Backbone Jobs: Why We Exist

The world runs on quiet heroes; systems with foundations built decades ago that still power banks, governments, airlines, insurers, logistics networks, and Fortune 500 enterprises.

These technologies are stable. They’re trusted. They work.

But the people who understand them are becoming harder to find every year, and companies are scrambling to hire before key knowledge walks out the door and onto the beach.

Backbone Jobs was created to fix that.

The Global Hiring Crisis in Proven Technologies

Across industries, the same pattern keeps showing up:

• Highly experienced practitioners are retiring in waves.

• Fewer new engineers get exposure to long-lived enterprise systems.

• Companies can’t hire fast enough — even for roles critical to daily operations.

The numbers paint the picture:

• 91% of organizations relying on these technologies plan to hire developers or admins for within the next two years.

• 79% say finding qualified talent is their #1 challenge.

• Modernization and AI adoption are increasing demand, not reducing it.

Meanwhile, the opportunities themselves are buried everywhere:

• Government job portals

• Bank and insurance career pages

• Manufacturing and telecom intranets

• Vague job titles and requirements on generic job boards

• Recruiters who don’t fully understand the roles

The result?

Companies can’t find talent. Talent can’t find companies.

That friction is exactly why Backbone Jobs exists.

Why Backbone Jobs Exists

Backbone Jobs is dedicated job board for critical systems professionals. The ones keeping the world running.

Not hype cycles.

Not frameworks that vanish every other quarter.

But the proven, long-lived, mission-critical systems that form the backbone of global the global economy.

We believe:

• These technologies deserve visibility and respect.

• The people who work on them deserve great opportunities and fair pay.

• Companies relying on them deserve a focused hiring channel — not a sea of noise.

Most job boards are optimized for volume. We’re optimized for signal, substance, and stewardship.

Who Backbone Jobs Is For

Professionals Working With Proven, Long-Lived Systems

If you work on any of the world’s most battle-tested platforms, your skills are rare, valuable, and essential.

A few examples of globally significant systems:

• Mainframe platforms: IBM z/OS, IMS, CICS, DB2, RACF

• Classic enterprise languages: COBOL, RPG, PL/I, Fortran, C, Assembler — the ones sometimes labeled "legacy" but still powering trillion-dollar industries

• ERP and enterprise backbones: SAP ECC / ABAP, Oracle E-Business Suite, JD Edwards

• Client/server and mature application stacks: PowerBuilder, Delphi, VB6

• Industrial and infrastructure systems: SCADA, PLC programming (ladder logic, DCS systems), industrial control platforms

• Telecom and networking systems: SS7, ISDN, core switching technologies

Backbone Jobs helps you:

1. Find high-signal opportunities

Every listing is relevant. No noise. Filters and requirements that make sense.

2. Understand your real market value

Your skills aren’t outdated — they’re scarce.

3. Access stable, well-paid roles

Critical systems aren’t disappearing; they’re evolving.

4. Get early access to new openings

Weekly alerts highlight roles that rarely appear elsewhere.

For Companies: A Smarter Way to Hire Critical Talent

If your business relies on proven systems, you already know how hard it is to hire for them.

Traditional job boards drown you in irrelevant applicants, and most channels aren’t built for this niche.

Backbone Jobs changes that.

1. Targeted reach

Your roles reach professionals who already work with the technologies you depend on.

2. Lower cost per hire

Fewer mismatches means less wasted time and budget.

3. Brand credibility

Posting your roles on Backbone Jobs — and maintaining an up-to-date company profile — signals that you understand your technical foundation and respect the specialist community behind it.

More Resources to Come

If the community grows we’ll extend the utility and provide things like:

• Salary transparency reports. Aligning expectations for individuals and companies alike, whether you’re switching jobs or asking for that promotion.

• Community event board. Providing a place to find local professional communities and events.

• Directories. Curated lists for people looking to learn, grow, find technology specific documentation, nail common interview questions, and so on.

Have something else in mind you’ve been missing? Tell us

How You Can Help Grow Backbone Jobs (And Help Yourself 😉**)**

The community behind these proven technologies grows through simple actions:

1. Join (free)

More members → more companies → more opportunities.

Not looking for a job at the moment? Help us help future you. Just drop your email address here →

2. Ask a colleague to join

A stronger talent pool attracts more employers.

3. Follow us on LinkedIn and repost occasionally

Visibility accelerates growth for everyone.

That’s it — sign up, share occasionally, and we we’ll bring you more opportunities and data over time.

If You're Hiring: Get In Touch

If your company relies on proven, battle-tested systems and you’re looking for talent, we’d love to hear from you.

It’s still early days for Backbone Jobs, and we’re actively helping forward-thinking companies get visibility in front of the right people.

Reach out to us and we’ll:

• help you get your roles in front of highly relevant candidates

• give your company free early exposure

• support you in building a credible presence in this community

No strings attached, just a shared goal: making it easier for talent and critical-systems organizations to find each other.

A Dedicated Home for the People Who Keep the World Running

The world’s most essential systems aren’t going anywhere and they need experts who understand their foundations.

Backbone Jobs exists to give these technologies — and the people behind them — visibility, opportunities, and recognition.

If you work with proven, battle-tested systems, this is your place.

Join Backbone Jobs and help shape the future of global critical-systems careers.