Engineer Specialist, RAS

AESO; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Health and dental benefits

Defined contribution pension plan

Learning and development opportunities

Paid vacation

Job summary

The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is seeking an Engineer Specialist, Remedial Action Scheme (RAS) to provide technical leadership across the RAS lifecycle. You will establish direction, govern design criteria, and approve schemes that mitigate system conditions without creating reliability risks.

You will engage with facility owners, operators, and regulators, ensuring alignment with NERC/WECC standards and Alberta reliability requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from an accredited college or university.
• Professional Engineer designation (P. Eng.) with APEGA.
• 15+ years of electric power industry experience, with experience in operations planning, power-system models and analysis, protection and control, customer connections, transmission planning, or engineering economics.
• Critical understanding of the purpose of RAS in planning and its use in operations.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain the AESO's technical direction, governance, design criteria, and approval requirements for RAS.
• Lead the technical review and approval of new, modified, and retiring RAS, confirming that each scheme addresses its intended system conditions and does not introduce unacceptable reliability risks.
• Provide technical guidance on the planning, design, implementation, testing, operation, and performance assessment of RAS.
• Collaborate with Transmission Facility Owners, Generation Facility Owners, and Distribution Facility Owners to resolve technical issues and align RAS design and operation with system reliability requirements.
• Support project, system planning, operations planning, project engineering, and real-time operations teams throughout the RAS lifecycle.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate reliability risks arising from RAS complexity, interactions among schemes, and coordination with protection and control systems.
• Develop and deliver technical training for real-time operators, engineers, and other staff.

Skills

Power system analysis

Protection & control

Technical leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical training

NERC/WECC liaison

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with APEGA

Tools

Relay protection design software

Power system modeling tools

Job description

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 DescriptionIf you are a current AESO employee, please view openings and apply through our internal site at Workday.Reporting to the Manager, Operations Planning, the Engineer Specialist, Remedial Action Scheme (RAS) provides organization-wide technical leadership, governance, and oversight for the design, integration, approval, and ongoing performance of RAS. You will establish technical direction, promote consistent and effective application of RAS across Alberta, and help ensure that schemes mitigate identified system conditions without introducing unacceptable reliability risks.You will work across system planning, operations planning, real-time operations, connection studies, project engineering, regulatory, legal, and tariff functions. You will also collaborate with facility owners, developers, transmission-connected customers, and consultants, while representing the AESO in relevant NERC and WECC forums.Signs you will enjoy the positionYou enjoy applying deep power-system expertise to complex reliability challenges involving remedial action schemes.You are energized by setting technical direction, design criteria, governance, and approval requirements.You like evaluating whether schemes address intended system conditions without creating unacceptable reliability risks.You enjoy working across the full RAS lifecycle, from development and commissioning through modification and retirement.You are comfortable representing the AESO in NERC and WECC forums and contributing to evolving industry practices.You value work that requires independent judgment, collaborative problem solving, and clear technical communication.Signs you will enjoy working in this teamYou enjoy partnering across long-term planning, project engineering, operations planning, and real-time operations.You value working with internal and external stakeholders to resolve complex technical issues and align reliability requirements.You enjoy mentoring engineers and technical staff and strengthening organizational capability through knowledge sharing.You are comfortable developing and delivering technical training for operators, engineers, and other staff.You can navigate complex, evolving work and maintain momentum when the objective is clear but the scope is not fully defined.Your main accountabilitiesEstablish and maintain the AESO’s technical direction, governance, design criteria, and approval requirements for RAS.Lead the technical review and approval of new, modified, and retiring RAS, confirming that each scheme addresses its intended system conditions and does not introduce unacceptable reliability risks.Provide technical guidance on the planning, design, implementation, testing, operation, and performance assessment of RAS.Collaborate with Transmission Facility Owners, Generation Facility Owners, and Distribution Facility Owners to resolve technical issues and align RAS design and operation with system reliability requirements.Support project, system planning, operations planning, project engineering, and real-time operations teams throughout the RAS lifecycle.Assess the ongoing need, effectiveness, coordination, and performance of existing RAS, and lead opportunities to optimize, simplify, replace, or retire schemes.Identify, assess, and mitigate reliability risks arising from RAS complexity, interactions among schemes, and coordination with protection and control systems.Provide technical input to system controller procedures, operating limits, studies, and other operational documentation affected by RAS.Serve as the requirement owner and subject-matter expert for Alberta Reliability Standards and ISO rules related to RAS, and represent the AESO in relevant NERC and WECC forums.Develop and deliver technical training for real-time operators, engineers, and other staff.Shape the evolving role of RAS within Optimal Transmission Planning and Alberta’s Restructured Energy Market.What you need – Education and ExperienceA bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from an accredited college or university.Professional Engineer designation (P. Eng.) with APEGA.15+ years of electric power industry experience, with experience in operations planning, power-system models and analysis, protection and control, customer connections, transmission planning, or engineering economics.Critical understanding of the purpose of RAS in planning and its use in operations.Experience in protection system design and relay applications an assetStrong communication skills and the ability to work with diverse team members, from long-term planning to real-time operations.Proven ability to solve problems collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.In-depth understanding of Alberta Reliability Standards, ISO rules, and the Alberta electricity industry framework.Proven ability to solve highly complex engineering problems with a defined objective and minimally defined scope in a high-conflict environment.Experience mentoring engineers and technical staff.Why work with usThis full-time opportunity offers a competitive salary, along with paid vacation and flex time, health and dental benefits, mental health support, a defined contribution pension plan, and learning and development opportunities as part of the overall compensation package.We support a hybrid work environment. The team is in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with flexibility to work where you are most effective on Mondays and Fridays.Application deadline: October 12, 2026#LI-HybridIf 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 Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) 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 4 of POPA.