Technical Lead-AS/400

As a Technical Lead-AS/400 at Cognizant, you will be primarily responsible for developing and analyzing programs using COBOL and SQLCOBOL on the iSeries platform. You will also focus on database management, including creating and analyzing SQL tables, indexes, and views. Additionally, effective documentation of business rules and data mapping is part of your duties, as is effectively communicating with business users and business analysts to ensure task ownership.

Essential skills for the Technical Lead-AS/400 position at Cognizant include proficient programming skills on the iSeries platform, including COBOL, SQLCOBOL, and Control Language (CLP). A strong understanding of SQL concepts and database management is crucial, alongside good working knowledge in screen programming and ILE programming. Excellent communication skills and readiness to take charge of project tasks are also important.

While direct experience in the insurance domain is not strictly required for the Technical Lead-AS/400 role at Cognizant, familiarity with Property and Casualty (P & C) insurance will be considered a strong asset. However, having a robust technical skill set and programming expertise can compensate for the lack of domain experience.

Cognizant offers a comprehensive benefits package for the Technical Lead-AS/400 position, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. You'll also enjoy paid holidays, Paid Time Off, and contributions to a 401(k) plan. Additional perks include long-term and short-term disability coverage, paid parental leave, and an employee stock purchase plan, all aimed at ensuring a rewarding work experience.

Cognizant is committed to fostering professional growth and development for the Technical Lead-AS/400 position through various activities, such as providing training opportunities, encouraging participation in industry conferences, and offering mentorship programs. These initiatives are designed to maintain your competitive edge and enhance your technical expertise while working in an innovative environment.

In responding to this question, focus on specific projects where you utilized COBOL and SQLCOBOL effectively. Discuss challenges you faced, your problem-solving approach, and any advancements you made in those languages. Highlight any unique features or performance improvements you've implemented.

When answering this, describe your approach to breaking down complex SQL queries into manageable parts. Talk about your understanding of query optimization techniques and how you ensure accurate results while maintaining performance. Share any tools or techniques you regularly employ to analyze and modify SQL queries.

Provide a detailed answer that outlines your process for documenting business rules. Explain the importance of collaboration with stakeholders and how you ensure clarity and accuracy in your documentation. Discuss any tools you use or templates you follow.

In your response, elaborate on specific database management tasks you've performed, such as creating physical and logical files, designing SQL tables, and implementing stored procedures. Share examples that highlight your ability to maintain data integrity and optimize database performance.

Discuss your communication style and how you adapt it to different audiences. Highlight your listening skills, ability to clarify technical aspects for non-technical users, and your approach to maintaining open lines of communication to gather requirements and feedback.

If applicable, explain your experience with IBM REST/SOAP web services, focusing on specific projects where you integrated these services into applications. Detail your understanding of JSON and XML feeds and how you've tested or debugged these services.

In your answer, define 3-Tier Architecture and discuss its benefits in application development. Provide examples from your experience where you utilized this architecture style and how it enhanced system performance or maintainability.

Share your thoughts on taking ownership of projects, including how you ensure that deadlines are met, responsibilities are clear, and team members are aligned. Discuss any tools or methodologies you use to track project progress and communicate updates.

Describe your approach to interacting with clients to understand their needs and gather requirements. Discuss any successful projects where your interpersonal skills facilitated effective requirements gathering and how you translated those needs into actionable tasks.

In your reply, emphasize technical skills such as programming languages and database management, as well as soft skills like effective communication, leadership, and problem-solving. Discuss how these skills contribute to the success of projects and team dynamics.