How to hire a mainframe developer

How to hire a mainframe developer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step mainframe developer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a mainframe developer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new mainframe developer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a mainframe developer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your mainframe developer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a mainframe developer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A mainframe developer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, mainframe developers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents mainframe developer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Mainframe Developer	Description	Hourly rate
   Mainframe Developer	Computer programmers write and test code that allows computer applications and software programs to function properly. They turn the program designs created by software developers and engineers into instructions that a computer can follow.	$33-56
   Software Programmer	A software programmer is an information technology expert who specializes in programming software and generating codes, ensuring quality and efficiency. In a company setting, they typically perform research and analysis to understand and identify the projects' needs, develop and implement test structures, troubleshoot and resolve issues, write technical instructions, and provide technical support to staff as needed... Show more	$26-44
   Software Engineer	A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer... Show more	$35-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • DB2
   • JCL
   • CICS
   • SQL
   • VSAM
   • Java
   • MQ
   • Cobol II
   • Test Data
   • Application Development
   • Procs
   • Debugging
   • SPUFI
   • Test Cases

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Used ChangeMan to manage change control for source code and JCL migrations/promotions.
   • Design and develop SQL SSIS packages to manage the flow and synchronization of data across multiple systems.
   • Utilize significant experience working with end users, managing off-shore resources and interfacing with diverse QA groups across the firm.
   • Create a completely automate and fully manage desktop management solution.
   • Perform debugging modify on-line programs using GUI/XI debugging tolls for XML and Xpediter.
   • Created/Change various data files/tables such as VSAM, PDS, GDG and DB2 tables.

   More mainframe developer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the mainframe developer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A mainframe developer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a mainframe developer in Iowa may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level mainframe developer. Additionally, a mainframe developer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average mainframe developer salary

   $90,902yearly

   $43.70 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mainframe developer salary

   $70,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average mainframe developer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$117,098	$56
   2	Georgia	$94,772	$46
   3	District of Columbia	$94,704	$46
   4	Massachusetts	$94,572	$45
   5	New Jersey	$94,337	$45
   6	New York	$93,791	$45
   7	North Carolina	$92,910	$45
   8	Texas	$92,769	$45
   9	Maryland	$92,421	$44
   10	South Carolina	$92,173	$44
   11	Arizona	$91,906	$44
   12	Virginia	$90,227	$43
   13	Utah	$89,450	$43
   14	Pennsylvania	$88,946	$43
   15	Connecticut	$88,811	$43
   16	Ohio	$88,759	$43
   17	Wisconsin	$87,087	$42
   18	Florida	$85,671	$41
   19	Illinois	$84,241	$41
   20	Michigan	$83,897	$40

   Average mainframe developer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$155,105	$74.57	2,485
   2	BNY Mellon	$118,666	$57.05	7
   3	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$116,233	$55.88	475
   4	State Street	$112,974	$54.31	8
   5	UBS	$109,030	$52.42
   6	Randstad North America, Inc.	$108,554	$52.19	55
   7	Charles Schwab	$107,607	$51.73	50
   8	Zions Bank	$104,188	$50.09	9
   9	CyberCoders	$103,595	$49.81
   10	TEKsystems	$103,053	$49.54	39
   11	Midas	$101,277	$48.69
   12	Hired	$101,208	$48.66	1
   13	Strategic Staffing Solutions	$101,135	$48.62	2
   14	DIVERSANT	$101,053	$48.58
   15	Eclaro	$100,547	$48.34	2
   16	Sky	$100,292	$48.22	7
   17	myMatrixx	$100,155	$48.15
   18	Visa	$99,764	$47.96	72
   19	ICONMA	$98,892	$47.54	6
   20	Professional Alternatives	$98,014	$47.12

4. Writing a mainframe developer job description

   A job description for a mainframe developer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a mainframe developer job description:

   Mainframe developer job description example

   Short Description
   
   Title: Mainframe developer
   Location : New York, NY (presently WFH relocation required post-pandemic)
   Employment Terms: Fulltime with benefits
   
   We are looking for a Mainframe developer to join our team. The candidate must have 7 years of experience in Cobol JCL DB2 VSAM and CICS on IBM mainframe Assemble and CICS.
   
   Job Responsibilities
   
   

   • Around 7 years of experience in Cobol JCL DB2 VSAM and CICS on IBM mainframe
   • Should be able to work coordinate with Client SME
   • Experience of working on Development Production support projects
   • Should be responsible for gathering and analyzing system requirements and preparing Technical designs
   • Should have good understanding of applications on COBOL JCL CICS IBM DB2 VSAM Good to have Knowledge in Production support
   • Should have good problem solving debugging troubleshooting Skills
   • Should able to work with Business Analyst and SME and take technical decisions where appropriate keeping the relevant stakeholders in loop
   • Should have good written and verbal communication skills Should be able to lead the team
   • Assemble and CICS skill is mandatory
   • Should be able to work with Client Architect

   
   
   Benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k, Life insurance, Paid Time-off, Personal days, Sick days
   
   Disclaimer
   
   Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of over 300,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. With its strong 50-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2020 global revenues of €16 billion.
   
   Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find mainframe developers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your mainframe developer job on Zippia to find and attract quality mainframe developer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit mainframe developers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview mainframe developer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new mainframe developer

   Once you've selected the best mainframe developer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new mainframe developer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a mainframe developer?