Senior Water Resources Engineer Job Details | TransAlta

WHO WE ARE

“Energizing the Future.”

TransAlta owns, operates, and develops a diverse fleet of electrical generation assets in Canada, the United States, and Australia, providing municipalities, industries, and businesses with safe, low-cost, and reliable clean electricity. For over 111 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and proud community member where its employees work and live. We are committed to fostering a dynamic, productive, and safe work environment. Our employees contribute to a diverse, open, and transparent culture with clear accountabilities, strong leadership, and challenging opportunities for personal career growth.

For more information about TransAlta, visit our website at www.transalta.com.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Located at TransAlta’s Head Office in Calgary, Alberta, and reporting to the Hydro Operations Planning Manager, the Senior Water Resources Engineer will work closely with the Water Management team. This team is responsible for planning hydro generation, balancing water resources considerations with environmental requirements, and providing important generation to Alberta’s electricity grid. The role involves management and oversight of water resources and is accountable for the safe operation of hydro assets ensuring the efficient use of water resources. The role also provides technical leadership in key technical processes including water management modeling methodologies, systems functionality, hydro generation scheduling and water management process improvement. This role is primarily office based, with some opportunity for field visits.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Ensure the reliability, integrity and accuracy of systems, applications, tools and data supporting water management and hydro scheduling activities (excluding SCADA).
• Develop, implement, and maintain a rolling annual operations water plan for Alberta hydro operations, ensuring adherence to the Flood Action Plan, Spill Operations, and Winter Operations.
• Create daily and hourly operating plans for Alberta hydro assets and submit daily Hydro energy offers to the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO).
• Collaborate with the Asset Optimization team to maximize the safe and efficient use of available water resources within the constraints of operational, environmental and dam safety rules, the Water Act and Alberta Market Regulations based exclusively on public information.
• Ensure all environmental, operational and regulatory restrictions are up to date and comply with Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) rules.
• Provide daily operating guidelines to TransAlta's Hydro System Control Center (HSCC) Operators for execution of the energy and ancillary service production plan.
• Support operations across hydro with technical advice related to water resources including providing On-Call support services after hours and on weekends (weekly shift) to respond to emergent changes in equipment availability or hydrologic conditions.
• Ensure the water and production data is accurate and fed into the databases, ensuring the hydro tools used for scheduling are accurate, up to date and reliable, including leading enhancements to tools currently in use.
• Support and maintain the Inflow Forecast System (FEWS) and Hydro scheduling System (WISKI).
• Provide technical advice and training to junior/intermediate Hydro Engineers for water management and hydro scheduling.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

• Engineering degree in Civil, Water Resources, or Hydrology.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in Engineering as a Registered Professional Engineer with APEGA.
• Postgraduate degree in Water Resource Management, and/or Hydrological modeling is an asset.
• A self-starter and capable of working effectively with others.
• 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.
• Knowledge in hydropower, hydrology and hydraulics, SCADA systems, Microsoft Excel, Visual Basic for Applications, GIS, data science and management, or Python.
• A valid Class 5 driver’s license is required.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Successful completion of pre-employment testing is a condition of employment.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive compensation.
• Annual incentive program.
• Pension plan with company-matching options.
• Comprehensive and flexible benefits for you and your family.
• Vacation and personal days.
• Employee Rewards Programs.
• Annual Wellness Payment.

To learn more about how we can energize your future, check out our new Employee Experience Booklet.

Become part of our TransAlta team today! We look forward to reviewing your application. All applications will be reviewed in a timely manner to the best of our abilities. We appreciate your patience and understanding during the recruitment process.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for a job unless they meet every single qualification. At TransAlta, we are dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse workforce where you can show up every day as your true, authentic self. So, if you’re excited about this role but your qualifications and experience don’t quite tick every box, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the candidate we are looking for.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

It is our collective mission to ensure that every single employee feels a sense of inclusion and belonging and can show up to work as their true authentic self. TransAlta is committed to hiring a diverse workforce including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and members of the LGBTQ2+ community. TransAlta believes that diversity enhances the quality of its performance.

For a full list of TransAlta’s Operations, please see our operations.