS problems - with approval from the Task Manager or his/her designee.
Identify and report Z/OS, JES3, and Top Secret, peripheral device and file contention problems and other underlying system software problems.
Take full system and snap dumps, start system traces, perform system IPLs and manipulate peripheral devices.
Recognize and resolve operational problems affecting batch job processing and make changes to system software source libraries, table libraries, JCL libraries, and load libraries on an emergency basis to correct operational problems.
Research problems to determine root cause and participate in data gathering for studies to determine the most effective configurations for matching system capacity to operational needs.
Update all troubleshooting databases as needed via SMAB's internal reporting mechanism (the Greenbook) detailing event and actions taken, as well as opening and closing associated CAPRS tickets as requested, publicly documenting problem or resolution information.
Troubleshooting and Analysis
Analyze and debug WebSphere MQ series performance problems.
Analyze and debug WebSphere Application Server (WAS) problems.
Troubleshoot other WebSphere related issues.
Respond to Hot Terminal and pager messages identifying problems.
Identify and report Z/OS, JES3, Top Secret and other underlying system software problems.
Identify and troubleshoot CICS and database problems.
Download CICS system and application dumps.
Perform CICS system dump analysis and provide recommendations.
Troubleshoot DB2 and IDMS problems.
CICS programming using Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL), Java and assembly.
Debrief all SSA management and staffs on the problem and its resolution including how the problem was detected, resolution alternatives, reasoning for course of action chosen, results of resolution, and any fallout.
Update all troubleshooting databases as needed via SMAB's internal reporting mechanism (the Greenbook) detailing event and actions taken, as well as opening and closing associated CAPRS tickets as requested, publicly documenting problem or resolution information.
Qualifications
Ten years WebSphere Application Server and WMQ applications to identify/isolate problems.
Ability to identify and notify the WebSphere Application Server performance problems using Introscope and Tivoli tools.
Additional Information
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.