Fire Life Safety Specialist

Stantec Consulting International Ltd.; Dubai; On-site; AED 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Stantec Consulting International Ltd. is seeking a veteran Fire Engineering professional to lead performance-based and prescriptive fire safety strategies, oversee Civil Defense submissions, and manage FLS systems from concept through commissioning.

The role requires a minimum of 10 years ofpost-graduate experience in fire and life safety engineering, with 5+ years in the Middle East, and a track record on high-rise, hospitals, airports, or tunnels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Safety Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum 10 years of post-graduate experience in fire and life safety engineering.
• At least 5 years on projects in the Middle East.
• CFPS certification is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead fire engineering strategy development for diverse building types.
• Manage Civil Defense submissions across UAE jurisdictions.
• Mentor junior FLS engineers and develop design guides.
• Support business development with technical proposals and client presentations.

Skills

Fire engineering

Technical leadership

Client liaison

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fire Safety Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

NFPA codes

SFPE Handbook

Job description

Overview

Stantec is seeking a talented and motivated professional to act as the practice's technical authority on FLS matters, leading performance-based and prescriptive fire engineering strategies, managing Civil Defense authority submissions, and overseeing FLS systems from concept design through to commissioning and handover.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities

Fire Engineering & Strategy

• Develop prescriptive and performance-based fire engineering strategies for all building types and occupancies, including atrium buildings, underground spaces and high-rise towers.
• Prepare comprehensive Fire Strategy Reports, Fire Safety Concept Documents, and Means of Escape analyses aligned with NFPA, UAE Fire & Life Safety Code, and authority-specific requirements.
• Develop and present performance-based design (PBD) submissions to Civil Defense authorities and peer reviewers.
• Advise the design team on fire compartmentation, fire-rated construction, structural fire protection, and façade fire spread mitigation.
• Coordinate FLS interfaces with MEP, structural, architectural, and IT/Security disciplines throughout design stages.

Authority Approvals & Compliance

• Manage Civil Defense approval submissions across UAE jurisdictions (Abu Dhabi Civil Defense, Dubai Civil Defense), Saudi Arabia (SACD), Qatar (QCDD), and other GCC authorities as required.
• Prepare, coordinate, and track NOC applications, drawing submissions, and compliance certificates through the full approval lifecycle.
• Liaise with Civil Defense inspectors, third-party and insurance risk engineers.
• Ensure compliance with: NFPA 1, 13, 14, 20, 72, 92, 101, 130, 502; UAE Fire & Life Safety Code of Practice; SFPE Handbook; IFC; and applicable local Civil Defense codes.

Practice Development

• Mentor junior FLS engineers and provide technical guidance on complex design challenges across the wider building services team.
• Develop and maintain internal FLS design guides, calculation templates, and specification master documents.
• Support business development through preparation of technical proposals, fee estimates, and participation in client presentations.

Client & Project Delivery

Act as the House of Expertise (HoE) for projects designed in house and provide HoE services for designs prepared by others.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Safety Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of post-graduate experience in fire and life safety engineering, with at least 5 years on projects in the Middle East.
• Demonstrated experience on large-scale, complex projects including high-rise (>100m), hospitals, airports, or tunnels.
• CFPS (Certified Fire Protection Specialist — NFPA) is highly desirable.

Preferred Specifications

• Chartered Engineer (CEng — Institution of Fire Engineers preferred), or equivalent (PE - Fire Protection, CPEng).
• IFE Membership (MIFireE or FIFireE) or SFPE membership (P.E., FSFPE) strongly preferred.

Work Location(s): United Arab Emirates-Dubai

Employment Type: Full-Time

Job Type: Regular

Job Category: Mechanical Engineering