IBM Systems Administrator
Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG)
Department: Information Technology | Enterprise Services
Location: US LA Remote
About the Role:
Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) is seeking an IBM Systems Administrator to join our Enterprise Services team within Information Technology.
The IBM Systems Administrator serves as a key technical resource supporting PALIG's IBM infrastructure and software ecosystem. Acting as a first point of contact for operational support and system reliability, this role is responsible for maintaining daily IBM i operations, including performance monitoring, backup management, patching, incident resolution, and proactive system improvements.
Reporting to the IBM Operations Manager, the IBM Systems Administrator collaborates closely with cross-functional teams and vendors to deliver timely and effective technical solutions while supporting a stable, secure, and highly available environment.
The ideal candidate demonstrates strong technical proficiency across IBM technologies, a commitment to continuous learning, and a proactive approach to problem-solving. This role offers the opportunity to deepen expertise within the IBM i platform and broader IBM ecosystem while supporting critical business operations.
Essential Functions:
Hardware and Software Management
- Provide support for IBM hardware, including concurrent maintenance, proactive monitoring, and service event management.
- Manage system resources through IBM consoles and advanced system configurations.
- Install firmware updates and service packs (SPs) for IBM hardware environments.
- Deploy, configure, and maintain third-party software across IBM i LPARs.
- Administer software licensing, ensuring compliance and timely renewals.
- Integrate IBM i environments with external solutions to support business and operational needs.
Vendor Coordination
- Serve as a liaison with vendors through email and ticketing platforms to escalate issues and obtain technical support.
- Coordinate vendor engagement for both day-to-day operational support and project-based initiatives.
- Partner with vendors to align support activities with operational priorities and strategic objectives.
Backup and Patch Management
- Monitor backup operations across IBM i LPARs, including daily, weekly, monthly, and annual backup processes.
- Maintain and update backup and media management policies using BRMS.
- Troubleshoot backup-related issues and coordinate timely resolution when needed.
- Execute save and restore operations to support business and operational requirements.
- Manage the PTF lifecycle, including the download, loading, and application of program temporary fixes.
- Monitor IBM CVE notifications and respond appropriately to identified vulnerabilities.
- Collaborate with the Information Security team to support vulnerability management best practices.
Operations Support
- Monitor server performance, jobs, queues, and system messages across production and non-production environments.
- Perform ASP cleanup activities and coordinate with development teams when additional remediation is required.
- Identify opportunities to automate or improve manual processes and recommend solutions to management.
- Resolve technical issues and service requests escalated by IT coordinators and operators.
- Adhere to established change management processes and IBM security standards.
- Support disaster recovery (DR) activities and business continuity planning (BCP) initiatives.
- Develop and maintain operational dashboards, reports, and system health metrics.
Security Management and Audit Compliance
- Create and maintain privileged accounts using corporate identity and access management tools.
- Enforce least-privilege access principles and review special access requests.
- Apply security best practices related to group profiles, authorization lists, IFS paths, and library configurations.
- Generate audit-ready reports using IBM and third-party reporting tools.
- Escalate complex security, compliance, and audit-related matters to the IBM Operations Manager.
Education & Experience:
Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, and a minimum of five (5) years of experience supporting IBM systems.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):
- Demonstrated knowledge of backup and recovery processes, including monitoring, testing, troubleshooting, and executing backup and restore operations.
- Working knowledge of IBM i operating systems, including system configuration, resource management, performance tuning, and operational support.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes and implement effective technical solutions.
- Ability to support system testing activities related to upgrades, patches, configuration changes, disaster recovery exercises, and technology implementations.
What We Offer:
- Competitive compensation package (base salary & bonus).
- Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off, and tuition reimbursement.
- Medical and dental coverage effective the first of the month following 30 days of service.
- Flexible work environment supporting work-life balance through a hybrid work arrangement.
- Opportunities for professional growth and career development within a global organization.
About Us:
Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) serves the life, accident, and health insurance needs of individuals and businesses across 49 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands through its U.S.-based member companies, Pan-American Life Insurance Company and Pan-American Assurance Company.
At PALIG, our employees are our greatest asset. We value collaboration, trust, innovation, and the confidence of our policyholders. Our long-standing commitment to excellence continues to drive our success.
Pan-American Life is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace.