Job Summary
Position Overview
We are looking for an energetic and detail-oriented Application Support Engineer (L1 + L2) to support application maintenance in an SRE‑driven operating model. This role combines first‑line and second‑line support, including incident troubleshooting, configuration management, code‑aware tasks, stability checks, and ongoing optimization activities.
The ideal candidate will help ensure application stability, performance, and continuous improvement while supporting Mainframe platforms, COBOL‑based batch jobs, CICS transactions, and DB2 database flows.
This is an excellent role for freshers or early‑career engineers eager to grow into SRE, DevOps for Mainframe, or advanced application engineering roles.
Key Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
1. Incident & Service Request Handling (L1 + L2 Scope)
Monitor alerts, job failures, and system dashboards; acknowledge and respond within defined SLAs/SLOs.
Perform initial troubleshooting using JES logs, SYSOUT/SYSPRINT, dataset checks, and runbooks.
Restore services by executing recommended actions (job reruns, JCL corrections, dataset refreshes, region restarts).
Escalate complex issues to senior engineers or development teams with clear documentation.
Maintain accurate incident notes, timelines, and resolution steps.
2. Application Source Code & Content Operations
Support parameter, dataset, and configuration updates across Mainframe applications.
Assist in code/config deployments during release windows, including pre‑checks, validation, and rollback support.
Maintain JCL streams, DB2 bind details, and version‑controlled artifacts (using Endevor/Changeman or similar tools).
Execute tasks to keep application components current, optimized, and stable.
3. Application Stability & Daily Operational Checks
Perform scheduled health checks, batch cycle monitoring, CICS region validations, and log analysis.
Ensure smooth functioning of COBOL programs, JCL workflows, DB2 queries, and online transaction screens.
Validate dataset allocations, indexing, job completions, backups, and overall service health metrics.
4. SRE-Conscious Operations & Automation Participation
Follow SRE practices such as runbook execution, error‑budget awareness, and RCA discipline.
Identify recurring issues and propose automation or runbook improvements.
Contribute to Knowledge Base (KB) articles and troubleshooting guides.
Support continuous improvement initiatives across reliability, observability, and operational efficiency.
5. Tools & Platforms Exposure
Mainframe Technologies: COBOL, JCL, CICS, DB2, VSAM – debugging, dataset management, and job execution.
Utilities: ISPF, SDSF, File‑Aid, SORT utilities, and Abend‑Aid (or similar).
Change Management: Endevor, Changeman, or equivalent Mainframe version‑control tools.
Monitoring Tools: OMEGAMON, Mainview, Sysview, and log analysis dashboards.
Freeware/Open-source tools: Git (documentation), Postman/Notepad++ (auxiliary), curl/OpenSSL for API simulations.
Skill Requirements
Mandatory Requirements
0–2 years of experience in application support, production support, or software maintenance.
Basic understanding of:
COBOL program flows, JCL execution logic, and batch cycles
CICS transactions and online screen behaviors
DB2 basics – ability to run simple SQL SELECT queries
VSAM and dataset structures
Job reruns, dataset checks, and abend investigation
Familiarity with Mainframe tools (ISPF, SDSF) and versioning tools.
Strong analytical and troubleshooting mindset.
Willingness to work in rotational shifts and learn rapidly.
Good to Have
Exposure to OMEGAMON, Mainview, Sysview, or similar monitoring tools.
Knowledge of REXX/CLIST scripting for automation.
Understanding of CICS transaction routing, DB2 performance basics, and VSAM indexing.
Awareness of ITIL processes (Incident, Change, Problem).
Basic understanding of batch optimization and dump analysis.
Soft Skills
Strong communication and documentation skills.
Ability to think logically and solve problems under pressure.
Proactive learning attitude and adaptability.
Team player with a customer‑first mindset.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Incident response & resolution speed (MTTA/MTTR).
Ticket quality and adherence to SLAs.
Accuracy and completeness of documentation and runbooks.
Contribution to stability improvements and SLO adherence.
Participation in automation and process optimization efforts.