Senior Fire Engineer

Penguin Recruitment; Chestfield; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Penguin Recruitment Ltd is seeking a Senior Fire Engineer to lead challenging projects, develop innovative fire safety strategies and influence the design of complex buildings in the UK.

Based in Rochester, Kent, the role involves coordinating fire engineering deliverables, liaising with clients and regulators, and ensuring compliance with Building Regulations and safety standards. Chartered status or progression toward CEng is preferred.

Qualifications

• Degree in Fire Engineering, Structural Engineering or a relevant STEM field.
• At least five years’ experience within a UK engineering consultancy.
• Strong knowledge of British Standards, fire safety legislation and regulatory compliance.
• Experience with fire and smoke modelling software (FDS, Pathfinder).
• Chartered Engineer status or commitment to achieving CEng through IFE or CIBSE.

Responsibilities

• Lead fire strategies for complex residential and commercial developments.
• Oversee CFD smoke modelling, evacuation simulations and fire engineering calculations.
• Advise on structural fire protection, compartmentation and passive fire safety.
• Navigate Building Regulations, Approved Document B and Building Safety Act requirements.
• Coordinate Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 submissions for Higher-Risk Buildings where applicable.
• Manage client relationships, project programmes, budget and technical deliverables.
• Undertake site inspections and oversee Regulation 38 handovers to regulators.

Skills

Fire engineering

Project leadership

Client management

Regulatory compliance

Education

Degree in Fire/Structural Engineering or STEM

Tools

FDS

Pathfinder

Job description

Lead innovation. Shape safer buildings. Build your future.

Are you ready to take your fire engineering career to the next level? This is an exciting opportunity for a Senior Fire Engineer to lead challenging projects, develop innovative fire safety strategies and influence the design of complex buildings.

Based in a Consultancy in Rochester, Kent, you’ll work alongside clients, architects, contractors and regulatory authorities, delivering practical, compliant and forward-thinking fire engineering solutions that protect lives and bring ambitious designs to life.

The Role

As a Senior Fire Engineer, you’ll combine technical expertise, project leadership and commercial awareness to deliver high-quality consultancy services across a diverse portfolio of projects.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading fire strategies for complex, high-rise residential and commercial developments.
• Overseeing CFD smoke modelling, evacuation simulations and advanced fire engineering calculations.
• Advising on structural fire protection, compartmentation and passive fire safety.
• Navigating UK Building Regulations, Approved Document B, the Building Safety Act and relevant Building Safety Regulator requirements.
• Coordinating Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 submissions for applicable Higher-Risk Buildings.
• Managing client relationships, project programmes, fee budgets and technical deliverables.
• Undertaking site inspections and overseeing Regulation 38 fire safety information handovers.

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for a Senior Fire Engineer with a passion for technical excellence, problem-solving and delivering outstanding project outcomes.

You’ll ideally have:

• A degree in Fire Engineering, Structural Engineering or a relevant STEM discipline.
• At least five years’ experience within a UK engineering consultancy.
• Strong knowledge of British Standards, fire safety legislation and regulatory compliance.
• Experience with fire and smoke modelling software, including FDS and Pathfinder.
• Excellent communication, client management and project leadership skills.
• Chartered Engineer status, or a commitment to achieving CEng through the IFE or CIBSE.

Knowledge of Golden Thread requirements and experience with complex building projects would be advantageous.

Why Join?

This is your chance to make a genuine impact as a Senior Fire Engineer, taking ownership of technically challenging projects while building strong client relationships and expanding your professional expertise.

You’ll have the opportunity to influence design decisions, develop innovative solutions, contribute to safer buildings and progress towards future technical or leadership opportunities.