Job Description & Details
This is a hands-on backend contract role for an RPG Engineer who knows their way around IBM iSeries and legacy data architecture. If you enjoy modernizing older systems, optimizing large data sets, and working closely with databases like DB2 and SQL Server, this gig keeps you in the engine room of enterprise software.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
You will spend your days writing, refactoring, and maintaining RPG code while ensuring that data pipelines running on IBM iSeries remain performant. Much of your time will go toward handling large data sets, participating in code reviews, and writing solid unit tests to keep things from breaking in production. Expect to collaborate with Agile teams to hit project deliverables without cutting corners on software engineering best practices.
The Core Tech Stack
You need absolute fluency in the RPG programming language and deep familiarity with the IBM iSeries environment. Beyond that, the role relies heavily on relational databases, so strong working knowledge of DB2 and SQL Server is non-negotiable. Knowing your way around CI/CD pipelines, unit testing frameworks, and SAFe agile practices will give you a massive leg up during development cycles.
Interview Expectations
Expect the hiring team to ask you how you approach refactoring legacy RPG codebases without introducing regression bugs, and be ready to walk through a specific instance where you optimized a sluggish query against a massive DB2 data set. They want to see that you understand the performance bottlenecks inherent to iSeries environments and that you don't just write code that works, but code that scales efficiently.
Application Advice
Make sure your resume explicitly highlights your hands-on years with RPG and IBM iSeries right at the top, rather than burying it under modern web tech. Use exact keywords from the job description such as DB2, SQL Server, unit testing, and Agile/Scrum so you clear the initial ATS screening without issue. Frame your past contract work around your ability to jump into dynamic environments and deliver results quickly.