Fire Protection Engineer

JGMS Family of Companies•Niskayuna, NY

About The Position

JGMS Government Services is looking to hire a Fire Protection Engineer that will provide primary support for building fire protection design reviews and commissioning activities. This role ensures that fire protection systems and features are properly designed, installed, tested, and documented in accordance with applicable codes, standards, and internal program requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection Engineering (or closely related discipline with a designated fire protection engineering major/concentration) and at least 5 years of relevant fire protection engineering experience; OR Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (e.g., Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Chemical) and at least 7 years of directly related fire protection engineering experience in the fire protection field.
Solid understanding of passive fire protection barriers, including design intent, code requirements, installation details, and testing/inspection methods for fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, fire doors, dampers, and firestopping.
Solid understanding of automatic sprinkler systems design and testing, including system types, coverage requirements, hydraulics, water supplies, and functional testing principles.
Solid understanding of fire alarm detection and notification systems design and testing, including initiating devices, notification appliances, control panels, circuits, and system interfaces.
Ability to read and interpret architectural, mechanical, electrical, and fire protection drawings, specifications, and technical calculations.
Strong analytical skills to evaluate fire protection system performance, identify deficiencies, and develop practical, code-compliant solutions.
Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear technical reports, design review comments, and commissioning documentation, and to present recommendations to multidisciplinary teams.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills for tracking review findings, test results, and corrective actions to closure.
Ability to work collaboratively with designers, project managers, construction personnel, and facility staff, while maintaining independence and objectivity in technical review and approval activities.
Ability to manage multiple assignments, prioritize work, and meet schedule commitments for design reviews and commissioning activities.
Candidates must possess a DOE L security clearance.
A pre-employment drug screening and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verification is required.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with International Building Code (IBC), International Fire Code (IFC), and applicable local amendments as they relate to fire protection and life safety.
Familiarity with relevant NFPA standards, particularly: NFPA 3, NFPA 13, NFPA 25, NFPA 72, NFPA 80.
Experience reviewing or developing commissioning plans and test procedures for fire protection and life safety systems in accordance with NFPA and internal requirements.
Experience conducting or overseeing field inspections, functional testing, and integrated system testing of fire protection and life safety systems in complex or mission-critical facilities.
Working knowledge of how fire protection systems interface with HVAC, electrical distribution, emergency power, security systems, and building automation systems.
Familiarity with risk-based approaches to fire protection design and evaluation.
Experience with internal or organizational fire protection design criteria, processes, and documentation practices.

Responsibilities

Perform fire protection design reviews for new buildings and major renovations, including review of architectural and engineering drawings, specifications, calculations, and design narratives for compliance with applicable codes and standards (including IBC, IFC, and relevant NFPA standards) and internal criteria.
Evaluate design and layout of key fire protection and life safety features, including passive fire protection barriers, automatic sprinkler and other water-based suppression systems, and fire alarm detection and notification systems.
Review hydraulic, flow, and demand calculations, device spacing and coverage, equipment sizing, and system configuration to confirm that fire protection systems meet performance, reliability, and maintainability requirements.
Assess integration of fire protection systems with other building systems to ensure proper coordinated response during fire and emergency conditions.
Identify design non-conformances and performance risks; develop recommendations; and work collaboratively with design teams, project managers, and construction personnel to resolve fire protection issues prior to construction and occupancy.
Develop or review commissioning and acceptance test plans for fire protection and life safety systems, including criteria and procedures consistent with applicable standards and organizational requirements.
Witness or perform functional and acceptance testing of passive barriers, automatic sprinkler systems, and fire alarm detection/notification systems.
Verify that fire protection systems and passive barriers are installed and configured in accordance with approved design documents, applicable standards, and manufacturer instructions.
Document design review results, commissioning activities, test outcomes, and deficiencies; track required corrective actions to closure and confirm that systems are fully ready for service and occupancy.
Support the preparation, review, and maintenance of as-built drawings, system narratives, design calculations, and operation and maintenance documentation to ensure accurate configuration control.
Provide fire protection engineering guidance to project managers, facility engineers, operations and maintenance personnel, and other stakeholders.
Support periodic inspections, audits, and assessments of fire protection systems and passive barriers to confirm ongoing compliance and performance.
Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of internal fire protection design, review, commissioning, and testing processes, checklists, and templates.