Middleware Support Admins

Job Summary

This individual level contributor is primarily responsible for supporting enterprise messaging middleware runtime systems, including IBM ACE and IBM MQ. Ensure that the platform systems are monitored to meet expected SLAs for performance and availability, systems are kept current with software updates and with maintenance, troubleshoot and resolve complex technical problems, implement preventive fixes and process changes, and deploy application interfaces and related changes.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide operational support for production and pre-production IBM App Connect Enterprise (Message Broker), IBM MQ.
• Working as part of a team, execute assigned tasks, following SOPs, technical standards, and best practices.
• Occasionally participate in system builds and integrating with other middleware and enterprise platform software.
• Develop familiarity with the enterprise messaging middleware platforms, awareness of the critical business workflows that are processed in the various interfaces, and understanding of L2 level actions that may be used to keep operations flowing smoothly (restarting processes, clearing queues, etc.).
• Complete incoming requests to perform routine tasks for customer application teams and developers, such as deploying message flow code, modifying middleware server configuration, restarting services, renewing and deploying TLS certificates.
• Follow documented production support processes such as incident management, problem management and root cause analysis, and change enablement practices, leveraging the KP service management system.
• Respond to technical incidents and perform troubleshooting of complex problems within the application runtime environment on the messaging middleware servers, such as checking system logs, looking for down or hung processes, confirming correct configurations, and using problem solving techniques, identify and perform actions needed to restore operational service to the system, and then report results back to the customer reporting the problem.
• For high-impact or repetitive problems, contribute to root cause analysis and recommended prevention plan.
• Respond to alerts from 24x7 monitoring when performance or availability thresholds are triggered; take proactive, corrective measure to prevent customer downtime or outages.
• Complete assigned preventive maintenance activities such as applying software updates to the middleware stack, testing system recovery procedures, and as part of lifecycle management, support the migration of the middleware and application environment to new servers.
• When required, submit and track requests for dependency tasks to infrastructure, security, or other technical teams thru KP service management system.
• Utilize process automation using DevOps tools such as Jenkins, Ansible, Urban Code Deploy.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, CIS, or related field and Minimum of three (3) years experience in software development or a related field.

In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, equivalent work experience of three (3) years may be substituted for a total of six (6) years experience.

Additional Requirements

One (1) year experience working as a developer or system admin for one or more of these messaging server platforms: IBM App Connect Enterprise, IBM Integration Bus or IBM MQ

One (1) year experience with Unix/Linux systems

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with DevOps tools (Jenkins, Ansible, Urban Code Deploy are examples)

Experience with troubleshooting complex systems using problem solving techniques Experience developing programs or scripts to automate common tasks, using a language such as Python, Perl, or Unix shell

Experience with Apache Kafka