Cobol Developer Jobs
Cobol Developer jobs are open across banking, insurance, government agencies, and healthcare, from junior programmer to senior architect and team lead, with specializations in batch processing, mainframe systems, and legacy modernization. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
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The State of South Carolina is looking for a Programmer - Advanced - Mainframe Developer - Composite Reservoir Accounts
Why is this position open: New position to assist with incremental development to existing system.
Max Bill Rate: $90/hour
Interview Process: 1-2 Rounds of Virtual Interviews
Duration of the Contract: 6 Months
Possibility for Extension: Yes, if the project needs warrant an extension.
Work Location: 100% Remote
Candidate location: No SC residency required. Candidate must reside in lower 48 states (Continental US) and comfortable working EST time zone hours.
Please make sure to read the ENTIRE SOW attached. The hiring manager took time to elaborate on what the candidates will be expected to display expertise in during the interview process.
Mainframe Developer - Composite Reservoir Accounts
Office of the State Treasurer
Build a new pooled-account structure inside a running z/OS core, without disturbing the balances already on it.
About The Role
We are adding new composite reservoir accounts to our existing mainframe accounting platform: a pooled account structure in which balances from multiple subsidiary accounts are concentrated into, and drawn back from, a single reservoir account under defined sweep and allocation rules.
This is additional function inside a legacy system. You will be reading a large body of COBOL that has been in production for an extended period, much of it lightly documented, and extending it so that the new account type posts, settles, accrues, reports, and reconciles exactly as the existing types do. Correctness and traceability of every cent matter more than speed of delivery.
What You Will Do
- Analyze the current account master, posting, and balance-maintenance programs to establish where composite reservoir accounts must be recognized, and document what you find.
- Design and code the new account type end to end: master file and table structures, account opening and closing, participant linkage, sweep and reverse-sweep logic, allocation and interest apportionment, and closing balance derivation.
- Modify batch COBOL programs and JCL and extend the nightly and month-end cycles to include the new processing without lengthening the batch window beyond agreed limits.
- Add new CRAs to the audit trail, exception reporting, and reconciliation controls the new function requires, working with accounting stakeholders on what must be evidenced.
- Produce test data, unit and regression test packs, and parallel-run comparisons against current production output; investigate every difference until it is explained.
- Support implementation, conversion of any in-scope existing accounts, and early-life production runs, including on-call cover during the first cycles.
- Leave behind program documentation, data-flow notes, and runbook updates that the support team can work from.
Required Skills
- 5+ years of Enterprise COBOL development experience in a z/OS environment
- 5+ Years of Experience with NaturalOne
- 3+ years of JCL development and production support experience
- 3+ years of experience with financial/accounting systems development or support including double-entry posting, balance/accrual maintenance, value dating, reconciliation, and month-end closeouts in a regulated environment
- 3+ years of experience working with Adabas and VSAM
- 3+ years of experience with tracing undocumented logic through copybooks, call chains, and job streams
These are the skills we expect to see evidence of in the first conversation.
- COBOL — substantial production experience in Enterprise COBOL on z/OS, both batch and online; comfortable extending large existing programs and reading code you did not write.
- NaturalOne — the Eclipse-based Software AG development environment; developing, debugging, and deploying Natural applications from it, including local development and remote z/OS projects.
- Natural and Adabas — Natural programs, subprograms, and maps; DDMs, descriptors and superdescriptors, and Adabas file design and performance behavior.
- z/OS and JCL — writing and debugging JCL, procs, GDGs, utilities, SORT, and restart/rerun handling; fluent in TSO/ISPF.
- Mainframe data stores — VSAM file design and access, and Adabas for z/OS.
- Financial accounting logic — double-entry posting, balance and accrual maintenance, value dating, reconciliation, and month-end close in a regulated environment.
- Analysis of legacy systems — tracing undocumented logic through copybooks, call chains, and job streams, and stating clearly what a change will and will not affect.
Preferred Skills
- Experience with cash management, account pooling, sweeps, or treasury applications
- Experience with CA-7 scheduling and batch operations
- Experience with REXX, Python, or Java
Not required to apply. Each of these will shorten your ramp-up, and we will support you in learning the ones you do not have.
- Mixed-estate integration — calling between COBOL and Natural, and exposing mainframe function through z/OS Connect, IBM MQ, or REST services.
- Scheduling and operations — CA-7 batch window analysis and performance tuning.
- Scripting and adjacent languages — REXX or CLIST for tooling, plus Java or Python for data comparison and migration work.
- Cash management domain — notional and physical pooling, cash concentration, sweeps, and intercompany allocation.
Additional Skills
- Track record of taking a specification from analysis through production implementation with limited supervision.
