Lead z/OS Platform Engineer

Our Purpose Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential. Title and Summary Lead z/OS Platform Engineer Mastercard is seeking a Lead Mainframe Connectivity Engineer to join our Platform Services Mainframe team. This role is responsible for the design, implementation, support, and optimization of critical mainframe connectivity and file transfer services that power Mastercard's global payment ecosystem. The successful candidate will serve as a technical leader for z/OS communications infrastructure, customer connectivity services, and enterprise file transfer platforms. Working closely with engineering, operations, and application teams, this individual will drive platform reliability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across mission-critical mainframe environments. Role Key Responsibilities • Design, implement, and support IBM z/OS communications infrastructure and related systems software. • Manage enterprise file transfer technologies, including customer onboarding, connectivity changes, and secure data exchange solutions. • Lead troubleshooting and root cause analysis activities for complex networking, connectivity, and file transfer incidents. • Partner with application, engineering, and operations teams to support implementations, upgrades, and production initiatives. • Develop and maintain operational procedures, technical documentation, and platform standards to ensure service consistency and knowledge sharing. • Support disaster recovery planning, failover testing, platform resilience initiatives, and audit compliance activities. • Evaluate, install, configure, and maintain infrastructure software that supports mainframe communications and data movement services. • Drive automation, process improvements, and operational efficiencies across the platform environment. • Collaborate with vendors and internal stakeholders to resolve issues and implement new capabilities. All About You Knowledge & Experience • Deep expertise in IBM z/OS systems programming and mainframe infrastructure administration. • Strong experience supporting z/OS Communications Server, TCP/IP networking, and enterprise connectivity solutions. • Experience administering and supporting enterprise file transfer technologies such as Connect:Direct, Inter.Pel, or similar platforms. • Proven ability to diagnose and resolve complex production issues in high-availability environments. • Experience supporting mission-critical platforms and collaborating across engineering, operations, and business teams. • Knowledge of disaster recovery, resiliency planning, change management, and infrastructure governance practices. • Familiarity with technologies such as IBM MQ, CICS Transaction Server, WebSphere, NetView, NetMaster, or related tooling is beneficial. • Experience evaluating, implementing, and supporting third-party infrastructure software. • Strong communication, documentation, and stakeholder management skills. • Ability to lead initiatives independently while influencing technical direction across multiple teams. • Product install and maintenance knowledge of IBM/Z Workload scheduler Skills & Abilities • Platform Engineering • Mainframe Infrastructure Management • Systems Programming • Network & Connectivity Services • File Transfer Technologies • Incident & Problem Management • Root Cause Analysis • Automation & Continuous Improvement • Technical Leadership • Cross-Functional Collaboration • Operational Resilience • Risk & Compliance Management Mastercard is a merit-based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role. In the US or Canada, if you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application process or during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] and identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. Do not include any medical or health information in this email. The Reasonable Accommodations team will respond to your email promptly. Corporate Security Responsibility All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must: Abide by Mastercard’s security policies and practices; Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed; Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard’s guidelines. In line with Mastercard’s total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Mastercard benefits for full time (and certain part time) employees generally include: insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance); flexible spending account and health savings account; paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave); 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire; 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays; 401k with a best-in-class company match; deferred compensation for eligible roles; fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities; eligibility for tuition reimbursement; and many more. Mastercard benefits for interns generally include: 56 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time; jury duty leave; and on-site fitness facilities in some locations. Pay Ranges Remote - Iowa: $122,000 - $207,000 USD Job Posting Window Posting windows may change based on the volume of applications received and business necessity. Candidates are encouraged to apply expeditiously.