Modernization Architect || Short Term/Part Time

Role & responsibilities

a Modernization Architect

Key Objectives

• Analyze IBM i legacy stack and assist in breaking down monoliths into modern components.
• Provide practical insights into UI, middleware, and legacy backend modernization.
• Validate PoC results and flag tool/approach limitations early in the lifecycle.
• Collaborate with architects and client teams to align on modernization execution best practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Assessment & Planning,

  Analyze current AS400 systems (jobs, CL programs, COBOL, RPG, DB2). Document dependencies, pain points, data flows, and business-critical logic.

• Strategy & Road mapping,

  Define phased modernization/migration strategy: rehost, refactor, rearchitect, rebuild. Prioritize components based on risk, ROI, and complexity.

• Target Architecture Design,

  Design hybrid architectures: bridge legacy and modern systems (e.g., microservices, APIs, cloud-native apps). Align with enterprise tech stack and patterns.

• Data Modernization,

  Lead DB2 migration to modern databases (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, etc.). Handle schema transformation, data cleansing, and referential integrity.

• Tooling & Automation,

  Select tools for code analysis, reverse engineering, job orchestration, API exposure, testing, and CI/CD.

• Team Alignment,

  Help testers understand batch/job logic. Guide full stack teams on legacy constraints.

• Governance & Quality,

  Enforce best practices for documentation, coding, error handling, testing, and version control during transition.

• Risk Management,

  Identify failure patterns (e.g., partial logic conversion, data corruption, missed business logic). Define mitigation plans. Prevent rework through early reviews.

• Migration Expertise,

  Code refactoring strategies (lift & shift vs rewrite), logic reengineering, database migration, API faade layer design.

• Data Migration Tools:

  Responsible for data migration strategy recommendations and tooling.
• Recommendation of any Reverse Engineering Tools
• Recommendation of Jobs migration to modern tech and cloud
• Expertise in defining testing strategies

Required Technical Skills

• Modernization Strategic Experience:

  Proven experience in end-to-end IBM i (AS400) modernization projects. Grasp on rehosting (Lift & Shift), reengineering, API wrapping, and hybrid co-existence patterns. Knows how to deal with ongoing maintenance and support changes to migrated applications.

• Reverse Engineering Experience:

  Understanding legacy technologies (COBOL, RPGLE, CL) and their behaviors. Can identify typical pitfalls (e.g., misinterpreted business logic, missing batch logic, SME unavailability)

• Database Experience:

  Experience with DB2/400, SQL optimization, and understanding legacy data models.

• Modernization Tool Experience:

  Experience using any AI tool during migration (e.g., TSRI, SWIM, IBM ADDI, GPT-based tools).

• DevOps Strategic Experience:

  Exposure to DevOps, logging, and quality practices relevant to migration pipelines.

• Security Considerations:

  Familiarity with legacy security models (object-level, menu-based) and mapping them to modern RBAC/OIDC models
• Knowledge of dual-run techniques, reconciliation reports, and data validation rules.

• Advises on building robust test strategies

  data validation, job simulation, user scenario mapping.

• Modernization Migration Resourcing Experience:

  Identifies missing roles/skills and advises on resource planning or training.