(Contractor) COBOL Developer

At Sparq, we help companies solve the right problems—not just build more technology.We’re a modern product engineering partner blending strategy, craftsmanship, and speed to help organizations modernize confidently in the age of AI. From data ecosystems to digital products and AI acceleration, we turn complexity into clarity and ideas into impact.If you’re driven to build what’s next, lead with empathy, and deliver excellence without ego, you’ll feel right at home at Sparq.C2C is not availableMust be authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorshipA Day in the Life:Design, develop, and maintain COBOL-based applications supporting core business and financial processing systems in a large-scale enterprise environmentAnalyze and interpret existing COBOL codebases, identifying opportunities for optimization, modernization, and defect resolutionActively leverage AI tools to streamline tasks, improve the quality of your work, and share best practices with teammates while continuously seeking new ways to integrate AI into your everyday workflowsCollaborate with business analysts and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical specifications and working codeDevelop and maintain batch processing programs, ensuring reliable, high-volume data processing with structured error handling and job scheduling alignmentIntegrate COBOL applications with modern systems and data sources, supporting interoperability across legacy and contemporary technology stacksParticipate in code reviews, contributing to coding standards and best practices across the development teamSupport testing cycles including unit, integration, and regression testing, ensuring code quality and system stability ahead of release milestonesTroubleshoot and resolve production issues in a timely manner, minimizing business disruption and maintaining system reliabilityCollaborate cross-functionally with infrastructure, QA, and business teams to deliver cohesive, stable solutionsContribute to documentation efforts, maintaining clear and accurate technical specifications for all developed and modified componentsWhat it takes:Proven hands-on experience developing and maintaining COBOL applications in an enterprise environmentStrong understanding of batch processing, job scheduling, and high-volume data processing conceptsAbility to read, interpret, and optimize complex legacy codebases with minimal ramp-up timeExperience integrating COBOL-based systems with modern platforms, APIs, or middleware solutionsFamiliarity with mainframe environments such as IBM z/OS, JCL, VSAM, and CICS or IMSHands-on experience using AI tools to enhance daily work, or a strong desire to do so, including a willingness to experiment, learn, and champion AI adoption within your roleSolid understanding of relational databases and data file structures commonly used in legacy environments (DB2, VSAM flat files)Strong problem-solving skills and ability to diagnose and resolve production issues under pressureDesire to work collaboratively in a team environment while maintaining the ability to work independently on assigned componentsAttention to detail and commitment to code quality, documentation, and technical standardsGood interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills to engage effectively with both technical and business stakeholdersRegardless of your specific role, we seek individuals who are excited to explore, adopt, and evangelize AI tools and methodologies. If you have experience in AI or a proven track record of rapidly learning and mentoring others on emerging tech, you’ll fit right in.Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: Sparq is proud to offer equal employment opportunity without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities and believe in an inclusive workplace. If you require reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, please let us know by contacting recruiting@teamsparq.com#LI-REMOTE