System Optimization Specialist Engineer (FTT)

BC Hydro; Burnaby; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work model

15 paid vacation days

Training and development courses

Job summary

BC Hydro is offering a 14‑month rotation in the Generation System Operations, System Optimization group, to work with experienced engineers on energy planning and optimization of generation assets. The role requires a solid engineering background and expertise in modeling, programming (Java/R), and data analytics.

A hybrid work model and professional development opportunities are provided. The position is temporary, with a focus on energy optimization, forecasting, and collaboration across

Qualifications

• Engineering degree recognized by Canadian Universities and registered, or eligible for immediate registration, as a Professional Engineer with EGBC.
• Senior Engineer (8+ years) or Specialist Engineer (10+ years) depending on experience in software development, economic modeling, stochastic programming, hydro storage modelling, outage planning/dispatch, and related fields.
• Applied programming background in Java and/or R. Experience in data analytics & regression model development and data transformations. Experience in reporting and enterprise data management platforms (Power BI, Fabric, etc.).

Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and maintain proprietary models and software used to analyze, optimize, and simulate the operation of BC Hydro's generation assets.
• Collaborate with traders, operations, finance, and project teams to optimize generation, storage, and outage planning.
• Optimize system energy production considering uncertainty and provide guidance on energy storage values.
• Integrate planning for reservoirs and interconnected systems including major projects like Peace and Columbia.
• Prepare monthly reports and advise executives on modeling results, energy security, and risk.
• Explain complex data and modeling results to engineers and stakeholders across BC Hydro.

Skills

Software development

Economic modeling

Stochastic programming

Optimization software

Hydro storage modeling

Outage planning & dispatch

Java or R programming

Data analytics

Education

P.Eng eligibility (EGBC)

Tools

Power BI

Fabric

Job description

Job Location:

Edmonds, Burnaby, BC (Lower Mainland)

Employment type:

Temporary, Full-time (37.5 hrs/wk), approximately 14 months (until about December 2027)

Flexible Work Role:

Hybrid

Requisition:

52518811

A workplace powered by you

At BC Hydro, we're working towards creating a cleaner and more sustainable future for all British Columbians and need people like you to help us. A career at BC Hydro is meaningful and provides you the opportunity to be part of a talented, inclusive, and diverse team. We offer a healthy work-life balance, competitive wages, a comprehensive benefits package, and training opportunities to support you in your career growth. We're proud to be ranked as one of B.C.'s Top Employers and one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers.

What you'll do

Generation System Operations (GSO) is providing an exciting 14 month rotation opportunity to work with our experienced engineers within the System Optimization group.

BC Hydro operates a 13,200 MW system of hydroelectric, thermal, and market resources. Within Generation System Operations (GSO), energy, capacity, and water planning are managed by teams organized by planning time horizons from real time to five years.

In GSO, the System Optimization (SO) group of ten engineers plans the optimal use of energy and capacity for our major reservoirs and generation assets to meet domestic load and inform Powerex trade flexibility. The SO team holds a unique role, liaising with and informing decisions across multiple BC Hydro business lines: Operations Stations and Transmission, Energy Planning, Project Delivery, Regulatory, Finance, Customer and Corporate Affairs, and our trade subsidiary, Powerex. The SO team reports out, monthly, to VP of Operations and our CFO.

The System Optimization engineers plan our monthly to 5-year energy supply forecasts and our within monthly load resource balance options considering uncertainty associated with our surplus or deficit energy positions. The SO modellers are the touchpoint between Powerex, Finance, and Operations for energy management strategies, the operational balance between our major reservoir systems, Peace and Columbia, and optimization of our consolidated net revenue of operations. Critical to these functions is the SO team's responsibility for supporting and developing new planning tools for system energy optimization and managing data analytics.

System Optimization Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and maintain proprietary models and software used to analyze, optimize, and simulate the physical and economic operation of BC Hydro's integrated generation assets: Hydro with reservoir storage, run of river hydro, wind, and thermal.
• Work directly with our wholesale electricity traders (Powerex), with GSO's 24/7 operations team (PSOSE) and Operation Planning Engineers (OPEs), field outage schedulers, Corporate Finance, Regulatory, Energy Planning, Load Forecasting, and Project Delivery to optimize generation, reservoir storage, and outage planning.
• Optimize system energy production and storage considering uncertainty in system loads, reservoir inflows, outages, Energy Purchase Agreements, and market prices. Provide direction on setting the marginal values for energy stored in our large hydroelectric reservoirs.
• Integrate system planning for BC Hydro's largest generation and storage systems, the Peace and Columbia, including planning operations under the Columbia River Treaty.
• Inform and plan to manage energy and capacity deficit and surplus positions under short term time horizons (daily to 6 months) with PSOSE, Powerex, and Stations and Field Operations. Provide scenarios for financial and reliability analysis associated with major outage planning, evolving system issues and policy alternatives. Analyze input data sources and model results for relevancy, reliability, and validity.
• Prepare and present monthly reports and advice to the Executive and finance related to system modeling, security of energy supply, financial forecasts, and risk. Communicate and problem solve effectively with BC Hydro VP, Directors, engineers, market traders, finance, software consultants, and other staff, both within BC Hydro and externally, for the purposes of gathering and relaying information and resolving new issues of concern.

What you bring

• Engineering degree recognized by Canadian Universities and registered, or eligible for immediate registration, as a Professional Engineer with EGBC.
• Applicant may be hired as a Senior Engineer (8+ years) or Specialist Engineer (10+ years) depending on level of experience in the following areas: Software development; Economic modeling and analysis; Stochastic programming and/or development of optimization software; Storage based hydroelectric management and modelling; Generation and Transmission outage planning and dispatch; and/or Graduate degree(s) or equivalent experience in Water Resource Management, Applied Mathematics or Economics with specialization in optimization of Energy Systems, Energy Markets, and/or Finance.
• Applied programming background in Java and/or R. Experience in data analytics & regression model development and data transformations. Experience in reporting and enterprise data management platforms (Power BI, Fabric, etc.).
• Ability to make decisions in tight time frames and under pressure, while working with an extensive array of decision support models. Able to apply creative and critical problem solving to emerging issues. Able to multi-task and set priorities to achieve long term goals.
• Engaging interpersonal, oral, and written technical communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to provide direct or indirect work leadership to engineers and other technical stakeholders and Project Delivery on water conveyance and generation management.

What we offer

• A minimum of 15 paid vacation days
• Flexible work model, depending on your role type
• Training and development courses

For more information on the benefits we offer, visit bchydro.com/benefits.

What else you should know

• This is a temporary opportunity until approximately December 2027.
• Applicants who do not meet full qualifications or those with lesser work experience may be considered for a lower level position.

Please be advised that this role has been assessed as safety sensitive and pre-qualification alcohol and drug testing will be required as a pre-condition to employment.

BC Hydro is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified job seekers. If you're a person with a disability, please let us know by emailing [e-mail], as adjustments can be made to help support you in your application process.