Senior Application Support Engineer - Hybrid in NC

Position Summary: We are seeking a Senior Application Support Engineer to join our production support team focused on payments and transaction processing platforms. This is a Level 2 (L2) production/application support role — not a development or pure systems administration position. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience supporting high-availability, high-volume transaction systems in a fast-paced production environment. In this role, you will be responsible for monitoring, triaging, logging, analyzing, and resolving application and system issues across payments/transaction processing platforms. You will coordinate escalations to third-level support groups, manage incident and problem lifecycles, support change and release activities, and contribute to operational improvements and platform stability. You will also participate in disaster recovery exercises and may lead the team in the absence of the manager. Important: This role does not involve new application development or enhancements. The focus is entirely on production support, troubleshooting, incident management, and operational stability. Responsibilities: Provide L2 production/application support for payments, transaction processing, and operational workflowsMonitor, identify, triage, log, analyze, and resolve application/system issues in a high-availability environmentEnsure timely escalation and resolution of incidents impacting business applications and payment systemsHandle system incidents, payment investigations, technical escalations, and support activitiesManage and implement changes and releases, including weekend maintenance window activitiesCoordinate and participate in Disaster Recovery exercisesEnsure incident tickets with open escalation assignments are addressed promptly and effectivelyIdentify opportunities for operational improvement through automation, optimization, and process enhancementContribute to the development of, and eventually assume the role of, Problem ManagerSupport project activities and collaborate with internal teams on technical support mattersEnsure technology is transitioned in and out of the data center according to established Asset Management processesAssist on various TCH and Operations projectsTrain and prepare co-workers and technical support teams for daily operational and application support activitiesLead the team in the absence of the managerRequired Qualifications: Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experienceStrong hands-on production/application support experience in a fast-paced, high-availability environmentExperience supporting transaction processing platforms (e.g., payments, order processing, financial transactions, high-volume transaction systems)Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, including issue identification, triage, root cause analysis, and resolution managementDatabase/SQL: Ability to write and use SQL queries for troubleshooting and investigationMessaging: Experience with TIBCO and/or IBM MQ / message processingFile Transfer: Experience with FTP/SFTPNetworking: Understanding of network fundamentals, routers, traffic flow, and flow diagramsOperating Systems: Basic Unix/Linux and Windows command-line experienceConfiguration: Application/system configuration and troubleshooting experienceITIL/Operations: Experience with Incident Management, Problem Management, RCA, and resolution processesExperience handling system incidents, payment investigations, technical escalations, and support activitiesAbility to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively under pressureExcellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to interact professionally with customers, vendors, management, and technical teamsStrong attention to detail and organizational skillsAbility to work independently, make sound decisions, and collaborate effectively across cross-functional teamsAbility to lead the team in the absence of the managerTechnical expertise supporting Windows and Linux environments, network technologies, and enterprise integration solutions such as IBM MQ, Connect (Direct and SFTP)Commitment to operational excellence, platform stability, and service reliabilityAvailability to participate in a 24x7x365 support model, including system alerts, critical incident response, and weekend maintenance activitiesWillingness and ability to work the required schedule: Saturday to Thursday, 11:00 PM – 7:00 AM ESTPreferred Qualifications: Experience supporting real-time payments, ACH, wire, or other financial transaction processing systemsPayments industry experience (preferred but not mandatory)Experience driving operational improvements through automation, process optimization, and continuous improvement initiativesExperience participating in disaster recovery planning, testing, and executionKnowledge of ITIL processes, including Incident, Problem, and Change ManagementExperience managing application releases and production change implementationsPrevious experience mentoring team members or serving in a technical lead capacityExperience within financial services, banking, or payments industry environments