Job description

Job Title: Senior z/TPF Software Engineer (HLASM) Location: Washington, DC (On-site) Employment Type: Contract (W2 through ZipStaff — No C2C or 1099) About the Opportunity: ZipStaff is seeking a Senior IBM z/TPF Software Engineer to support mission-critical, high-volume transaction systems at a major national passenger transportation organization. This is a hands-on senior engineering role. You will design, maintain, and support z/TPF applications written in High-Level Assembler (HLASM), perform deep production diagnostics, and deliver production-safe fixes across inventory, reservation, availability, and ticketing workflows. You will operate as a technical SME with architects, developers, and business analysts to keep these systems stable and performant. What You’ll Do: • Design, develop, maintain, and support complex IBM z/TPF applications in HLASM / ASM. • Analyze, debug, and resolve high-priority production issues using the IBM z/TPF Toolkit, debuggers, dump analysis, and diagnostic utilities. • Perform low-level troubleshooting of ECB processing, registers, storage management, work areas, control blocks, masks, flags, and transaction execution flows. • Maintain TPFDF record structures, ordinals, file retrieval/update logic, chain records, and database access paths. • Trace macro-expanded execution paths and investigate functional logic across multiple processing paths. • Conduct root-cause and impact analysis for inventory, availability, reservation, and ticketing issues; implement production-safe code fixes. • Perform peer code reviews, mentor developers, and translate complex business requirements into technical solutions. • Produce design specs, debugging reports, and technical documentation; support deployments, testing, and post-release validation. Required Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience. • 8+ years of hands-on IBM z/TPF development, maintenance, and troubleshooting. • 8+ years of High-Level Assembler (HLASM / ASM) on z/TPF. • Deep experience with ECB processing, ECB work areas, registers, storage management, and transaction-processing architecture • Proven use of IBM z/TPF Toolkit, debuggers, dump analysis, and diagnostic utilities on production incidents. • Experience with high-volume transaction systems (inventory, reservation, availability, ticketing, transportation, airline, or logistics). • Proficiency with source control and change management (Git, Jira) and Agile / Scrum. • Ability to independently trace multi-module assembler issues. • Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC. • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future. Preferred Qualifications: • TPFDF record structures, ordinals, file addressing, and chain-record processing. • C and C/Assembler integration on z/TPF. • Familiarity with z/OS, TSO/ISPF, JCL, and performance analysis utilities. • Experience modernizing or optimizing large legacy assembler codebases for high-volume transactions. About ZipStaff: ZipStaff partners with leading organizations to connect skilled technology professionals with high-impact contract opportunities. We focus on quality matches, clear communication, and long-term success for candidates and clients. To apply, submit your resume highlighting hands-on IBM z/TPF, HLASM, production dump analysis, and high-volume transaction-system work. Pay: $36 - $37 per hour

Requirements

Must-haves

Job Title: Senior z/TPF Software Engineer (HLASM)
Location: Washington, DC (On-site)
Employment Type: Contract (W2 through ZipStaff — No C2C or 1099)
Design, develop, maintain, and support complex IBM z/TPF applications in HLASM / ASM.
Analyze, debug, and resolve high-priority production issues using the IBM z/TPF Toolkit, debuggers, dump analysis, and diagnostic utilities.
Perform low-level troubleshooting of ECB processing, registers, storage management, work areas, control blocks, masks, flags, and transaction execution flows.
Maintain TPFDF record structures, ordinals, file retrieval/update logic, chain records, and database access paths.
Trace macro-expanded execution paths and investigate functional logic across multiple processing paths.
Conduct root-cause and impact analysis for inventory, availability, reservation, and ticketing issues; implement production-safe code fixes.
Perform peer code reviews, mentor developers, and translate complex business requirements into technical solutions.
Produce design specs, debugging reports, and technical documentation; support deployments, testing, and post-release validation.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
8+ years of hands-on IBM z/TPF development, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
8+ years of High-Level Assembler (HLASM / ASM) on z/TPF.
Deep experience with ECB processing, ECB work areas, registers, storage management, and transaction-processing architecture
Proven use of IBM z/TPF Toolkit, debuggers, dump analysis, and diagnostic utilities on production incidents.
Experience with high-volume transaction systems (inventory, reservation, availability, ticketing, transportation, airline, or logistics).
Proficiency with source control and change management (Git, Jira) and Agile / Scrum.
Ability to independently trace multi-module assembler issues.
Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC.

Nice-to-haves

TPFDF record structures, ordinals, file addressing, and chain-record processing.
C and C/Assembler integration on z/TPF.
Familiarity with z/OS, TSO/ISPF, JCL, and performance analysis utilities.
Experience modernizing or optimizing large legacy assembler codebases for high-volume transactions.

Application prep

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jiraagilescrum

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Effort: medium