- Clear written communication: you can explain a change to an auditor, a business analyst, and another developer, and adjust the explanation for each.
- Degree in computer science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
How We Work
- Production changes follow formal change control with peer review and a signed-off implementation plan.
Job Types: Contract, Temporary
Pay: $80.00 - $90.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- 5+ years of Enterprise COBOL development experience in a z/OS environment
- 5+ Years of Experience with NaturalOne
- 3+ years of JCL development and production support experience
- 3+ years of experience with financial/accounting systems development or support including double-entry posting, balance/accrual maintenance, value dating, reconciliation, and month-end closeouts in a regulated environment
- 3+ years of experience working with Adabas and VSAM
- 3+ years of experience with tracing undocumented logic through copybooks, call chains, and job streams
- Experience with cash management, account pooling, sweeps, or treasury applications
- Experience with CA-7 scheduling and batch operations
Work Location: Remote
Cobol Developer Jobs by Experience Level
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Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in cobol developer jobs.
- 5+ years of experience writing and maintaining Cobol programs in a production mainframe environment
- Proficiency with JCL, VSAM file structures, and IBM z/OS operating systems
- Experience with DB2, IMS, or CICS for database access and transaction processing
- Ability to read, debug, and refactor existing Cobol code with minimal documentation
- Familiarity with SDLC processes, change management procedures, and production support protocols
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or a related technical field
Tips for Your Cobol Developer Job Search
Quantify your mainframe throughput on your resume
Cobol resumes live or die on specifics. List the batch job volumes you handled, the file sizes you processed, and the systems you supported. Hiring managers in banking and insurance scan for JCL, VSAM, and DB2 experience in the first pass.
Target industries still running mainframe infrastructure
Banking, federal agencies, and large insurance carriers are where most cobol developer openings cluster. Filter your search by industry first, then seniority. Applying to cloud-native startups listing cobol as a bonus skill rarely leads anywhere.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists cobol developer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Translate legacy modernization work into interview stories
Employers running migration projects want proof you can bridge old and new. Prepare two or three examples of cobol code you refactored, wrapped in APIs, or connected to modern middleware. Concrete before-and-after examples outperform general claims about modernization experience.
Ask targeted questions about the codebase age
During interviews, ask how old the core codebase is, what the test coverage looks like, and whether the team uses a copybook library. Your answers tell you what day one actually looks like, and your questions signal real mainframe fluency to the interviewer.
Negotiate around on-call and batch window obligations
Batch jobs often run overnight or on weekends, and on-call rotations for production support are common. Clarify the schedule and rotation frequency before accepting an offer. Factor that into your total compensation comparison, not just the base salary.
Cobol Developer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most cobol developers?
The companies hiring the most cobol developers right now include Peraton, U-Haul, and Conduent, with the largest share of openings in New Jersey, New York, and South Carolina, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Banking, insurance, and federal agencies consistently account for the bulk of active postings in this role.
How many cobol developer jobs are remote?
About 100% of cobol developer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is lower than in many software roles because mainframe access often requires a secure network environment. Roles focused on legacy modernization, testing, or documentation tend to offer the most location flexibility compared to production support positions.
How do you become a cobol developer?
Start by learning Cobol syntax through IBM's free training materials or community college courses that cover mainframe fundamentals. Build hands-on experience by setting up a free IBM Z Xplore account, which gives you access to a real z/OS environment. Then focus on JCL and VSAM, since most job listings require both alongside core Cobol. Entry-level roles often come through government contractors and regional banks that still run legacy systems and actively train new programmers.
Can you get hired as a cobol developer with little experience?
Yes, entry-level cobol developer roles exist, particularly at government contractors, mid-size insurance carriers, and banks that have structured training programs for mainframe work. Employers care more about demonstrated familiarity with JCL and batch processing concepts than years on a resume. Building a small portfolio of Cobol programs, even academic ones, and completing IBM's free Z learning paths signals genuine commitment in a field where motivated juniors are scarce.
What does the cobol developer interview process look like?
Most cobol developer interviews include a phone screen focused on your mainframe background, followed by a technical round where you read or debug a short Cobol program and explain your logic out loud. Interviewers frequently ask how you handle abend codes, how you trace a batch job failure through JCL, and how you approach working with undocumented legacy code. A final round with a hiring manager typically covers team fit, production support expectations, and project timelines.
Where can I find and apply to cobol developer jobs?
You can find and apply to cobol developer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Search for roles that match your mainframe background and experience level, then apply directly to each listing. Openings update regularly, so checking back often gives you the best shot at catching newly posted positions before the applicant pool grows.
See All 21 Cobol Developer Jobs
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