Fire Protection Engineer

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory•Batavia, IL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Fermilab is seeking a Fire Protection Engineer to join its Infrastructure Services Directorate. Reporting to Fermilab’s Fire Protection Program Manager, the engineer is responsible for fire protection-related compliance across Fermilab facilities and for developing, implementing, and overseeing the laboratory’s Fire Protection Program. The role supports the safety of employees, visitors, and the public by applying state regulations, Department of Energy (DOE) standards, and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards. The engineer provides fire protection expertise for construction and renovation projects, conducts hazard analyses for experiments, and focuses on the design, maintenance, and operational readiness of fire safety systems. The role also develops fire protection strategies, evaluates project proposals, prepares technical documentation, and works with multidisciplinary teams across operations, maintenance, construction, engineering, and safety. This is an onsite position based at Fermilab’s Batavia location. The described work arrangement may change based on business needs and is not guaranteed to remain final. Employment offers are contingent on successful background checks and drug screening. New employees must obtain and maintain an HSPD-12 Personal Identity Verification credential and pass a federal background investigation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an applicable engineering discipline from an ABET-accredited institution and at least 4 years of engineering experience, or a Master’s or PhD from an ABET-accredited institution and at least 2 years of relevant engineering experience.
Applicable engineering disciplines include Fire Protection, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Chemical, or Structural Engineering.
In-depth knowledge of NFPA codes, including NFPA 13, 25, 30, 72, and 101, and international fire and building codes.
Experience in fire system design, maintenance, and inspection, including automatic sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and suppression systems.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work effectively across disciplines.
Ability to work onsite at the Batavia location.
Successful completion of a background check and drug screening is required for an employment offer.
New employees must successfully complete a federal background investigation and obtain and maintain an HSPD-12 Personal Identity Verification credential.

Nice To Haves

Experience with fire protection in high energy physics, nuclear, or highly protected risk (HPR) industries.
Familiarity with DOE fire protection regulations, such as DOE-STD-420.1C and DOE-STD-1066.

Responsibilities

Oversee Fermilab’s Fire Protection Program and ensure compliance with NFPA, DOE (including 420.1C and 10 CFR 851), and OSHA standards.
Conduct fire hazard analyses, fire system inspections, and safety audits, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Review and approve fire protection system plans, including sprinkler, fire alarm, and suppression systems.
Perform technical reviews of shop drawings, hydraulic calculations, and other relevant submittals.
Conduct fire protection assessments of Fermilab buildings, systems, and laboratories, and support fire protection system testing and maintenance.
Perform risk analyses for experimental projects and provide engineering support for new construction and renovation projects.
Collaborate with project managers, engineers, and construction teams to integrate fire protection requirements into facility designs.
Manage Fermilab’s hot work program and review operational readiness for high-risk activities, including use of flammable or hazardous materials.
Conduct NFPA and ICC code reviews to ensure compliance with life safety standards.
Perform building walkdowns to assess compliance with DOE fire safety requirements.
Scope technical tasks, identify solutions to assigned problems, and develop fire protection strategies with supervisory guidance.
Apply engineering and scientific best practices to problem-solving and project planning, including addressing technical challenges, special materials, and difficult oversight requirements.
Carry out development and qualification programs to improve fire protection processes and reduce future risks.
Develop alternative solutions to fire protection challenges and prepare detailed analyses to determine optimal strategies.
Evaluate project proposals and provide recommendations based on fire protection requirements.
Prepare manuals, reports, and other documents supporting and publicizing technical fire protection work.
Demonstrate creative problem-solving and technical expertise through engineering reports or technical papers.
Build and maintain working relationships across operations, maintenance, construction, safety, and other disciplines.
Complete work individually or as part of multidisciplinary teams, driving tasks to completion; lead multidisciplinary teams on fire protection projects when needed.
Manage multiple projects, documents, and tasks, and communicate complex fire protection topics clearly to different audiences.
Originate and edit written technical documents, including fire protection reports and specifications.