Power System Engineer

Independent Electricity System Operator

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The IESO is committed to ensuring Ontario’s electricity system meets the province’s needs today and into the future. We are charged with purpose, delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity for homes, businesses, and communities across the province. We are energized to grow, embracing opportunities to shape the future of a dynamic and evolving energy sector while advancing our careers. We are powered by teamwork, supported by diverse and passionate colleagues who foster respect, celebrate successes, and thrive on shared achievements. At the IESO, it’s not just what we do—it’s who we are!

Our central role includes managing the provincial power grid in real-time, overseeing and evolving Ontario’s electricity market, engaging with government, municipalities and Indigenous communities, and planning for Ontario’s future electricity needs. Our employees play a key role in driving grid innovation, protecting the system from threats, advancing the province’s energy conservation programs, and forecasting and procuring the electricity resources we’ll need in the decades to come.

This is a unionized position that falls within the Markets and Reliability Business Unit

The energy sector is rapidly evolving, offering exciting new opportunities for those who want to make a difference.

The IESO has ambitious plans to integrate several gigawatts of inverter‑based resources—primarily renewable energy—into the power system over the next decade. This position will be at the core of that effort, contributing to interconnection studies and the commissioning of these new resources.

Requirements

• Requires an advanced engineering knowledge of electrical theory, power system analysis and control, associated mathematics and computer science to undertake complex engineering, economic or analytical studies related to the management and control of the bulk power system. Requires knowledge of technical writing to prepare effective reports.
• This knowledge is acquired through the completion of an engineering/applied sciences degree from an accredited university or by having the equivalent education. Additional study in areas of advanced engineering knowledge, as may be attained through self-study and long-term association with the job demands, combined with short specialized courses, are required to carry out the job requirements. The completion of a related post-graduate degree, is preferred, but not required.
• Requires strong understanding of IBRs theory, operation, limitations and performance, particularly their impact on power system stability during system disturbances.
• Proficiency in EMT analysis using the PSCAD software package.
• Requires experience in conducting EMT studies for IBR integration. This includes evaluating the potential for adverse interactions between IBRs and existing synchronous generators, as well as assessing IBR-to-IBR control interactions in areas with a high penetration of power electronic controlled devices.
• Requires a licence to engage in the practice professional engineering in Ontario and be competent in the field of electrical engineering.
• Requires significant exposure to the overall power system operation through progressive training as an engineer in this technical field. Requires specific experience as applicable to the particular specialty of the group including that of encompassing a leadership role in the undertaking of studies and investigations in this particular field. Experience will include completion of practical on the job training and experience completing work related to the fields of: utilization of generation resources secure operation of bulk electricity system reliability
• Electrical engineering design concepts as they relate to the functions and characteristics of power system components
• Analytical studies and the application of computer techniques to solve power system problems
• Familiarity with power system operation, practices, and policies
• Familiarity with electric energy and transmission rights market operations, practices, policies, and Market Rules
• Competitive market operations
• Provincial operating and system requirements
• Particulars of power system operation, including technical features of equipment and facilities, high-tension transmission, system interconnection and methods of attaining efficiency in power production and interchange between systems
• A period of over 8 years, up to and including 10 years is considered necessary to gain this experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of base cases including PSCAD base cases to support Ontario and regional reliability studies by the IESO, participants and other external organizations
• Develop and maintain suitable models including Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) models to support the IESO’s Energy Management and Market Systems to enable the applicable real-time and day-ahead operations. Provide leadership on technical approaches to this development and support capacity.
• Establish recommended approaches for efficient and innovative means to maintain and support the IESO’s contingency analysis software used by off-shift and on-shift staff.
• Specify and review the results of tests to confirm that facilities including Inverter Based Resources (IBR) connected to the IESO-controlled grid satisfy the IESO’s performance requirements. Based on the results of performance tests, recommend transmission and generation models including EMT models suitable for planning and operating studies.
• Support IESO security, adequacy and operability obligations found in the Market Rules and in applicable NERC and NPCC reliability standards.
• Lead and prepare key reliability compliance evidence, including work procedures, RSAWs, market manuals, training material and participation in reliability audits. Act as a subject matter expert in compliance activities; such as on-site audits and spot checks.
• Participate in task forces, as well as internal/external committees on matters related to the secure and economic operation of the IESO-controlled-grid. Represent the IESO on interconnection committees. Participate as assigned, as a representative of the IESO before regulatory agencies, etc. and endeavor to advance the interests of the organization in designated areas.
• Supply a consultative service to other departments and/or business units on matters related to adequacy, security, operability.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to other members of the group. This may include problem resolution, training, and quality checks.
• Sign or sign and seal documents as a P Eng. thus taking professional responsibility for one’s own work.
• Sign or sign and seal documents as a P Eng. for peer review, or to assume professional engineering responsibility for engineering work performed by unlicensed staff.
• Mentor and assist training of new and/or junior staff
• Exercise limited/periodic supervision over assigned staff on special projects.
• Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

• Best-in-class benefits and long-term support in the form of a defined benefit pension plan.
• Work in a dynamic and evolving sector that offers exciting opportunities and the chance to explore new career paths.
• Leadership that values meaningful discussions, welcomes feedback, and prioritizes career development.
• A strong, inclusive culture and a collaborative team environment with a shared passion for impactful work.
• Compensation packages that are regularly reviewed to remain competitive and to best accommodate the diverse needs of our employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level