Skip to main content
🇩🇪GDPR-compliant
Find the best

Mainframe Experts in Hamburg

matched in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AI

Hire experts who keep z/OS environments stable, modernize COBOL and JCL workloads, and support CICS, IMS and Db2 change safely. Get fast, precise matching with vetted, available freelancers.

Meet FRATCH Experts in Hamburg, who have recently used Mainframe

Verified expert

Hartmut Ullrich

View profile

Freelancer

Hamburg
Hartmut Ullrich

Last position:

Freelancer at Freelancer

  • Projects at Raiffeisen Software Group (RSG), Linz from 2022-01-01 to 2025-03-31: application development on mainframe with PL/1, DB2, JCL, Tabex; development environment with idz, Jira, Dimensions, Confluence; execution of projects in banking reporting (own funds, capital requirements, large exposures, leverage ratio)

  • Project at Airbus, Hamburg from 2020-01-01 to 2022-12-31: mainframe system enhancements (TAKSY) in agile environment (Scrum, SAFe); business analysis; technical design; implementation (PL/1, DB2, IMS, JCL); test management; deployment

Verified expert

Axel Telthörster

View profile

Migration of Host Programs to Decentralized Processing (Cobol to Java)

Großhansdorf
Axel Telthörster

Last position:

Migration of Host Programs to Decentralized Processing (Cobol to Java) at Freelancer

  • Analysis of calculations in the legacy system (Cobol), reconciliation with specification and checking differences in the new system
  • Managing change requests with Jira
  • Basis for compare reconciliation: XML formats for further processing in Dopix (business: VS certificate, customer info, contribution statements)
  • Automated XML comparisons via TWS jobs in various test systems
  • Reviewing and documenting related utility programs and interface calls
  • Reviewing legacy programs in terms of content, technology, and business logic
  • Creating and extending JCLs for regression tests host <> decentralized
  • Analyzing error cases and comparing with specifications for correctness
  • Creating Jira tickets as requests or bug fixes for the Java programs

Technical environment:

  • COBOL
  • TSO/ISPF
  • DB2/SQL (Spufi, QE2)
  • IMS-DB/DC application development
  • JCL, TWS (Tivoli), EJM Beta48 (AIX)
  • Changeman (Extended Release Option)
  • Citrix environment
  • MS Office
  • Ticket management with Jira
  • Agile development
Verified expert

Silke Wöhning

View profile

Head of Project Management and Consultancy

Hamburg
Silke Wöhning

Last position:

Head of Project Management and Consultancy at Systemtechnik GmbH

  • Planning of projects and consulting services: professional, technical and commercial, focusing on transformation for public transport
  • Identification and assessment of project risks with development of measures and recommendations for risk minimization and avoidance
  • Evaluation of projects and reporting
  • Execution of projects and delivery of consulting services on time, with required quality and within budget
  • Project, hardware and consulting services forecasting
  • Disciplinary and professional staff management
  • Team development and coaching
  • Resource planning across various locations
  • Stakeholder management
  • Client management with service and support
  • Development of contingency plans
Verified expert

Frank Heimsohn

View profile

Project Manager Database Upgrade

Ellerbek
Frank Heimsohn

Last position:

Project Manager Database Upgrade at Bank

  • Planning, coordination and tracking of tasks for database administration (DBA)
  • Coordination with application developers and test managers (QA) involved in the project
  • Migration of existing databases in several stages
  • Coordination and communication with stakeholders
  • Technologies: MariaDB
  • Tools: MS Office, Confluence, Jira
  • Methods: project management according to the client's process
  • Project language: English / German

Discover over 15,000 top freelancers

Statistics of experts using Mainframe

Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.

Experience

33 years (Germany: 29 years)

Position duration

5 years (Germany: 2.3 years)

Positions per freelancer

15 (Germany: 17)

Top business areas

Information Technology, Quality Assurance, Project Management

Top industries

Banking and Finance, Information Technology, Insurance

Certification focus areas

Information Technology, Project Management, Operations

Bachelor's degree or higher

50% (Germany: 72%)

Master's degree or higher

50% (Germany: 43%)

Doctorate

25% (Germany: 12%)

Certifications per freelancer

2 (Germany: 3)

Most common languages

German, English, French

Speak two or more languages

83% (Germany: 96%)

Based on our profile pool as of 30 Aug 2026.

Daily rate distribution

0 1 2 3 4
<€720 €800-​880 €880-​960 €960+

The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this technology in Hamburg are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range.

Average rates of experts in Hamburg using Mainframe

Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.

1000
750
500
250
Rate comparison chart
Daily rate avg. 860 €
Germany avg. 836 €

The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.

1000
750
500
250
Rate comparison chart
Median rate 880 €
Germany median 820 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 30 Aug 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

About the technology

Core systems

Mainframe systems run the transactions that cannot pause. They are used for banking, insurance, logistics, public-sector processing and other high-volume workloads. On IBM mainframe estates, the stack often centers on z/OS, COBOL, JCL, CICS, IMS and Db2.

