Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Senior Mainframe Systems Programmers are among the most consistently sponsored roles in U.S. enterprise IT. Employers filing H-1B visa petitions for this role typically require a computer science or information systems degree, and sponsorship rates remain strong given the severe shortage of qualified mainframe talent. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Provide premium software support and services to Ensono mainframe clients as they relate to CICS.
Key Areas of Focus for this Role
- Fulfill customer service orders (CSOs) for mainframe z/OS customers in a timely manner as they pertain to CICS TS and related OEM software products.
- Provide primary support for reported problems related to CICS TS and related OEM software products.
- Provide support on 24 x 7 x 365 basis and in multiple time zones.
- Follow procedures for installing OEM software products efficiently and according to best practices and Ensono standards (for productivity/scalability purposes).
- Work with members of other functional towers in preparing customer partitions for regular (approximately once per year) operating system upgrade process via a checklist of proactive actions.
- Provide key support for customer migration services (new customer transitions) as they pertain to CICS TS and related OEM software products.
- Assist the assigned project manager in the migration of newly acquired customers such that all technical hurdles are addressed in a timely manner and do not impede the expected progress of the transition nor the targeted migration date.
- In joint cooperation with the Disaster Recovery Services, successfully execute tasks associated with any given customer's disaster recovery plans.
- Adhere to a schedule that efficiently manages resources and allows timely implementations.
- Follow ITSM change control procedures:
- Implementing vendor product specific corrections ("fixes") and
- Upgrading, maintaining, enhancing or providing new options to applicable z/OS products within any given customer.
What the Ideal Candidate Brings to this Role
Required Qualifications help to assure new Associates are set up for success in their role with Ensono. To be considered for this career opportunity, it is important that you meet all Required Qualifications. Candidates that may meet some, but not all, Other Qualifications are still encouraged to apply.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required and/or equivalent work experience.
- 5+ years experience on the zSeries (mainframe) platform including "hands on" technical experience (installation and maintenance of products) related to CICS TS and OEM product support.
- Thorough working knowledge of the capabilities and use of CICS TS and installation and tailoring of CICS TS and as well as CICS TS related OEM products.
- Thorough working knowledge and experience with the use of IBM's SMP/E.
- Strong analytical skills and understanding of CICS TS concepts, configuration and tailoring.
- Thorough working knowledge of products used to monitor performance of CICS TS regions.
- Self-motivated and able to work independently.
- Must be able to multi-task and work under short deadlines and in high pressure situations.
- Excellent communication skills (written, verbal and presentations).
- Ability to work as part of a team, as well as independently.
Standard Working Hours
- Shift: 8AM to 5PM Local time
- Oncall, overtime and scheduled weekend work required.
Why Ensono?
Ensono is a place to make better happen – for our clients and for your career. You can do great things through innovation or collaboration, by learning or volunteering, or to promote diversity and inclusion. You can do great things for your own health or for a healthier planet. Whatever it means to you to do great things we want Ensono to be the place you can do it.
We are a client-facing business, but we do encourage clients to allow us to work remotely most of the time so if you are not required to be on a client site, you can choose to work from home or in our Ensono offices.
Some of our benefits include:
- Unlimited Paid Days Off
- Three health plan options
- 401k with company match
- Eligibility for dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life and AD&D coverage, and flexible spending accounts
- Family Forming Benefit including fertility coverage and adoption/surrogacy reimbursement
- Paid childbearing and paternal leave
- Education Reimbursement, Student Loan Assistance or 529 College Funding
- Sabbatical leave
- Wellness program
- Flexible work schedule
As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this role is $65,000 to $123,000 salary, based on a fulltime schedule. Please note that placement in the range may vary based on numerous factors including but not limited to skills, experience, internal equity, and business needs. In addition to base salary, other compensation programs, depending on eligibility, include an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance and an equity grant under our Associate Equity Appreciation Program.
Ensono is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment to our Associates and building a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.
Pay transparency nondiscrimination statement/posting OFCCP's pay transparency policy can be found on OFCCP's website.
If you need accommodation at any point during the application or interview process, please let your recruiter know or email USTalentAcquisition@ensono.com.
Position Summary
Provide premium software support and services to Ensono mainframe clients as they relate to CICS.
Key Areas of Focus for this Role
- Fulfill customer service orders (CSOs) for mainframe z/OS customers in a timely manner as they pertain to CICS TS and related OEM software products.
- Provide primary support for reported problems related to CICS TS and related OEM software products.
- Provide support on 24 x 7 x 365 basis and in multiple time zones.
- Follow procedures for installing OEM software products efficiently and according to best practices and Ensono standards (for productivity/scalability purposes).
- Work with members of other functional towers in preparing customer partitions for regular (approximately once per year) operating system upgrade process via a checklist of proactive actions.
- Provide key support for customer migration services (new customer transitions) as they pertain to CICS TS and related OEM software products.
- Assist the assigned project manager in the migration of newly acquired customers such that all technical hurdles are addressed in a timely manner and do not impede the expected progress of the transition nor the targeted migration date.
- In joint cooperation with the Disaster Recovery Services, successfully execute tasks associated with any given customer's disaster recovery plans.
- Adhere to a schedule that efficiently manages resources and allows timely implementations.
- Follow ITSM change control procedures:
- Implementing vendor product specific corrections ("fixes") and
- Upgrading, maintaining, enhancing or providing new options to applicable z/OS products within any given customer.
