[Hiring] Technical Lead / Cobol Programmer @Custom Software Systems Inc.

Role Description

CSS is seeking an experienced Technical Lead to serve as the senior technical authority within a six-person Journeyman Computer Programmer team supporting DRAS at DFAS. This individual will direct day-to-day technical execution, establish and enforce coding standards, conduct peer reviews, lead code turnovers, and serve as the primary technical liaison between the contractor development team and the DFAS DRAS Program Management Office (PMO). DRAS is an IBM z/OS mainframe-based system developed primarily in COBOL and CICS, processing $6 billion monthly in military retiree and annuity pay.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership
  • Serve as the senior technical point of contact for the DRAS PMO and DRAS System Manager on all software development and maintenance matters.
  • Establish and enforce coding standards, unit testing protocols, and peer review procedures consistent with DRAS SDLC documentation and DFAS business processes.
  • Lead technical participation in System Requirements Reviews (SRRs), Critical Design Reviews (CDRs), Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs), and Post-Implementation Reviews (PIRs).
  • Provide technical mentorship and guidance to the five (5) Journeyman Computer Programmers; assign tasks, review work products, and ensure consistent quality.
  • Prepare and review system change specifications, design documents, and technical system documentation; identify and resolve discrepancies or inaccuracies.
• Requirements Analysis & Software Development
  • Review and analyze System Change Requests (SCRs), point papers from R&A Operations, email requests, and meeting action items.
  • Lead preparation of written impact analyses for proposed changes, identifying all affected system components and producing Level of Effort (LOE) estimates accurate to +/- 15% of actuals.
  • Coordinate all impact analysis responses with the DRAS System Manager prior to submission.
  • Produce COBOL code and associated Job Control Language (JCL) for z/OS mainframe systems meeting SCR specifications and DRAS design document requirements, free of defects.
  • Develop in COBOL for z/OS 2.1, CICS, ADS-Online, ADS-Batch, MQ Series, and SQL; utilize VSAM, IDMS, and DB2 as required.
  • Ensure all developed software meets industry best practices, DRAS-defined business processes, and DFAS CMM Level 3 standards.
• Testing & Code Turnover
  • Lead code walkthroughs to ensure all defects are identified prior to production turnover.
  • Coordinate and facilitate Peer Review meetings; present technical findings on defects, code efficiency, and conformance with coding standards.
  • Verify completion of all required testing plans and results prior to approving code turnover.
  • Ensure at least 95% of Customer Acceptance Testing (CAT) test cases pass without defects prior to production release.
  • Move approved code into designated staging areas and notify appropriate DFAS parties when code is production-ready.
• Production Support & Issue Resolution
  • Provide direct production support to resolve payroll processing issues affecting RCPS, APS, and CRSC subsystems.
  • Lead root cause analysis and resolution for production anomalies; document 100% of reported situations in accordance with DFAS business processes.
  • Monitor production performance and production job execution; proactively identify and escalate emerging issues.
  • Participate in ad hoc user meetings as needed to support application issue resolution.
• Agile & Process Compliance
  • Lead the team's participation in the DRAS Agile transformation effort; attend DFAS-sponsored Agile Boot Camp training and meet defined maturity expectations.
  • Execute data queries to support detailed requirements reviews and identify relevant data conditions.
  • Comply with DFAS-defined timeframes for program analysis, programming, unit testing, and pre-implementation support.
  • Maintain 95% monthly attendance at required team meetings; ensure team adherence to meeting participation requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related technical field; or equivalent combination of education and directly applicable experience.
• Minimum 8 years of hands-on IBM mainframe development experience, including at least 5 years in a technical lead or senior developer capacity.
• Expert-level proficiency in COBOL for z/OS, CICS, and JCL; strong working knowledge of VSAM, DB2, and IDMS.
• Experience with z/OS 2.1, TSO/ROSCOE, CA Librarian, CA-View/DocView, Control-M, and related mainframe tools.
• Demonstrated experience conducting peer reviews, code walkthroughs, and leading structured software development teams.
• Prior experience supporting DoD payroll or financial management systems preferred; DRAS/RCPS/APS experience highly preferred.
• Active or adjudicable Tier 3 / Noncritical-Sensitive (IT-II) background investigation.
• Must be a U.S. citizen; males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct prior DRAS program experience (RCPS, APS, CRSC).
• Familiarity with PeopleSoft Global Payroll v9.2 in the context of DFAS ERP modernization efforts.
• Experience with MQ Series, SyncSort, Abendaid, MaxUtil, and other third-party tools in the DRAS stack.
• Exposure to Agile SDLC in a mainframe environment; Scrum or SAFe certification a plus.
• Experience with DFAS or DoD FMR Vol. 5 payroll financial management regulations.

Work Environment & Security Requirements

• Primary performance at DFAS Cleveland, Bratenahl, or Indianapolis; remote/telework permitted with COR approval, subject to security restrictions.
• Must be available outside standard core hours (nights/weekends) when mission needs dictate, as coordinated with the COR.
• All work performed on Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE); use of personally-owned devices for government information is prohibited.
• Foreign travel requires DFAS Form 9133 submission not less than 30 days prior to departure.