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Mainframe Programmer Contract Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Mainframe developer

Mclean, VA

$49.50 - $63.75/hr

Mainframe developer Location ... Mclean, VA Duration: contract or full time Skillset : Experience in Mainframe (COBOL/JCL/DB2/IMS ...

Contract Skill Metrics: Cobol Mainframe CICS REXX VSAM JCL Years of experience required: 15+ years ... Excellent programming skills in mainframe skillets like JCL, COBOL, VSAM, CICS, REXX * Working with ...

... engineering and systems integration. Our tightly integrated offerings are tailored to each clients ... Contract/C2C Interview Process : Written Test + 1 Skype/in person Interview (Hence Look only Locals ...

BPM Developer Location : Mclean, VA- Must relocate to work on site Contract Length: 6m+- could have ... DB2 mainframe, IBM SOA, IBM rules engine, IBM BPM Business process designer, Business integration ...

... mainframe/terminal emulators, Microsoft 365, and REST/SOAP APIs. • Deploy, schedule, and monitor ... Additional relevant experience may be substituted for the degree in accordance with contract labor ...

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Mainframe Programmer Contract information

See Virginia salary details

$38

$53

$66

How much do mainframe programmer contract jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for mainframe programmer contract in Virginia is $53.65, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $46.73 and $62.69 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Mainframe Programmer Contract job?

A Mainframe Programmer Contract job is a temporary position where a programmer develops, maintains, and troubleshoots software applications running on mainframe systems. Contractors are typically hired for specific projects or to fill short-term gaps in an organization's IT team. They work with legacy programming languages like COBOL, JCL, and assembler to ensure the smooth operation of critical business applications. Contract durations vary based on project needs and may be extended or converted into full-time roles. These roles often require experience with mainframe environments such as IBM z/OS.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Mainframe Programmer Contract position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Mainframe Programmer Contract, you need deep expertise in COBOL, JCL, and mainframe operating systems, often backed by a computer science degree or equivalent experience. Familiarity with tools like IBM z/OS, TSO/ISPF, DB2, and knowledge of middleware or integration technologies is highly valuable and sometimes enhanced by relevant certifications. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication are important soft skills for this position. These competencies enable you to efficiently maintain legacy systems, troubleshoot complex issues, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

What typical responsibilities can contractors expect in a Mainframe Programmer role?

As a Mainframe Programmer on a contract basis, you will often be responsible for writing, updating, and maintaining code in languages such as COBOL or PL/I, managing batch processing jobs, and performing data migrations or system integrations. You may also debug existing mainframe applications, resolve performance issues, and collaborate closely with business analysts, QA teams, and system administrators to meet project objectives. Contractors are frequently engaged in system upgrades or modernization initiatives, which require flexibility and strong problem-solving abilities. Project scopes and daily tasks can vary depending on the organization’s reliance on mainframe systems and current technical goals.

What are popular job titles related to Mainframe Programmer Contract jobs in Virginia? For Mainframe Programmer Contract jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Mainframe Programmer Contract jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Mainframe Programmer Contract jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Mainframe Programmer Contract jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Mainframe Programmer Contract job openings:

Contractor

Posted 5 days ago


Job description

An International consulting firm is seeking a Mainframe Developer for a 6+ month contract to hire role based in Midvale, UT. This role is onsite.
Are you an experienced Mainframe Developer (COBOL, CICS, DB2) looking to work on mission critical enterprise systems that support some of the nation's largest organizations? Do you enjoy solving complex technical challenges while modernizing and maintaining high performance applications?
Location: This position is based onsite at a client location in the Salt Lake City, UT area.
In this role, you'll be responsible for developing, maintaining, and supporting enterprise mainframe applications that are essential to our clients' daily operations. You'll work alongside experienced architects, developers, business analysts, QA teams, and client stakeholders to deliver secure, scalable, and reliable technology solutions.
This is an excellent opportunity to expand your technical expertise, collaborate with high performing teams, and contribute to meaningful projects at one of the world's leading IT and business consulting firms.
Your future duties and responsibilities
How you'll make an impact: You will play a critical role in maintaining the stability, reliability, and continuous enhancement of enterprise applications supporting business critical operations.
. Design, develop, maintain, and enhance enterprise mainframe applications using COBOL, JCL, CICS, DB2, VSAM, and related technologies
. Collaborate with Product Managers, Business Analysts, Solution Architects, and development teams to deliver scalable, high quality software solutions that meet evolving business needs
. Research, analyze, and recommend technical solutions, enhancements, and best practices to improve application performance, reliability, and maintainability.
. Provide technical support for mainframe applications by troubleshooting application, batch processing, database, and testing environment issues
. Develop and maintain technical documentation, operational procedures, user guides, and knowledge base articles to support long term application sustainability
. Manage and maintain non production environments, including environment refreshes, deployments, configuration updates, and post migration validation activities
. Monitor and support Control M batch processing workflows to ensure reliable job execution, scheduling accuracy, and operational efficiency
. Partner with release management, change management, QA, infrastructure, and offshore development teams to coordinate deployments, environment readiness, and production implementations
. Support data integrity, automation initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts by identifying opportunities to improve operational processes and system performance
. Serve as the technical subject matter expert (SME) for supported applications, providing guidance during enhancements, production support, audits, and release activities
. Investigate, debug, and resolve production issues while implementing long term corrective solutions
. Mentor junior developers through knowledge sharing, cross training, and technical coaching
. Participate in Agile ceremonies, technical design discussions, code reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives
. Provide on call production support as needed to ensure the availability and reliability of mission critical applications
Required qualifications to be successful in this role
What you'll bring: We're looking for a collaborative problem solver who enjoys working in complex enterprise environments and takes pride in delivering reliable, high quality software solutions.
. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent practical experience)
. 5+ years of experience designing, developing, maintaining, and supporting enterprise mainframe applications
. Strong hands on experience with: COBOL JCL CICS DB2 VSAM
. Experience supporting enterprise batch processing, production support, troubleshooting, and application maintenance
. Experience working with source control and deployment tools such as Endevor
. Experience with Control M scheduling, batch workflow management, and production job monitoring
. Experience using Easytrieve (EZtrieve) and other enterprise mainframe utilities is preferred
. Experience with mainframe debugging and performance analysis tools
. Proven ability to support multiple applications while working within large, cross functional teams
. Experience collaborating with offshore development and support teams
. Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem solving skills
. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively with technical and non technical stakeholders
. Demonstrated ability to make sound technical decisions, prioritize competing work, and deliver high quality solutions in fast paced enterprise environments
. Ability to mentor junior developers and contribute to continuous process improvement initiatives