Software Development Engineer (General-Purpose Machine Systems)
そふとうぇあかいはつぎじゅつしゃ（はんようききけい）
Industry & Occupation
Classification
Summary
Technical role involving the design, development, and operation of business systems running on general-purpose machines (mainframes).
Description
Software Development Engineers (General-Purpose Machine Systems) handle requirements definition, basic and detailed design, programming in COBOL or PL/I, batch job development using JCL, construction of online processing using CICS, testing, operations, troubleshooting, and performance tuning for core business systems running on mainframes. They are involved in maintaining and modifying legacy systems in fields such as finance, insurance, manufacturing, and public sectors, as well as migration projects to open systems.
Future Outlook
Demand for legacy core system maintenance remains stable, but acquiring open-system skills is required due to trends in DX and cloud migration.
Personality Traits
Work Style
Contract Development / In-House Development / In-House SE / On-Site Maintenance
Career Path
Programmer (Junior) → Systems Engineer (General-Purpose Machine Systems) → Technical Lead → Project Manager → IT Manager
Required Skills
COBOL Programming / JCL Operation / Mainframe OS Operation / Middleware Operation
Recommended Skills
Aptitudes (Strengths Preferred)
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Analytical & Logical Thinking | Ability to logically break down business requirements into system processes is necessary. |
| Attention to Detail & Accuracy | Small mistakes can lead to serious incidents such as business interruptions. |
| Learning Agility & Knowledge Acquisition | Continuous acquisition of legacy and new technologies is necessary. |
| Problem Solving | Problem-solving skills are required for complex transaction processing and troubleshooting. |
Aptitudes (Weaknesses Acceptable)
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Physical Stamina & Endurance | Mainly desk work with low physical demands. |
Related Qualifications
- Applied Information Technology Engineer Examination
- Fundamental Information Technology Engineer Examination
Aliases
- General-Purpose Machine Programmer
- Mainframe Engineer
- Mainframe Programmer
Related Jobs
- Database Engineer
- Infrastructure Engineer
- Systems Engineer (General-Purpose Machine Systems)