Mainframe Migration Test Architect

Mainframe Migration Test ArchitectRemoteA seasoned Mainframe Test Architect and Quality Leader with deep experience in migration and modernization programs, capable of building the testing strategy, tooling ecosystem, automation framework, and governance model necessary to successfully deliver a complex enterprise migration from legacy Mainframe environments to z/OS while minimizing business and operational risk.Position SummaryWe are seeking an experienced Test Architect to lead the end-to-end testing strategy, planning, governance, tooling, and quality assurance approach for a large-scale z/VSE to z/OS migration program.This role will be responsible for defining the overall testing framework, establishing risk-based testing methodologies, driving quality governance, and ensuring comprehensive validation of applications, infrastructure, data, security, and operational processes throughout the migration lifecycle.The ideal candidate will possess deep Mainframe testing and modernization expertise and have experience leading testing efforts for Mainframe migrations, platform transformations, or large-scale legacy modernization initiatives. A key responsibility of this role is establishing a risk-based testing strategy, ensuring testing effort is aligned to the scope, complexity, and business impact of migration-related changes rather than applying uniform testing across all components.Additionally, this role will be responsible for defining and implementing the testing toolchain and automation strategy required to support the migration program, including test management, automation, data reconciliation, regression testing, defect management, and AI-assisted testing capabilities.Key ResponsibilitiesTest Strategy & GovernanceDefine and own the overall migration testing strategy, framework, roadmap, and governance model.Establish testing standards, quality gates, entry/exit criteria, and release readiness processes.Develop a risk-based testing methodology aligned to migration waves and deployment milestones.Establish traceability between migration changes, risks, business requirements, and test coverage.Provide executive reporting on testing progress, quality metrics, risks, and release readiness.Risk-Based Testing & Change Impact AssessmentLead application, infrastructure, and operational impact assessments to understand migration-related changes.Develop a risk-ranking framework to classify components based on:Code modificationsJCL conversion impactsPlatform configuration changesData migration impactsCICS transaction changesInterface dependenciesSecurity changesOperational and scheduler impactsBusiness criticalityDefine testing depth and coverage based on migration risk and business impact.Optimize testing effort by focusing on high-risk and high-business-value components.Maintain a Migration Testing Risk Register and Quality Heat Map.Identify migration-specific risks and ensure mitigation plans are incorporated into testing activities.Test Tooling, Automation & AI StrategyDefine the overall testing tool architecture and strategy for the migration program.Evaluate, select, and implement testing tools supporting:Test managementDefect managementTest automationData reconciliationBatch validationRegression testingPerformance testingReporting and dashboardsEstablish automated validation approaches for batch jobs, file comparisons, data reconciliation, and migration verification.Design reusable automation frameworks and testing accelerators.Identify opportunities to leverage AI-enabled testing capabilities for:Test case generationImpact analysisRegression optimizationDefect clustering and analysisTest productivity improvementEstablish testing KPIs and quality metrics to measure effectiveness and automation adoption.Test Planning & DesignDevelop comprehensive testing plans covering:System TestingSystem Integration Testing (SIT)End-to-End Business Process TestingRegression TestingData Validation & Reconciliation TestingPerformance & Volume TestingUser Acceptance Testing (UAT)Operational Readiness TestingCutover & Rollback Validation TestingDefine test environments, test data strategy, and environment governance.Ensure test coverage aligns with migration risk profiles and business priorities.Mainframe & Migration ValidationDefine testing coverage for:COBOL applicationsAssembler programsEasytrieve applicationsCICS transactionsJCL conversion and batch processingVSAM filesDL1-dependent applications and data structuresFile transfers and interfacesSecurity configurations and access controlsEnterprise scheduling platformsInfrastructure and operational proceduresValidate functional equivalence and operational readiness of workloads migrated to z/OS.Ensure reconciliation of data, interfaces, and business processes before production deployment.Validate production support, monitoring, scheduling, and recovery procedures.Federated Test LeadershipCoordinate testing activities across:Mainframe TeamsApplication TeamsInfrastructure TeamsSecurity TeamsOperations TeamsBusiness SMEsEstablish testing standards, reusable assets, and governance across workstreams.Lead defect triage, prioritization, and remediation activities.Drive issue resolution and dependency management across teams.Mentor test leads and testing workstreams throughout the program.Cutover Readiness & Deployment ValidationDefine mock migration, deployment rehearsal, and cutover validation strategies.Validate production deployment procedures and rollback capabilities.Ensure critical business processes successfully execute during migration rehearsals.Assess operational readiness and support preparedness.Provide Go/No-Go recommendations for migration releases.Required QualificationsMainframe & Migration Experience10+ years of experience in Test Architecture, Test Management, or Quality Engineering leadership roles.Strong knowledge of Mainframe application development, testing, and migration methodologies.Hands-on experience with:z/OSCOBOLAssemblerEasytrieveCICSJCLVSAMDL1-related environmentsRACF, ACF2, or Top SecretBatch processing frameworksEnterprise scheduling platformsExperience supporting Mainframe modernization, migration, platform transformation, or large-scale legacy remediation programs.Experience validating high-volume business-critical workloads and operational processes.Prior z/VSE migration experience is preferred but not required.Testing Tools & Automation ExperienceExperience selecting and implementing enterprise-scale testing toolsets.Experience with test management, defect management, reporting, automation, and quality governance tools.Proven experience implementing automated regression, reconciliation, and data validation frameworks.Familiarity with AI-assisted testing platforms and productivity tools.Experience integrating testing activities into DevOps