Remote Systems Programmer Jobs
Remote systems programmer jobs are open across the U.S. at remote-first firms and distributed engineering teams in sectors like defense, financial services, and enterprise software. Employers hiring remotely right now include Ensono, Noblis, and M&T Bank. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 7+ Remote Systems Programmer jobs
Position Overview:
The Systems Programmer III – Mainframe Networking role is responsible for the design, implementation, administration, and support of IBM z/OS mainframe networking infrastructure that supports critical banking applications, payment systems, customer account processing, regulatory reporting, and other high-availability financial services. This role serves as a senior technical expert for mainframe communications, ensuring secure, resilient, and compliant network connectivity across enterprise, partner, and external financial networks. The position works closely with infrastructure, cybersecurity, application development, and operations teams to maintain a highly available environment that meets banking industry security, audit, compliance, and business continuity requirements.
Primary Responsibilities:
System Management & Product Maintenance: Install, customize, and maintain mainframe network software, including but not limited to, z/OS Communication Server (VTAM, TCP/IP, FTP, SFTP, TLS/AT-TLS, OSA-Express, TN3270 Services, DNS, and Enterprise Extender) and Connect:Direct (NDM). Apply maintenance to all associated software & products as required to maintain system stability.
Troubleshooting and Problem Resolution: Serve as a mid-tier technical escalation point for complex problems involving mainframe networking within the mainframe environment, including middleware components (CICS, DB2, MQ, and JES2). Use diagnostic tools (e.g., IPCS, packet traces) to perform root cause analysis and implement effective solutions. Respond to and resolve incidents; work with vendor to identify and implement fix where applicable. Provide guidance to less experienced staff. Identify root causes of system issues and work with partner teams to fix the root cause.
Performance and Tuning: Monitor system performance, conduct capacity planning, and implement performance-tuning measures to optimize system efficiency and ensure service-level agreements (SLAs) are met.
Security and Compliance: Work closely with the security team to implement and maintain security protocols within CA-ACF2, including AT-TLS configuration and certificate management, to protect data and ensure compliance with corporate standards.
Project Leadership: Lead and participate in medium & large-scale projects, such as major software upgrades, hardware refreshes, and disaster recovery planning and exercises.
Collaboration and Mentoring: Collaborate with application developers, operations staff, and other systems programmers. Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior team members.
Documentation: Maintain comprehensive documentation of system configurations, procedures, and problem-solving techniques.
Education: Attend vendor sponsored conferences as a representative of the Bank to seek out industry technology to utilize at the Bank. Provide thought leadership at vendor-sponsored conferences; presenting new technologies or providing industry leadership in new technologies. Review training opportunities that are available and make recommendations.
On-call Support: Take ownership of emergency support responsibilities as part of a 24/7 on-call rotation.
Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate with various departments to achieve organizational goals.
Additional Responsibilities:
Understand and adhere to the Company’s risk and regulatory standards, policies and controls in accordance with the Company’s Risk Appetite. Identify risk-related issues needing escalation to management.
Promote an environment that supports belonging and reflects the M&T Bank brand.
Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable.
Complete other related duties as assigned
Required skills and qualifications:
Combined minimum of 6 years’ higher education and/or related work experience
Expert-level knowledge of z/OS Communication Server, including VTAM, TCP/IP, FTP, SFTP, TLS/AT-TLS, OSA-Express, TN3270 Services, DNS, Enterprise Extender, and Connect:Direct (NDM).
In-depth knowledge of SMP/E & z/OSMF for software installation and maintenance.
Fluency in JCL, REXX, and CLIST among others.
Analytical skills: Proven analytical and problem-solving skills for diagnosing and resolving complex technical issues.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
Strong proficiency with mainframe middleware, including IBM MQ Series on Z, CICS, & DB2 on Z.
5-7 years of experience in mainframe systems programming, with a focus on networking and middleware.
Relevant certifications are a plus.
We support our team members with generous benefits.
Competitive compensation
Health, welfare, and retirement benefits
401(k) match at 5%
Work-life balance and flexible work arrangements
Banking Officers start with 25 days PTO plus 12 paid holidays
40 hours paid volunteer hours per year
Much more. For details, see: M&T Benefits Overview
Location
Clanton, Alabama, United States of AmericaPosition Overview:
The Systems Programmer III – Mainframe Networking role is responsible for the design, implementation, administration, and support of IBM z/OS mainframe networking infrastructure that supports critical banking applications, payment systems, customer account processing, regulatory reporting, and other high-availability financial services. This role serves as a senior technical expert for mainframe communications, ensuring secure, resilient, and compliant network connectivity across enterprise, partner, and external financial networks. The position works closely with infrastructure, cybersecurity, application development, and operations teams to maintain a highly available environment that meets banking industry security, audit, compliance, and business continuity requirements.
Primary Responsibilities:
System Management & Product Maintenance: Install, customize, and maintain mainframe network software, including but not limited to, z/OS Communication Server (VTAM, TCP/IP, FTP, SFTP, TLS/AT-TLS, OSA-Express, TN3270 Services, DNS, and Enterprise Extender) and Connect:Direct (NDM). Apply maintenance to all associated software & products as required to maintain system stability.
Troubleshooting and Problem Resolution: Serve as a mid-tier technical escalation point for complex problems involving mainframe networking within the mainframe environment, including middleware components (CICS, DB2, MQ, and JES2). Use diagnostic tools (e.g., IPCS, packet traces) to perform root cause analysis and implement effective solutions. Respond to and resolve incidents; work with vendor to identify and implement fix where applicable. Provide guidance to less experienced staff. Identify root causes of system issues and work with partner teams to fix the root cause.
