Senior System Architect - COBOL & AWS Modernization Role in Columbus
Career & Market Insight
This is a senior, high-visibility technical role in the federal govtech space — a niche that commands strong compensation and job stability due to long-term government contracts and limited talent supply.
Compensation context: The $120K–$165K range is competitive for a senior architect role, though it sits slightly below top-end private sector rates for equivalent AWS/mainframe hybrid expertise (which can reach $180K–$220K+ at FAANG or large enterprises). The trade-off is greater job stability and mission-driven work in public health infrastructure.
Skills developed in this role:
- Mainframe modernization — one of the most in-demand (and undersupplied) skill sets as legacy COBOL systems face mandatory cloud migration
- Hybrid architecture design bridging COBOL/CICS/VSAM with AWS and Java APIs — a rare, highly marketable combination
- Federal healthcare IT (CMS/Medicare) domain expertise, valued by contractors like Leidos, SAIC, and Accenture Federal
Green flags: Oddball is a small company where a System Architect role carries genuine authority and breadth. The federal contract context provides multi-year engagement stability. "Key Personnel" designation means you are central to the program, raising your visibility with the client.
Yellow flags: The position is contingent on contract award — there is no guaranteed start date, and the timeline could shift. Candidates should clarify expected award dates before making career moves. The COBOL-heavy environment may also limit transferability to non-federal roles if modernization work remains secondary.
Oddball believes that the best products are built when companies understand and value the things they are working on. We value learning and growth and the ability to make a big impact at a small company. We believe that we can make big changes happen and improve the daily lives of millions of people by bringing quality software to the federal space.
This position is contingent upon contract award. As a Key Personnel role, the selected candidate will be asked to sign a letter of intent and may be invited to participate in oral presentations or pre-award activities as part of the proposal process.
We're looking for a System Architect to join our CMS team, serving as the senior technical authority for a Medicare Part A claims processing system built on a 3+ million line COBOL mainframe.
What you'll be doing:
- Own the technical integrity of the FISS architecture across all changes, enhancements, and modernization efforts
- Guide how the mainframe integrates with cloud-hosted components and modern API-based services on AWS
- Define architectural standards and review all technical decisions that touch the core system
- Ensure COBOL, CICS, and VSAM changes are made safely without introducing risk to claims processing
- Collaborate with modernization engineers working in Java and API development to ensure clean integration patterns
- Serve as the technical escalation point for complex issues across the program
- Perform other related duties as assigned
What you'll bring:
- Deep hands-on experience with COBOL and IBM mainframe environments including CICS and VSAM
- Experience integrating mainframe systems with cloud-hosted or API-based components
- Familiarity with AWS and modern API development patterns
- Experience on Medicare or Medicaid claims processing systems is a strong plus
- Thrives in a remote, collaborative environment and communicates clearly across technical and non-technical audiences
Requirements:
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. In alignment with federal contract requirements, certain roles may also require U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a federal background investigation and/or a security clearance.
Education:
- Bachelor's degree
Benefits:
- Fully remote
- Yearly stipend
- Comprehensive Benefits Package
- Company Match 401(k) plan
- Flexible PTO, Paid Holidays
Compensation:
At Oddball, it's important each employee is compensated competitively and fairly. In alignment with state legal requirements. A range for the included position is listed below. Be advised, actual offer details are determined by job category, job location, and candidate skill level.
United States Wage Range: $120,000 – $165,000
Oddball is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against applicants based on race, religion, color, disability, medical condition, legally protected genetic information, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), age, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. Any applicant with a mental or physical disability who requires an accommodation during the application process should contact an Oddball HR representative to request such an accommodation by emailing [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this System Architect role truly fully remote?
What is the salary range for this position?
Why is the position listed as contingent upon contract award?
What technical background is required for this role?
Does this role require a security clearance?
