Manager, Customer Access Studies

Description

AESO is the sole provider of system access service on Alberta's transmission system. The Customer Access Study (CAS) team is responsible for delivering interconnection studies and engineering assessments that support customer projects through the AESO Connection Process. Working closely with Project Managers and stakeholders across the organization, the team plays a critical role in enabling reliable and efficient customer access to Alberta's electricity grid.

Reporting to the Director, Customer Access and Project Engineering, the Manager, Customer Access Studies provides leadership to a team of Engineers responsible for customer access studies and engineering assessments across a diverse portfolio of generation, load, storage, and transmission projects. Working alongside a peer Manager, you will share accountability for delivering high-quality customer access study work products while supporting the continued growth, development, and success of the team.

This role combines people leadership, technical oversight, stakeholder engagement, and strategic decision-making. You will work closely with teams across the AESO, including System Planning, System Operations, Forecasting & Analytics, Legal, Regulatory, and Tariff, as well as external customers and industry participants, to support project execution and informed technical decisions.

This full-time opportunity offers a competitive salary, 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 your overall compensation package. We support a hybrid work environment, where the team is in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays are flexible for where you work best.

Why join AESO?

• Contribute to projects that directly impact Alberta's electricity system.
• Work alongside experienced engineering professionals and industry experts.
• Influence major transmission infrastructure developments and emerging technologies.
• Help ensure the reliability and long-term success of Alberta's power grid.
• Grow your career in a collaborative and technically challenging environment.

What you’ll do:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of engineering professionals responsible for customer access studies and engineering assessments, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and technical excellence.
• Provide leadership and oversight for the delivery of customer access studies, ensuring work products are completed safely, efficiently, and in alignment with AESO requirements, customer commitments, and business priorities.
• Support employee performance and development through coaching, mentoring, feedback, workforce planning, and succession development, while creating an inclusive and engaging team environment.
• Review and provide direction on complex, high-impact, and high-risk customer projects, applying sound engineering judgment and balancing technical, operational, regulatory, customer, and business considerations.
• Guide and support engineers in the interpretation of power system studies, engineering assessments, and technical recommendations related to customer interconnections.
• Establish, maintain, and continually improve customer access study practices, standards, quality assurance processes, and governance frameworks to ensure consistency and excellence across the team.
• Partner with Program Managers and internal stakeholders to effectively prioritize work, allocate resources, and deliver customer projects in alignment with AESO objectives and timelines.
• Collaborate with teams across System Planning, Forecasting & Analytics, System Operations, Regulatory, Legal, Tariff, and Engineering to support technical decision-making and advance strategic initiatives.
• Provide expert technical advice and recommendations to senior leadership, supporting informed decision-making on customer access, transmission planning, and broader grid-related initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, facility owners, consultants, and industry stakeholders, helping to resolve complex technical issues and support successful project outcomes.
• Represent the AESO in stakeholder engagements, industry working groups, and regulatory proceedings, providing technical expertise and contributing to industry discussions that shape Alberta's evolving electricity system.
• Champion continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance processes, tools, and ways of working that improve efficiency, quality, and the customer experience.

What you’ll bring to us:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation with APEGA, or eligibility to obtain registration.
• MSc. or Ph.D. in Electrical Power systems will be considered an asset.
• 10+ years of progressive engineering experience within the power system industry, with expertise in transmission planning, interconnection studies, system analysis, or related technical disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing technical or engineering teams, including performance management, talent development, and fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Strong understanding of power system studies and engineering assessments, including power flow, short circuit, voltage stability, transient, and dynamic analysis.
• Experience interpreting and providing technical oversight of studies completed using industry-standard tools such as PSS/E and PSCAD.
• Broad knowledge of generation, load, energy storage, and transmission technologies, along with an understanding of how emerging technologies are shaping the evolving electricity system.
• Sound engineering judgment with the ability to make risk-based decisions while balancing technical, regulatory, operational, customer, and business considerations.
• Knowledge of Alberta's electricity industry, including the AESO tariff, regulatory environment, connection processes, and transmission system operations.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships and influence outcomes across cross-functional teams, senior leadership, customers, consultants, and industry stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear recommendations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• A strategic and continuous improvement mindset, with a passion for enhancing processes, developing people, and helping shape the future of Alberta's electricity system.

You will enjoy working with us if:

• You are passionate about power systems and want to help shape the future of Alberta's electricity infrastructure.
• You enjoy solving complex engineering challenges and applying sound technical judgment to real-world system issues.
• You are motivated by mentoring and supporting the development of other engineers and technical professionals.
• You thrive in a collaborative environment and enjoy working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• You enjoy balancing technical analysis, business considerations, regulatory requirements, and customer needs to support informed decision-making.
• You are energized by opportunities to improve processes, influence engineering practices, and contribute to strategic initiatives.

Application deadline: August 1, 2026

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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 (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.