Performance and Tuning: Monitor system performance, conduct capacity planning, and implement performance-tuning measures to optimize system efficiency and ensure service-level agreements (SLAs) are met.
Security and Compliance: Work closely with the security team to implement and maintain security protocols within CA-ACF2, including AT-TLS configuration and certificate management, to protect data and ensure compliance with corporate standards.
Project Leadership: Lead and participate in medium & large-scale projects, such as major software upgrades, hardware refreshes, and disaster recovery planning and exercises.
Collaboration and Mentoring: Collaborate with application developers, operations staff, and other systems programmers. Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior team members.
Documentation: Maintain comprehensive documentation of system configurations, procedures, and problem-solving techniques.
Education: Attend vendor sponsored conferences as a representative of the Bank to seek out industry technology to utilize at the Bank. Provide thought leadership at vendor-sponsored conferences; presenting new technologies or providing industry leadership in new technologies. Review training opportunities that are available and make recommendations.
On-call Support: Take ownership of emergency support responsibilities as part of a 24/7 on-call rotation.
Collaboration: Ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate with various departments to achieve organizational goals.
Additional Responsibilities:
Understand and adhere to the Company’s risk and regulatory standards, policies and controls in accordance with the Company’s Risk Appetite. Identify risk-related issues needing escalation to management.
Promote an environment that supports belonging and reflects the M&T Bank brand.
Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable.
Complete other related duties as assigned
Required skills and qualifications:
Combined minimum of 6 years’ higher education and/or related work experience
Expert-level knowledge of z/OS Communication Server, including VTAM, TCP/IP, FTP, SFTP, TLS/AT-TLS, OSA-Express, TN3270 Services, DNS, Enterprise Extender, and Connect:Direct (NDM).
In-depth knowledge of SMP/E & z/OSMF for software installation and maintenance.
Fluency in JCL, REXX, and CLIST among others.
Analytical skills: Proven analytical and problem-solving skills for diagnosing and resolving complex technical issues.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
Strong proficiency with mainframe middleware, including IBM MQ Series on Z, CICS, & DB2 on Z.
5-7 years of experience in mainframe systems programming, with a focus on networking and middleware.
Relevant certifications are a plus.
We support our team members with generous benefits.
Competitive compensation
Health, welfare, and retirement benefits
401(k) match at 5%
Work-life balance and flexible work arrangements
Banking Officers start with 25 days PTO plus 12 paid holidays
40 hours paid volunteer hours per year
Much more. For details, see: M&T Benefits Overview
Location
Clanton, Alabama, United States of AmericaSee All 7 Remote Systems Programmer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsRemote Systems Programmer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Banking & Financial Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in remote systems programmer jobs.
- Proficiency in C or C++ for systems-level development and performance-critical code
- Experience with operating system internals such as memory management, scheduling, or device drivers
- Familiarity with assembly language and low-level debugging tools like GDB or JTAG
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field
- Experience with real-time operating systems or embedded platforms such as VxWorks or FreeRTOS
- Knowledge of version control, build systems, and continuous integration pipelines in Linux environments
Tips for Your Remote Systems Programmer Job Search
Apply early to remote roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists remote systems programmer openings from across the U.S. in one place, so you can find roles that match your stack and experience level and apply directly without sorting through unrelated listings.
Demonstrate async communication before the interview
Remote systems programmer teams rely on written handoffs, detailed commit messages, and clear technical documentation. Show this in your application materials with writing samples, documented projects, or a well-maintained README that explains your design decisions.
Build a portfolio of low-level systems work
Remote employers cannot observe your process, so your output has to speak for itself. Contribute to open-source systems projects, publish kernel modules, or document embedded or OS-level work publicly so hiring managers can evaluate your depth without a whiteboard session.
Prepare for remote-style technical interviews
Many distributed engineering teams run asynchronous or multi-stage technical screens using shared environments like collaborative coding tools or take-home problem sets. Practice explaining your reasoning in writing as clearly as you would verbally, since remote interviewers weight your documentation instincts heavily.
Remote Systems Programmer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a remote systems programmer job?
Target companies that already run distributed engineering teams, since they have the infrastructure and culture to support remote systems programmers from day one. Remote employers screen heavily for self-direction, precise written communication, and deep fluency in systems-level work like OS internals, memory management, or low-level networking. Demonstrating those skills through open-source contributions, documented projects, or prior async team experience gives you a real edge.
Which companies hire remote systems programmers?
Companies hiring remote systems programmers right now include Ensono, Noblis, and M&T Bank, based on current remote listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Remote systems programmer roles tend to concentrate at remote-first software firms, defense contractors with distributed teams, and large enterprise technology organizations that operate engineering across multiple time zones.
Can you get a remote systems programmer job with no experience?
Yes, but remote entry-level systems programmer roles are harder to land because employers expect you to debug and problem-solve with less real-time support. Your best path is to build demonstrable systems work, open-source contributions to low-level or embedded projects, and a clear record of shipping something independently. Remote-first startups and smaller software firms are more likely to take a chance on strong self-starters than large enterprise teams.
Do you need a degree for remote systems programmer jobs?
Not always. Many remote employers care more about demonstrated systems-level skills, whether that is proficiency in C, C++, Rust, or assembly, than a specific credential. A strong portfolio of real work, contributions to systems or kernel projects, or prior employment doing low-level programming often carries as much weight as a computer science degree, especially at remote-first companies evaluating candidates on output.
Which industries hire the most remote systems programmers?
Remote systems programmer roles concentrate in Banking & Financial Services, based on current remote listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Those sectors hire systems programmers remotely because their engineering work is inherently portable, their teams are already distributed across multiple locations, and the role's output is measurable independent of physical presence.
See All 7 Remote Systems Programmer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs