Technology Team Lead Buffalo, NY Onsite Need 15 Years Experience Leads a cross-functional engineering team responsible for development, modernization, and support of mission-critical mainframe systems integrated with modern platforms (ZConnect, ZDIH) and enterprise DevOps tooling (GitLab CI/CD). This role drives end-to-end ownership across architecture, engineering delivery, QA practices, and DevOps pipelines, ensuring scalable, secure, and high-quality solutions aligned with enterprise SDLC and regulatory standards. Key Responsibilities 1. Technical Leadership & Delivery Ownership Lead design, development, and support of mainframe applications (z/OS, COBOL, JCL, DB2, VSAM) integrated with modern services Own end-to-end SDLC delivery: design → build → test → deploy → operate Serve as technical authority and SME across mainframe and modernization initiatives 2. Solution Architecture & Design Governance Define and enforce end-to-end solution architecture across: Mainframe systems ZConnect API layer ZDIH / data integration platforms Distributed/cloud ecosystems Own creation and governance of: Solution Architecture Documents (SAD) Component, integration, and data flow diagrams Ensure: Loose coupling between legacy and modern systems API-first and event-driven design where applicable Scalability, resiliency, and performance considerations Conduct architecture reviews and design approvals before development initiation 3. DevOps, GitLab & Pipeline Ownership Lead adoption and governance of GitLab-based CI/CD pipelines Define and enforce: Branching strategies (feature / release / hotfix) Merge request standards and approvals Code quality gates (Sonar, coverage thresholds) Drive pipeline standardization and automation, reducing manual steps Own pipeline troubleshooting and continuous improvement 4. Modernization & Integration (ZConnect / ZDIH) Lead delivery of z/OS Connect APIs enabling mainframe services Drive adoption of ZDIH and hybrid integration patterns Identify opportunities to: Decouple legacy logic Enable reusable APIs and services Ensure secure and scalable integration with distributed platforms 5. QA Engineering & Quality Practices Test Strategy & Governance Define and enforce end-to-end QA strategy, including: Unit testing Integration testing System / end-to-end testing Regression testing Ensure test strategy is documented and approved prior to development Automation & DevOps Integration Drive test automation integrated into GitLab pipelines : Automated unit tests Regression test suites Pipeline-based validation and quality gates Enforce shift-left testing practices across the team Quality Engineering Standards Establish and enforce: Code quality standards (static analysis, peer review) Test coverage thresholds Defect lifecycle discipline and root cause analysis Ensure test data strategy and environment stability Release & Production Quality Define release validation criteria: Pre-production validation Deployment smoke tests Post-deployment verification Reduce: Production defects Rework and regression failures 6. Engineering Excellence & Automation Drive automation-first mindset: Minimize manual batch/process work Automate validation, deployments, and monitoring Improve: Cycle time Deployment consistency Operational resilience 7. Team Leadership & Talent Development Lead and mentor engineers across: Mainframe technologies DevOps practices Modern integration stacks Build culture of: Accountability and ownership Peer review and quality discipline Continuous learning and upskilling 8. Stakeholder & Delivery Management Translate business requirements into scalable technical solutions Manage: Backlog prioritization Sprint execution Delivery commitments Ensure adherence to: SDLC controls Audit and compliance requirements 9. Strategic Leadership & Technology Direction (NEW) Define and drive technology strategy for mainframe modernization and hybrid architecture (Mainframe + ZConnect + ZDIH + DevOps) Align engineering roadmap with business priorities, cost optimization, and risk reduction goals Identify and execute opportunities to: Reduce technical debt Simplify legacy processes Improve platform scalability and resiliency Lead transformation initiatives from: Batch/report-driven systems → API-driven and data-integrated platforms Influence cross-team and enterprise decisions on standards, tooling, and architecture 10. Metrics-Driven Engineering & Execution Discipline (NEW) Establish and enforce a metrics-driven operating model across engineering and delivery Define, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs), including: Sprint predictability (≥90% commitment adherence) Deployment frequency and lead time Defect density and production leakage Test automation coverage Pipeline success/failure rates Drive data-based decision making for: Capacity planning Prioritization and backlog management Continuous improvement initiatives Implement regular performance reviews (team and system-level) using measurable outcomes Ensure all initiatives have: Clear success criteria Defined milestones Traceable outcomes aligned to OKRs Required Qualifications Technical Skills Strong experience in Mainframe technologies z/OS, COBOL, CICS, JCL, VSAM, Easytrieve+ Experience with: z/OS Connect (ZConnect) ZDIH / data integration / hybrid architectures Hands-on expertise in: GitLab CI/CD pipelines, branching, release management DevOps practices Experience integrating with: distributed systems Leadership & Delivery Skills Proven experience leading engineering teams / technical squads Strong understanding of: Agile / Scrum SDLC governance Ability to: Drive execution discipline Balance legacy stability and modernization Preferred Qualifications Experience in solution architecture / system design leadership Exposure to: Cloud (Azure / OpenShift) Event-driven / API-first architecture Familiarity with: Enterprise schedulers (CA7, Automic) Observability / SRE practices Looking forward to work with you !! Riya | Manager – Talent Acquisition United IT Solutions Inc || Email: riya@uniteditinc.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeshwari-r-riya-81848921a/ www.uniteditinc.com | 1212 Corporate Dr, Suite 555, Irving, TX – 75038 *United IT Solutions, Inc. is Celebrating 16 years in the IT Industry * To unsubscribe from future emails or to update your email preferences click here Related