Senior/Associate Fire Engineer
General Function:
Responsible for the business development, planning, technical implementation, supervision and commercial administration of assigned projects in a manner that meets high quality assurance, safety standards of work, and follows accepted industry best practice.
Specific Function:
This position performs professional engineering work to protect life and property. This work includes assessment and prediction of fire hazards or risks, mitigation of fire damage by proper design, construction, and arrangement of facilities, design, construction, inspection, testing, and operation of fire detection and fire suppression apparatus, appliances, devices, and systems, and assessment of fire protection requirements.
This position helps prevent, identify, and mitigate fire hazards to detect, control, and suppress fire events. Consider the effects of fire on people, structures and the continuity of operations identifies fire hazards and their risks, the cost of protection, and fire safety design, interpret, and promote fire safety codes and standards, use quantitative methods to assess aspects of fire and fire safety, and determine and apply scientific principles and theories of fire phenomena. Ensure compliance with industry standards.
Responsibilities:
Undertake all activities of an experienced Senior Fire Engineer including:
Design overall fire protection systems, conduct investigations into post fire incidents, and provide specifications for building construction, exit and egress means, and mechanical systems.
Prepare fire safety system design, audits and risk assessments.
Prepare building consent fire engineering documentation, smoke simulation and hazard management and performance based fire engineering services.
Prepare, review and evaluate project designs to ensure drawings, specifications, reports and supporting documents for projects are correct. Detailing specific fire prevention and protection issues such as work performed and proposed review schedules. Design projects to include fire detection equipment, alarm systems, and fire extinguishing devices and systems.
Work includes the anticipation and prediction of fire behaviour on materials, structures, machines, and apparatus to protect life and property.
Review designs of new and modified facilities throughout various stage of development to assure compliance with the NZ. Life Safety Codes and ensure various fire protection design criteria are met. (NZBC Approved Documents C/AS1-7 and Verification Method C/VM2).
Prepare Fire Protection design and construction documents, for new and renovation projects to various types of facilities, using the latest technological design and drafting tools.
Consult with clients to discuss safety regulations and to recommend changes necessary.
Determine work priorities and schedules for meeting milestones within time limitations.
Advise architects, builders, and other construction personnel on fire prevention equipment and techniques, and on fire code and standard interpretation and compliance.
Inspect buildings or building designs to determine fire protection system requirements and potential problems in areas such as water supplies, exit locations, and construction materials.
Direct the purchase, modification, installation, maintenance, and operation of fire protection systems.
Provide fire protection and system safety engineering technical leadership, criteria and code interpretation, design and construction quality assurance, training and mentoring in the areas of fire prevention and systems safety design to team.
Develop training materials, and conduct training sessions on fire protection to team.
Produce Fire Protection Engineering work that applies:
fire protection engineering science
designs of integrated systems involving suppression, detection, and electrical/electronic alarm systems
design standards and codes for fire protection engineering techniques and practices
human responses to emergency situations
fire tests and measurements system concepts of fire safety methods of analysis and evaluation
Business
Take a lead role in business development and identification of opportunities
Participate in Client networking opportunities
Identify business risks and mitigate them
Resolve delivery issues and take ownership of problems
Formulate and manage project plans, understand scope of work, plan site visit approach and ensure planned efficient use of time and resources.
Perform administrative requirements for financial information in accordance with QA Manual.
Record and advise change of project contract scope.
Prepare fee proposals in conjunction with Director.
Keep up to date records and submit timesheets in a timely manner.
Initiate discussions with Director for any new technical systems/procedures to streamline company activities.
Adhere to all safety regulations and procedures to assist in providing a safe hazard free workplace.
Report any hazards on site visits to Safety Officer.
Monitor and control the financial performance of projects; meet time allocations/dates and budgets as required.
Communicate with Job Manager/Director if issues arises impacting this.
People
Ensure clear communication with colleagues contractors and clients
Act as primary Client contact and ensure clear and timely communication is maintained on all jobs.
Manage existing clients and maintain service delivery and company profile through good public relations to ensure ongoing workflow.
Develop and manage a portfolio of clients.
Identify potential clients and opportunities, take the initiative in developing opportunities for the company.
Assist with the planning and co-ordination of staff resources.
Assist in management of staff including coaching/mentoring and checking other team members work.
Show leadership in the office when there are problems to be resolve
Development Responsibilities
Maintain professional development through reading engineering publications and attending local structural engineering forums.
Keep up to date with latest revisions of relevant standards and codes.
Attending, preparing and delivering in-house engineering discussions and seminars.
Assist with the technical development of other staff.
Education/Qualifications/Job Knowledge
Bachelor of Engineering
Chartered Professional Engineer
Preferably a Masters in Fire Engineering
Clean Full Drivers Licence
Must have experience in design of fire protection and alarm systems, knowledge of building codes and design project management experience.
Minimum 4 years of relevant fire protection engineering experience (8+ years preferred). Or Between 8-15 years consulting experience.
Specialized experience must demonstrate the following, serve as a technical authority on facilities fire protection and life safety; conduct and review designs for fire protection systems; apply knowledge of engineering/ architectural fields to solve facility engineering issues/problems; and Inspect, test, and approve new and rehabilitated fire protection systems.
Sound technical knowledge codes and standards for fire protection and life safety criteria, effective communication, analytical, and interpersonal skills, articulate with professional presence, solid decision-making, planning, and organizational skills, must be able to work independently, without supervision, motivated, hard-working, team player with attention to detail.