Typical work

  • Analyze batch jobs and online transaction flows
  • Maintain and refactor COBOL, JCL and copybooks
  • Support CICS screens, IMS transactions and Db2 access
  • Troubleshoot abends, performance issues and release defects
  • Document changes for audit and operations teams

When to bring in help

Companies usually look for freelance specialists when a legacy estate is still business-critical but internal knowledge is thin. The need often appears during incident work, release freezes, modernization planning, or when a retiree has left a gap in a key subsystem. Hamburg firms with large transactional back ends often need short-term support that fits local and remote teams.

Ecosystem skills

Strong professionals know more than one tool chain. They work with SMP/E, TSO/ISPF, RACF, Endevor or similar change control, plus debugging and job scheduling tools. They also understand how batch windows, restart logic and data dependencies affect service levels.

What strong specialists do

A good mainframe specialist reads production code without guesswork, spots risky changes early and keeps operations calm. They understand business rules hidden in old programs, write clear handovers and work safely with analysts, testers and infrastructure teams. They can bridge old and new systems when APIs, files or messaging are involved.

Hiring fit

For Hamburg projects, language needs depend on the team and stakeholder mix. Many technical tasks can be done remotely, but some assignments need on-site time for secure access, incident rooms or close work with operations. Look for experts who can explain z/OS work clearly and stay precise under change pressure.

Published on:
FRATCH GPT

FRATCH GPT delivers freelancer proposals with clear reasoning and transparent pricing in minutes, helping your hiring department quickly and compliantly find the best talent.

Give it a try:

Try FRATCH GPT

Frequently asked questions

Questions about Mainframe? Start with the answers below.

Mainframe is used for core processing where reliability, security and consistent throughput matter. It usually runs transaction systems, batch processing, account updates, policy handling and other back-end work that feeds many channels. In practice, that often means IBM mainframe workloads on z/OS with COBOL, JCL, CICS, IMS and Db2.

A Mainframe is usually chosen for stable, centralized processing and strong operational control, while distributed systems spread work across many servers. The tradeoff is not old versus new; it is about the right fit for the workload, governance and risk profile. Many companies keep both and connect them through APIs, files or messaging.

A strong Mainframe freelancer should know COBOL, JCL, job control, batch operations and at least one major subsystem such as CICS, IMS or Db2. Good signposts are RACF awareness, debugging skill, change control discipline and the ability to read production code quickly. They should also be comfortable working with operations and testing teams.

A Mainframe project needs depth when the work touches production code, batch schedules or critical transactions. Small fixes may need a focused specialist, while modernization or recovery work needs someone who has seen similar estates before. The key is proven hands-on work in the same stack, not broad generalism.

Yes, much of Mainframe work can be done remotely if secure access, tool access and communication are set up well. In Hamburg, some teams still prefer on-site time for sensitive systems, incident response or close coordination with operations and business users. The best setup depends on the security model and the phase of the project.

When people say Mainframe, they often mean IBM mainframe estates, especially z/OS environments. Adjacent technologies include Linux, Unix and Windows back ends, plus newer services built around APIs and cloud integrations. The right freelancer should understand how those systems connect, not only the old core.

A good Mainframe specialist leaves clean code, clear documentation and stable jobs behind. Look for careful analysis of root cause, sensible change planning and a habit of protecting batch windows and restart paths. They should explain tradeoffs plainly and avoid hidden changes that make later support harder.

A Mainframe freelancer should expect strict change rules, older naming conventions and code that carries many business years in a compact form. They need to understand local release flow, testing practice and the roles of operations and audit. In Hamburg projects, they should also be ready to work with mixed-language teams if English and German are both used.

The average hourly rate of freelancers in Hamburg, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects is 107 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 860 € based on an 8-hour working day.

Of the freelancers in Hamburg, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects, 50% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 50% hold at least a Master's degree, and 25% hold a doctorate.

On average, freelancers in Hamburg, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects have 33 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 5 years.

The most common languages among freelancers in Hamburg, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects are German (100%), English (83%), and French (17%).

The most common industries among freelancers in Hamburg, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects are Banking and Finance (100%), Information Technology (67%), and Insurance (50%).

The most common business areas among freelancers in Hamburg, Germany who have used Mainframe in their recent projects are Information Technology (100%), Quality Assurance (100%), and Project Management (83%).

Main locations of FRATCH Experts, who have recently used Mainframe

Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.

Berlin Hamburg Munich Cologne Frankfurt Stuttgart Dusseldorf Leipzig Dortmund Essen Bremen Dresden Hanover Nuremberg

Request a free demo

Get in touch with the FRATCH team and we will get back to you within 4 hours.

Contact form

Would you rather directly get in touch?
We always have the time for a call or email!

FRATCH CEO avatar

Philipp Thomaschewski

FRATCH CEO

LinkedInFRATCH