OPT Mainframe Programmer Jobs
Mainframe Programmer jobs on OPT are a strong fit for F-1 students with backgrounds in computer science, information systems, or engineering. Employers in banking, insurance, and government sectors regularly hire for COBOL and z/OS skills. Your 12-month OPT window, extendable to 36 months with STEM OPT, gives you real runway to land and grow in this field.
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Get Access To All JobsCompany Description
Artech is the 10th Largest IT Staffing Company in the US, according to Staffing Industry Analysts' 2012 annual report. Artech provides technical expertise to fill gaps in clients' immediate skill-sets availability, deliver emerging technology skill-sets, refresh existing skill base, allow for flexibility in project planning and execution phases, and provide budgeting/financial flexibility by offering contingent labor as a variable cost.
Job Description
Job Title: Mainframe Programmer Analyst
Location: Minneapolis MN
Duration: 3 plus Months
Need only local candidates from Minneapolis
Required Skills:
- 3+ years application development and implementation experience.
- Mainframe experience (COBOL, JCL, DB2)
- Previous development work
- Highly organized
- Able to coordinate and multi-task
- Ability to dig in and research
- Great people skills (needs to facilitate meetings)
- May include off hours work - evening and/or weekends
- Experience in debugging, Data validation, evaluating the problems, Quality control of data
- Provides technical support and basic development for computer applications and programs.
- Uses diagnostic tools and/or analyzes and uses vendor specifications to troubleshoot complex computer application problems to maintain or restore service or data to programs, leads the resolution of complex issues or escalates as needed to meet established service level agreements.
- Completes required logs and reports.
- Prepares programming specifications and completes programming tasks to develop basic, and/or assist in the development of moderately complex, computer solutions.
- Performs modeling, simulations and analysis.
- Prepares program test data, tests and debugs programs.
- Updates and completes documentation, procedures and user guides.
- Understands BCP, quality, security and compliance requirements for supported areas and analyzes changes for risk to the environment. Participates in testing and updating the business continuation plan.
- Provides assistance and guidance to less experienced staff
If you are interested, please contact
Pavithra P
973 507 7535
pavithra.p(at)artechinfo.com
Company Description
Artech is the 10th Largest IT Staffing Company in the US, according to Staffing Industry Analysts' 2012 annual report. Artech provides technical expertise to fill gaps in clients' immediate skill-sets availability, deliver emerging technology skill-sets, refresh existing skill base, allow for flexibility in project planning and execution phases, and provide budgeting/financial flexibility by offering contingent labor as a variable cost.
Job Description
Job Title: Mainframe Programmer Analyst
Location: Minneapolis MN
Duration: 3 plus Months
Need only local candidates from Minneapolis
Required Skills:
- 3+ years application development and implementation experience.
- Mainframe experience (COBOL, JCL, DB2)
- Previous development work
- Highly organized
- Able to coordinate and multi-task
- Ability to dig in and research
- Great people skills (needs to facilitate meetings)
- May include off hours work - evening and/or weekends
- Experience in debugging, Data validation, evaluating the problems, Quality control of data
- Provides technical support and basic development for computer applications and programs.
- Uses diagnostic tools and/or analyzes and uses vendor specifications to troubleshoot complex computer application problems to maintain or restore service or data to programs, leads the resolution of complex issues or escalates as needed to meet established service level agreements.
- Completes required logs and reports.
- Prepares programming specifications and completes programming tasks to develop basic, and/or assist in the development of moderately complex, computer solutions.
- Performs modeling, simulations and analysis.
- Prepares program test data, tests and debugs programs.
- Updates and completes documentation, procedures and user guides.
- Understands BCP, quality, security and compliance requirements for supported areas and analyzes changes for risk to the environment. Participates in testing and updating the business continuation plan.
- Provides assistance and guidance to less experienced staff
If you are interested, please contact
Pavithra P
973 507 7535
pavithra.p(at)artechinfo.com
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Mainframe Programmer
Lead with COBOL and z/OS proficiency
Mainframe roles are niche. Employers screening OPT candidates want to see COBOL, JCL, VSAM, and z/OS listed clearly on your resume. Generic software developer language won't get you through applicant tracking systems filtering for these specific technical terms.
Target industries with legacy mainframe dependencies
Banking, insurance, healthcare, and federal contractors run mission-critical workloads on mainframes and hire consistently. These industries also tend to have established immigration compliance teams, making OPT and H-1B visa sponsorship transitions smoother than at smaller companies.
Apply early in your OPT window
Mainframe hiring moves slower than software engineering roles. Enterprise procurement and compliance reviews take time. Starting your search at least three months before your current authorization expires gives employers enough runway to extend an offer comfortably.
Clarify your STEM OPT eligibility upfront
If your degree is in computer science, information systems, or a related STEM field, confirm your STEM OPT extension eligibility with your DSO before interviewing. Employers sponsoring H-1B need time to plan, and knowing you have 36 months available strengthens your candidacy.
Highlight modernization project experience
Many employers are migrating mainframe workloads to hybrid cloud environments. If you have experience bridging COBOL with Java, APIs, or cloud platforms like AWS or Azure, emphasize it. This positions you as a long-term investment, not just a legacy maintenance resource.
Address OPT authorization proactively with employers
Many hiring managers at large enterprises are unfamiliar with OPT and confuse it with H-1B sponsorship. Briefly explaining that OPT is pre-authorized federal work permission, requiring no employer petition, removes the most common objection before it becomes a reason to pass.
Mainframe Programmer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Mainframe Programmer jobs typically qualify for STEM OPT extension?
Yes, in most cases. If your degree is in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, or a closely related STEM field, your Mainframe Programmer role will generally satisfy the STEM OPT requirement that the job be directly related to your degree. Your employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify. Confirm your specific degree classification with your DSO before relying on STEM OPT eligibility.
Why do some employers hesitate to hire OPT candidates for mainframe roles?
The most common concern is confusion between OPT and H-1B sponsorship. OPT is a federally authorized work period that requires no employer petition or cost. Mainframe roles are also often in regulated industries like banking or insurance, where HR compliance teams may be unfamiliar with F-1 work authorization. Clarifying that OPT involves no employer filing obligation typically resolves this hesitation quickly.
Where can I find Mainframe Programmer jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters for employers open to work authorization sponsorship. General job boards show all postings regardless of visa compatibility, which wastes time. Searching on Migrate Mate surfaces roles where employers are already familiar with or actively hiring international candidates on OPT.
Can I switch employers during my OPT period as a Mainframe Programmer?
Yes, but the new job must be directly related to your degree and in a role consistent with your authorized field of study. For STEM OPT, you must report the employer change to your DSO within 10 days, and the new employer must be enrolled in E-Verify. Gaps in employment of more than 90 cumulative days during standard OPT can jeopardize your status.
How does OPT lead to H-1B sponsorship for Mainframe Programmers?
Mainframe Programmer roles qualify as specialty occupations under H-1B rules because they require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a specific technical discipline. Employers in banking and enterprise IT who hire you on OPT often have established processes for filing H-1B petitions. The H-1B lottery runs annually in March for an October 1 start date, so your employer needs to begin the process no later than February of your target year.