z/OS Connect API Architect

ITTConnect is seeking a z/OS Connect API Engineer/Junior Architect to work on site for a client in the Columbus, OH area. This is a contract position with a client that is a global leader in consulting, digital transformation, technology and engineering services with over 300,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. The end client is in the Utilities sector.

Job location: Preferably Columbus, OH (on site work). Remote is also a possibility.

The z/OS Connect API Engineer/Architect is responsible for modernizing mainframe services through API enablement using IBM z/OS Connect. This role bridges traditional CICS/COBOL systems with modern API and cloud-native architectures while enabling secure, scalable, and reusable integration capabilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Installation and configuration of a new IBM z/OS Connect EE and WebSphere Liberty environment from scratch
  
• Develop REST APIs using IBM z/OS Connect.
  
• Expose CICS and DB2 transactions through modern API contracts.
  
• Build and maintain API service definitions, mappings, and YAML configurations.
  
• Develop OpenAPI specifications aligned with enterprise standards.
  
• Configure and support JWT, OAuth2, OIDC, RACF, and certificate-based authentication.
  
• Implement CI/CD deployment pipelines using GitHub Actions and Gradle.
  
• Support integration with APIM as the enterprise API gateway.
  
• Troubleshoot performance, security, and connectivity issues.
  
• Develop onboarding templates and reusable API accelerators.
  
• Participate in mainframe modernization initiatives and Shadow Service migration efforts.
  

Required Skills:

• IBM z/OS Connect
  
• REST APIs
  
• OpenAPI
  
• JSON/XML
  
• CICS
  
• COBOL
  
• DB2
  
• RACF
  
• GitHub
  
• CI/CD
  

Preferred Skills:

• APIM
  
• Java
  
• Spring Boot
  
• OAuth2/OIDC
  
• Mainframe modernization programs