Principal Fire Protection Engineer

AECO; Canberra; Hybrid; AUD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Hybrid work options

Up to 6 weeks annual leave

Professional development support

Job summary

AECOM is seeking a Principal Fire Protection Engineer to lead fire protection design across major building and infrastructure projects within our national Building Engineering team. You will drive technical delivery from concept through construction and commissioning while engaging clients and guiding the discipline technically.

You will oversee wet and dry fire protection systems, ensure compliance with NCC and standards, and mentor engineers across the team.

Qualifications

• 9+ years in Fire Protection/Services Engineering with design and delivery experience.
• Experience leading medium to large multi-disciplinary projects.
• Strong knowledge of fire suppression, detection, EWIS systems.
• Eligible for FPAS, NER, or RPEQ accreditation; engineering degree.

Responsibilities

• Lead fire protection design across complex projects from concept to commissioning.
• Provide high-level technical input across wet and dry systems.
• Ensure NCC and standards compliance for safety and quality.
• Manage client interfaces and support business development.
• Mentor engineers and coordinate with multi-disciplinary teams.

Skills

Fire protection design

Project leadership

Client engagement

Mentoring engineers

Cross-disciplinary coordination

Education

Engineering degree + FPAS/NER/RPEQ eligibility

Tools

Hyena

Revizto

Revit

AutoCAD

Job description

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the worldâs most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

Our national Building Engineering team is growing, and we are seeking aPrincipal Fire Protection Engineerto play a key technical and project leadership role across major building and infrastructure projects. Sitting between Senior and Associate Director level, this position is ideal for an experienced engineer ready to step into broader leadership, client engagement and discipline development responsibilities while still remaining hands‑on in technical delivery.

You will work across a diverse portfolio including defence, education, health, commercial, aviation and more - driving high-quality fire protection solutions and contributing to the continued growth of our national team.

How you’ll make a difference

• Lead fire protection design and delivery across complex projects, from early concept and detailed design through to construction support and commissioning.
• Provide high-level technical input across wet and dry fire protection systems including fire hydrants, hose reels, sprinkler systems, alternative suppression systems, gas suppression, detection and EWIS/evacuation systems.
• Oversee design compliance with the NCC, Australian Standards and relevant authorities, ensuring robust safety, quality and performance outcomes.
• Act as a key client interface—building trusted relationships, supporting project acquisition and contributing to business development initiatives.
• Mentor and guide engineers across the team, fostering strong technical capability and supporting career development.
• Coordinate effectively with mechanical, electrical, structural and specialist engineering teams to deliver integrated, multi-disciplinary building solutions.
• Contribute to discipline strategy, technical standards and continuous improvement across the national Fire Protection Engineering practice.

Qualifications

The following qualifications and experience are highly desired, but if you don’t tick all the boxes, you could still be a perfect fit for this role.

The qualities that help you thrive:

• Ideally, 9+years’ experience in Fire Protection / Services Engineering within an engineering consultancy or relevant government/contractor environment, with strong design and project delivery capability.
• Demonstrated experience leading medium to large, multi‑disciplinary projects and coordinating project teams.
• Strong technical capability across fire suppression systems, fire water infrastructure, fire detection, alarm and EWIS systems, with experience in both wet and dry systems.
• Ability to manage client relationships, contribute to bid preparation and lead successful project outcomes.
• Relevant engineering degree with professional accreditation (NER, RPEQ or FPAS – Fire Systems Design) or eligibility to obtain.
• Experience using industry-standard tools such asHyena, Revizto, Revit or AutoCAD.

Australian Citizenship is highly preferred due to project requirements.

Additional Information

Why you’ll love working with us:

• Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times,job‑sharing and hybrid work options
• Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year
• Flex public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better
• Continuous learning and growth - lunch and learns, professional development courses, financial study assistance, 5 days paid study leave, global career opportunities

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in‑person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the landson which we, our clients and our communities live and workaround Australia.We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses.Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here:https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public‑ and private‑sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options.Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well‑being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry‑leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

By clicking the link above or any third‑party link within this posting, you are leaving this site and going to a third‑party website where the third‑party website's terms and privacy policy apply