Lead Data Scientist

Date: October 1, 2026

Location: Oakville, ON – Hybrid

Requisition ID: 21065

Status: Regular

Business Unit: Information and Technology Services

Grade/Band: MP5

Shift Work: N/A

Annual Pay Range: For standard 35-hour work week

Step 1: $118,456 to Step 10: $169,208

The successful candidate will be placed at the appropriate step within the salary grade/band, based on relevant years of experience and other applicable considerations.

Why join us?

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!

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 Smart Metering Division in the Information and Technology Business Unit.

What Makes This Role Exciting

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

The Lead Data Scientist reports to the Senior Manager, Data & Analytics in the SME groups and is accountable for scoping, design, and implementation of models and/or algorithms to obtain the necessary inputs or results for various smart meter data use cases. This includes ensuring data quality and accuracy, complete requirements, knowledge of data warehousing and data mart systems and preparation of various extracts, reports and analysis for both internal and external audiences.

The incumbent is responsible for ensuring the timely and accurate production and availability of data and analytics products in support of the SME’s data program success and value.

What You’ll Do

The IESO is looking for a data scientist that will help us discover the information hidden in vast amounts of data, and help us make smarter decisions to deliver even better products. Your primary focus will be in applying data mining techniques, doing statistical analysis, and building high quality prediction systems integrated with our products. Specifically, this role will support the Smart Metering team at the IESO, focusing on maximizing the value of the Smart Meter Data Repository for the IESO and external third parties.

Lead Data Scientist responsibilities include conducting full lifecycle analysis to include requirements, activities and design for smart meter data use cases. They will develop analysis and reporting capabilities alongside the Data Analyst. They will also monitor performance and quality control plans to identify improvements.

The successful candidate will turn data into information, information into insight and insight into business decisions.

• Be an engaging member of the Smart Metering team.
• Support the development of the Smart Meter Data products and use cases.
• Lead and manage internal and external working groups and provide the Smart Metering perspective by participating in various stakeholder engagements that impact the collection and use of all data stored in the MDM/R.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to other members of the team. This may include problem resolution, training, and quality checks on their work.
• Work with SMEs within and outside Smart Metering as necessary to integrate new technology into the MDM/R or data sets resulting from analytics into downstream processes.
• Provide guidance to other business units on Smart Meter data and the MDM/R and applicable use cases

In a typical day, you will

• Support, as required, specialized system and market efficiency studies
• Provide support, as required to other business units, agencies, and market participants to fulfill strategic plans.
• Interpret data, analyze results using statistical techniques and provide ongoing reports
• Develop and implement databases, data collection systems, data analytics and other strategies that optimize statistical efficiency and quality
• Acquire data from primary or secondary data sources and maintain databases/data systems
• Identify, analyze, and interpret trends or patterns in complex data sets
• Work with management to prioritize business and information needs
• Locate and define new process improvement opportunities

Role Requirements

Our team consists of experts from diverse backgrounds, each bringing their unique perspectives and skills.

Education

To succeed in this role, you’ll need:

• BS in Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, Information Management or Statistics. Preference will be given to those with a Master Degree.

Experience

• You have a deep understanding of statistical and predictive modeling concepts, machine-learning approaches, clustering and classification techniques, and recommendation and optimization algorithms.
• Proven working experience as a Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Business Data Analyst, and/or other equivalent experience.
• Technical expertise regarding data models, database design development, data mining and segmentation techniques
• Strong knowledge of and experience with reporting packages (Business Objects etc), databases (SQL Server, Oracle etc), programming (XML, Javascript, or ETL frameworks)
• Knowledge of statistics and experience using statistical packages for analyzing datasets (Excel, SPSS, SAS etc)
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy
• Adept at queries, report writing and presenting findings
• 8- 10 years of experience in a planning, regulatory, research, or analytical environment is typically required to complete the responsibilities of the job. Experience in the electricity sector is preferred.

Nice To Have

• An advanced degree in engineering, computer science or related disciplines
• Extensive knowledge of cloud computing (preferable Microsoft Azure), Databricks and AI/ML model development.

How We Support You

From a comprehensive total rewards program to dynamic learning and development opportunities—including job rotations to broaden your expertise—we empower you to define and shape your own success. When you join the IESO, here’s what you can expect:

• 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.

For future reference, please save a copy of the job posting as it will no longer be available once the posting closes.

Thank you for your interest in a career at the IESO. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that the successful candidate must be legally eligible to work in Canada and will be subject to applicable background checks.

IESO will not conduct interviews or offer positions via online, text, chat or social media platforms. We will not gather personal information directly from candidates or potential candidates. Selected candidates will work with our Talent Acquisition team to ensure their application is processed.

The IESO currently has a 3-day in-office work week for applicable roles. Over the course of 2026, the IESO will advance plans to acquire additional office space to accommodate more in-office time. While the timeline for moving to a full 5-day in-office model has not yet been established, we are committed to keeping employees and candidates informed as plans progress and give them as much advance notice as possible to prepare for any changes.

We believe in opportunities for everyone.

At the IESO, we know that achieving great results depends on embracing diversity by attracting, developing, and retaining people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We do this by ensuring our recruitment and advancement policies are fair and equitable, and by creating an accessible and inclusive environment—one that values every team member’s unique skills and experiences and ensures they have the support they need to achieve their potential. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know. We’re proud to say we’ve been recognized as a supportive, inclusive employer.

Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.