Junior Fire Engineer

BRE; Watford; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

BRE, an independent fire research and testing organisation, invites an early‑career structural fire engineer to join the Built Environment team in Watford. You will apply postgraduate research, modelling and analytical skills to fire safety research, consultancy and testing with real-world impact.

You will contribute to projects involving fire experiments, numerical analysis, data interpretation and reporting, while developing proposals and delivering work to agreed scope and deadlines in a

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in structural fire engineering or related field with fire, structural or modelling content.
• Experience with finite element analysis tools (ideally SAFIR) or equivalent.
• Strong numerical, analytical and data interpretation skills.
• Ability to read construction drawings and work with technical documentation.
• Familiarity with CAD software and UK fire safety codes.

Responsibilities

• Support fire safety analysis and research projects on structural fire topics.
• Contribute to numerical analysis, experiments and project reports.
• Review technical information, drawings and project evidence.
• Prepare clear technical outputs and support proposals within scope and deadlines.

Skills

Structural fire Eng

Finite element analysis

SAFIR familiarity

Numerical analysis

CAD reading

Education

Postgraduate degree in structural fire engineering

Tools

CAD software

Modelling tools

Job description

Make an impact

Help shape safer buildings through specialist fire research, testing and engineering advice.

This is an opportunity for an early-career structural fire engineer to join BRE’s Built Environment team, working on real projects for government and private sector clients. You will use your postgraduate research, modelling and analytical skills to support fire safety research, consultancy and testing that has a practical impact across the built environment.

What you’ll be doing

You will support fire safety analysis and research projects involving structural fire experiments, fire compartmentation, numerical analysis, site investigations and façades/cladding.

Your Work Will Include

• contributing to large and small-scale fire research projects
• using modelling and analysis tools to support technical assessments
• analysing data and drawing evidence-based conclusions
• reviewing technical information, drawings and project evidence
• preparing clear technical reports and project outputs
• supporting proposals and helping deliver work to the agreed scope and deadlines
• managing defined pieces of project work, with support from experienced colleagues
• representing BRE in project meetings and technical discussions where appropriate

What we’re looking for

We are leading with the qualification for this role, so we are particularly interested in candidates with an experimental postgraduate research degree in structural fire engineering.

• a postgraduate qualification in structural fire engineering, or a closely related field with relevant fire, structural or modelling content
• exposure to finite element analysis, ideally including SAFIR, or related modelling tools
• strong numerical, analytical and data interpretation skills
• the ability to read construction drawings and work with technical documentation
• familiarity with CAD software
• an interest in UK fire safety codes, building regulations and Eurocode fire parts
• clear written communication skills, including the ability to produce technical reports
• the ability to organise your work, manage priorities and meet project deadlines
• curiosity and willingness to keep learning as project needs develop

Experience in fire engineering consultancy, fire research, fire testing, structural engineering, façade/cladding, certification/testing, construction products, government-funded research or regulated technical consultancy would be helpful, but is not essential if your academic background is strong.

Location and working pattern

This role is based at the BRE Science Park in Watford / Garston.

The hybrid pattern is 3 days per week on site, plus customer site visits where required. This may vary slightly during busy or training periods.

Recruitment timeline

Closing date: 28th June 2026

Interview with Ryan (our Ai interviewer): 29th June to 2nd July

In-person interview at the BRE Science Park: 6th to 10th July

Why join BRE

BRE is a world-leading independent research, advisory and testing organisation focused on making buildings safer, more sustainable and better for people. You will join a specialist team with access to unique fire research and testing facilities, working on projects that combine technical depth with real-world impact.

This role offers the chance to build your expertise in structural fire engineering while learning from experienced colleagues across fire research, testing and consultancy.

We welcome applications from people with different backgrounds and experiences. Even if your experience does not match every point, but your qualification and technical foundation are relevant, we encourage you to apply.

BRE contributes to a thriving and sustainable world by developing science‑led solutions to built environment challenges. Our vision is to be the world‑leading innovation, science, and data hub for the built environment. We’re ambitious in terms of quality and global scope. We want governments and commercial markets to recognise us and demand our services, products and solutions. We want to be world‑class, innovative, science‑led and provide solutions.