What the Ideal Candidate Brings to this Role
Required Qualifications help to assure new Associates are set up for success in their role with Ensono. To be considered for this career opportunity, it is important that you meet all Required Qualifications. Candidates that may meet some, but not all, Other Qualifications are still encouraged to apply.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required and/or equivalent work experience.
- 5+ years experience on the zSeries (mainframe) platform including "hands on" technical experience (installation and maintenance of products) related to CICS TS and OEM product support.
- Thorough working knowledge of the capabilities and use of CICS TS and installation and tailoring of CICS TS and as well as CICS TS related OEM products.
- Thorough working knowledge and experience with the use of IBM's SMP/E.
- Strong analytical skills and understanding of CICS TS concepts, configuration and tailoring.
- Thorough working knowledge of products used to monitor performance of CICS TS regions.
- Self-motivated and able to work independently.
- Must be able to multi-task and work under short deadlines and in high pressure situations.
- Excellent communication skills (written, verbal and presentations).
- Ability to work as part of a team, as well as independently.
Standard Working Hours
- Shift: 8AM to 5PM Local time
- Oncall, overtime and scheduled weekend work required.
Why Ensono?
Ensono is a place to make better happen – for our clients and for your career. You can do great things through innovation or collaboration, by learning or volunteering, or to promote diversity and inclusion. You can do great things for your own health or for a healthier planet. Whatever it means to you to do great things we want Ensono to be the place you can do it.
We are a client-facing business, but we do encourage clients to allow us to work remotely most of the time so if you are not required to be on a client site, you can choose to work from home or in our Ensono offices.
Some of our benefits include:
- Unlimited Paid Days Off
- Three health plan options
- 401k with company match
- Eligibility for dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life and AD&D coverage, and flexible spending accounts
- Family Forming Benefit including fertility coverage and adoption/surrogacy reimbursement
- Paid childbearing and paternal leave
- Education Reimbursement, Student Loan Assistance or 529 College Funding
- Sabbatical leave
- Wellness program
- Flexible work schedule
As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this role is $65,000 to $123,000 salary, based on a fulltime schedule. Please note that placement in the range may vary based on numerous factors including but not limited to skills, experience, internal equity, and business needs. In addition to base salary, other compensation programs, depending on eligibility, include an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance and an equity grant under our Associate Equity Appreciation Program.
Ensono is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment to our Associates and building a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.
Pay transparency nondiscrimination statement/posting OFCCP's pay transparency policy can be found on OFCCP's website.
If you need accommodation at any point during the application or interview process, please let your recruiter know or email USTalentAcquisition@ensono.com.
See all 2,475+ Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer Jobs
Target large enterprises with legacy infrastructure
Banks, insurers, government contractors, and healthcare systems run mainframe environments at scale. These organizations sponsor H-1B visas regularly and have established immigration counsel, making the process faster and more predictable than smaller employers.
Highlight z/OS and COBOL depth specifically
Visa petitions for this role require proving specialty occupation status. Detailed documentation of z/OS, JCL, VSAM, and COBOL experience strengthens the employer's case that a specific technical degree is a minimum requirement for the position.
Confirm the job requires a relevant bachelor's degree
H-1B approval depends on the role qualifying as a specialty occupation. Ensure the job description explicitly requires a degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field rather than treating a degree as preferred or optional.
Ask about cap-exempt sponsorship opportunities
Universities, nonprofit research institutions, and certain government contractors are H-1B cap-exempt. These employers can file petitions year-round without waiting for the lottery, which is valuable if you missed the annual registration window.
Use your experience to substitute for degree mismatches
If your degree is in a tangentially related field, three years of specialized mainframe experience can substitute for one year of formal education under USCIS rules. Document your technical experience thoroughly to support this equivalency argument.
Get familiar with the LCA before your offer is finalized
Your employer must file a Labor Condition Application with the Department of Labor before your H-1B petition. Understanding LCA requirements early helps you flag any wage or worksite issues before they delay your start date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer a qualifying specialty occupation for the H-1B?
Yes, this role consistently qualifies as a specialty occupation under H-1B visa rules. USCIS requires that the position normally demands a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field such as computer science or information systems. Given the highly technical nature of mainframe programming, employers can document this requirement clearly, which reduces RFE risk compared to more generalist IT roles.
What degree do I need for an employer to sponsor my H-1B as a Mainframe Systems Programmer?
A bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, electrical engineering, or a closely related technical field is the standard requirement. A degree in an unrelated discipline combined with substantial specialized mainframe experience may still qualify through the three-for-one experience equivalency rule, where three years of relevant work can substitute for one year of formal education.
How competitive is H-1B sponsorship for mainframe roles compared to other IT jobs?
Mainframe roles are significantly less contested than general software engineering positions in the H-1B lottery because fewer candidates compete for them. The pool of qualified mainframe professionals is small globally, which gives employers a strong business justification for sponsorship and means approvals, once selected, face relatively low RFE rates due to the clearly specialized nature of the work.
Where can I find Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer jobs that offer H-1B or visa sponsorship?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for roles where employers have a demonstrated history of visa sponsorship, saving you from applying to positions where international candidates are quietly screened out. Mainframe roles appear across financial services, insurance, and large enterprise sectors on the platform, and listings are updated to reflect current sponsorship availability rather than stale postings.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new mainframe employer if I change jobs?
Yes. Under H-1B portability rules, you can start working for a new employer as soon as the new petition is filed, without waiting for approval, provided you are currently in valid H-1B status. The new employer must file a cap-exempt transfer petition and obtain a certified LCA for the new position. Your mainframe specialization typically makes transfer petitions straightforward to document.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Senior Mainframe Systems Programmer jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.