Senior Fire Engineer

1st Select; Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

1st Select is looking for an experienced Senior Fire Engineer specializing in EWS assessments to join their well-established consultancy. You'll lead critical projects across residential and commercial sectors, ensuring the safety of buildings and the peace of mind for their inhabitants.

The role offers the flexibility of mostly remote work, requiring only one day per week in a UK office. Candidates with IEng or CEng registration and EWS1 certification are strongly encouraged to apply. The consultancy also values broader experience in building safety.

Qualifications

• Experience in assessing B1 and B2 rated cladding.
• Background in residential and/or social housing.
• Commercial building experience considered a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Lead assessments for EWS1 forms to ensure building safety.
• Engage directly with clients and design teams.
• Work flexibly, primarily remote with occasional site visits.

Skills

Proven EWS1 / FRAEW sign-off experience

Competency for buildings over 18 metres

Client-facing ability

Experience across RIBA stages 3, 4 and 5

Education

IEng or CEng registration (or actively in process)

Tools

PAS 9980 familiarity

Job description

Senior Fire Engineer (EWS / external wall specialist)

Post-Grenfell remediation work hasn't slowed, it's compounded. A well-established, independently operated fire engineering consultancy working across residential, social housing, and commercial sectors has just landed a significant tranche of new instructions.

They need experienced EWS engineers to absorb that pipeline, engineers who can work autonomously, sign off independently, and engage directly with clients and design teams. Not to assist someone else. To lead.

Many fire engineers spend their careers chasing the next bid, waiting on design team decisions, or doing fire strategy work that never quite uses the depth of their building safety knowledge. This role is different in three concrete ways.

The work is confirmed. You are not walking into a business development role dressed as an engineering role. The building pipeline is already under instruction.

Flexibility from the beginning. One day per week in a UK office is the expectation, and even that is negotiable. Engineers on this team work remotely as a default, travel to site when genuinely necessary, and some work from abroad for extended periods when family or personal circumstances call for it. No timesheets. No performative presence.

The work matters in a way that is hard to overstate. Every building assessed is a block of flats where real people need to know whether their home is safe. The EWS1 form you sign is the document that unlocks or blocks their ability to sell, remortgage, or simply feel secure. The engineers who are good at this are rare, respected, and needed.

What we need from you

• IEng or CEng registration (or actively in process)
• Proven EWS1 / FRAEW sign-off experience
• Competency for buildings over 18 metres
• B1 and B2 rated cladding assessment
• Experience across RIBA stages 3, 4 and 5
• Residential and / or social housing background
• Ability to work client-facing and with design teams
• PAS 9980 familiarity
• Commercial building experience is a bonus - the consultancy works on projects ranging from major retail to large-scale social housing. IFE membership is viewed positively. RICS training relevant to EWS is also noted.

Office locations

Any UK location considered. Engineers currently based everywhere from London to Scotland. One day per week in any of the offices is the ask, with flexibility on timing and frequency for the right person.

Visa sponsorship is available for the right candidate