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Senior Mainframe Developer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Samprasoft

COBOL Mainframe Developer

Irvine, CA · On-site

Senior Cobol Developer Client's IMS is seeking a full-time Senior Cobol developer to support the Investment Book of Records development team. The candidate will develop enhancements and new ...

WATI

Mainframe Application Programmer

Downey, CA · On-site

The Senior Application Programmer for Mainframe Systems will possess knowledge and experience in applications software development principles and methods sufficient to participate in the design ...

Deloitte

Senior Automation Engineer

San Jose, CA · Hybrid

$121K - $160K/yr

Collaborate closely with Java developers, Mainframe engineers, product managers, and project ... As an experienced Senior Automation Engineer ,you will have the ability to share new ideas and ...

Deloitte

Senior Automation Engineer

San Francisco, CA · Hybrid

$122K - $160K/yr

Collaborate closely with Java developers, Mainframe engineers, product managers, and project ... As an experienced Senior Automation Engineer ,you will have the ability to share new ideas and ...

Deloitte

Senior Automation Engineer

Sacramento, CA · Hybrid

$110K - $145K/yr

Collaborate closely with Java developers, Mainframe engineers, product managers, and project ... As an experienced Senior Automation Engineer ,you will have the ability to share new ideas and ...

Deloitte

Senior Automation Engineer

Fresno, CA · Hybrid

$103K - $135K/yr

Collaborate closely with Java developers, Mainframe engineers, product managers, and project ... As an experienced Senior Automation Engineer ,you will have the ability to share new ideas and ...

Deloitte

Senior Automation Engineer

Costa Mesa, CA · Hybrid

$111K - $146K/yr

Collaborate closely with Java developers, Mainframe engineers, product managers, and project ... As an experienced Senior Automation Engineer ,you will have the ability to share new ideas and ...

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Senior Mainframe Developer information

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How much do senior mainframe developer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for senior mainframe developer in California is $56.90, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53.37 and $62.16 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Mainframe Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Mainframe Developer, you need deep expertise in mainframe programming languages (like COBOL, JCL, and PL/I), systems analysis, and a strong understanding of legacy application architectures, typically supported by a degree in computer science or related experience. Familiarity with tools such as IBM z/OS, DB2, CICS, and version control systems is essential, along with relevant certifications like IBM Certified System Programmer. Excellent problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills help you collaborate effectively and mentor junior developers. These skills are crucial for maintaining mission-critical systems, ensuring reliability, and guiding modernization efforts in complex enterprise environments.

What are some common challenges faced by Senior Mainframe Developers when integrating legacy systems with modern technologies?

Senior Mainframe Developers often encounter challenges when integrating legacy mainframe systems with newer technologies such as cloud platforms, APIs, or microservices. These challenges include ensuring data consistency, maintaining system security, and minimizing downtime during migrations. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, such as infrastructure engineers and application developers, is key to developing seamless integration solutions. Staying up-to-date with modernization tools and best practices can help address these complexities and support the organization's digital transformation goals.

What are Senior Mainframe Developers?

Senior Mainframe Developers are experienced professionals who design, develop, and maintain mainframe systems—large-scale computers used by organizations for critical applications, bulk data processing, and enterprise resource planning. They are proficient in languages like COBOL, JCL, and Assembler, and often work with databases and transaction processing systems. Their responsibilities include troubleshooting system issues, optimizing performance, mentoring junior developers, and ensuring the reliability and security of mainframe operations.
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Senior Mainframe Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Mainframe Developer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 56% Full Time, 34% Part Time, 7% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $118,346 per year, or $56.9 per hour.
Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer

Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer

West Advanced Technologies (WATI)

Downey, CA • On-site

$56.25 - $71.75/hr

Full-time

Posted 3 days ago

Job description

Mainframe Systems Programmer
Downey, CA
12+ months
Skills Required:
The Mainframe Systems Programmer/DBA for Legacy Systems manages different types of databases, such as hierarchical (IMS), relational (DB2), and file-based (ADABAS), and is responsible for planning and upgrading the database environments on a County-established basis; verifying the health of all the databases; database administration technical consulting for application and operations teams for the purpose of project planning/development; maintenance on production database systems; performance of technical reviews for existing systems that utilize one of the following database management systems (DBMS): ADABAS, DB2 or IMS; performance of evaluations for the purposes of selecting new or fine-tuning existing DBMS software; consultation with project development teams to provide recommendations on database design; development of logical and physical database designs; creation of overviews of logical database designs; creation of physical databases; database capacity planning; development and use of backup and recovery procedures for databases; database performance monitoring; database space monitoring; database reorganizations; database replication; database compression and database partitioning. The following technology skill sets are required to perform in this classification. IBM: Z/OS, IMS, DB2, ADABAS, SMP/E, JCL, IMS DB/DC, CICS, ACF2, ASSEMBLER/COBOL/REXX, IBM FILE MANAGER, DELTA/IMS, NATURAL/ SUPERNAT, ENTIREX, CA SPOOL, IMS & DB2 BMC Tools, N20/TRIM.
Must have a minimum of seven (7) years of experience as a Systems Programming/ DBA, with at least three (3) years of that experience in a lead role.
Requires the possession of a bachelor's degree in an IT-related or engineering field.
Skills Preferred:
VTAM,TCPIP, HCD,SMPE, AT-TLS and Mainframe hardware knowledge.
Regards
Sunil Damagalla
West Advanced Technologies, Inc
E: sunil.d@wati.com D: 279-666-5837

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