Manager, Project Engineering

The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is responsible for the safe, reliable, and economic planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System. We provide open and non-discriminatory access to Alberta’s interconnected power grid and also facilitate Alberta’s competitive wholesale electricity market. The AESO strives to foster an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace where people feel respected and welcomed for who they are, together we deliver high performance and innovative results.

Job Description

Reporting to the Director, Customer Access and Project Engineering, the Manager, Project Engineering will lead a team responsible for delivering engineering work products that support both customer and system projects within the AESO’s Connection Process. This includes validating project data, preparing functional specifications, and ensuring all technical deliverables are completed accurately, on time, and in alignment with AESO standards and regulatory requirements.

The successful candidate will bring a broad base of technical knowledge, including substation design, equipment specification, protection and controls, telecom, modelling, metering, cost benchmarking, and ISO rules. This expertise will be applied to guide and support the team in addressing complex engineering challenges, developing high-quality outputs, and strengthening the technical foundation of the group.

Collaboration is a key aspect of the role. The Manager, Project Engineering will work closely with AESO Project Managers and other internal groups, including system planning, forecasting, regulatory services, and project management, to enable effective decision-making and seamless project delivery. Externally, the role will engage with Transmission and Distribution Facility Owners, generator developers, and large load customers to ensure alignment and support throughout the connection process.

In addition to technical and project delivery responsibilities, the manager will focus on team leadership and development. By providing mentorship, training, and feedback, the Manager, Project Engineering will foster continuous improvement, build technical strength, and ensure the team contributes effectively to the successful delivery of projects that advance Alberta’s electricity system.

This full-time permanent opportunity offers room for growth, competitive compensation, and a variable pay program. We also have paid vacation and flex time, health & dental benefits, a defined contribution pension plan, and learning and development opportunities as part of your overall compensation package.

Signs you will enjoy working in this team:

- You thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment and are looking for an opportunity to embark on transformative change.

- You enjoy working in a team of bright professionals and participating in lively discussions.

- You embrace change and pivot and adapt with ease.

- You thrive in working in a diverse atmosphere –our team and colleagues have varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, and you know how to bring the best out of each unique individual.

Signs you will enjoy this role:

- You enjoy creating engaging and empowering employee experiences including onboarding, coaching, performance management, technical and professional development, and growing your team’s capabilities and talents which range from early career to seasoned experts.

- You understand technical, regulatory, and business perspectives and can convey complex information to a variety of audiences. Your expert opinion will be provided in external forums and internally to AESO senior leadership and decision makers as well as external stakeholders, communicating engineering aspects, findings, recommendations, and risks.

- You can’t help identifying efficiencies, thinking about how to optimize, and your enthusiasm to always improve is contagious to others.

Key Accountabilities

- Lead the Project Engineering team to ensure timely delivery and high-quality technical outputs for customer and system projects, including planning, progress monitoring, and technical oversight.

- Support AESO initiatives and project delivery by working with Program Managers to allocate resources, align priorities, and manage cluster and large load projects.

- Own engineering technical decisions, functional business practices, and quality control procedures implemented by the team.

- Provide risk-based guidance on high-risk projects, balancing engineering analysis, regulatory requirements, economics, customer needs, project management, and public interest.

- Guide Project Engineers on functional specifications, substation layouts, equipment requirements, and compliance with ISO rules and Alberta Reliability Standards, including waiver and variance requests.

- Ensure all technical work is performed competently, authenticated as required, and aligned with AESO practices and processes.

- Represent AESO internally to senior leadership and externally with stakeholders, communicating technical findings, risks, recommendations, and resolving technical issues or disputes with TFOs, DFOs, generators, and industrial customers.

- Support compliance with reliability standards, including WECC audits, and act as APEGA Responsible Member for functional specifications and selected ISO rules.

- Develop and mentor the engineering team, build technical capabilities, and lead industry-impacting changes to the AESO Connection Process.

Skills and experiences that will support your success in this role:

- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (minimum requirement).

- Must be a registered P. Eng with APEGA.

- 15 +years of proven progressive experience, including relevant work experience in industry and preferably managing a portfolio of projects with a high degree of technical and stakeholder complexity.

- 5 years of proven experience in managing and leading engineering teams.

- An Expert planner and Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and mentor staff.

- Experience with application of risk-based decision making and/or Decision Quality

- You have experience leading and influencing the adoption of large-scale change initiatives.

- You are familiar with AESO’s Customer Connection Process.

- You are skilled at navigating matrix-teams and managing across cross-functional initiatives.

- You are skilled at prioritizing high impact and high value items and managing expectations for teams. You are skilled at guiding a team to achieve high quality delivery while setting a sustainable pace and workload to support work/life integration.

- You have an aptitude for taking complex information and translating it into an appropriate level of detail and relevance to a variety of audiences.

- You build effective relationships internally and externally.

Application deadline: September 2, 2025

If you are contacted for a pre-screening and/or interview, please advise of any accommodation measures required to enable you to fully participate. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

The Alberta Electric System Operator is unable to accept unsolicited agency resumes.

The Alberta Electric System Operator, and its members, officers, employees and agents (collectively, the "AESO") is committed to protecting personal information provided to it. When you submit your personal information to the AESO for the purpose of pursuing employment with the AESO, the collection, use and disclosure of personal information is in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act) of Alberta.

As noted, the AESO is mandated to maintain the safe and reliable operations of the provincial power grid. As part of meeting its obligations, the AESO may require the successful candidate to undergo a criminal background check for the position. This collection of personal information for the purposes of a check will be conducted in accordance with Section 33 of the FOIP Act.