Fire Consultant

Colonial Group; New York (NY); Remote; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee-focused culture

Strong work-life balance

100% Remote work

Flexible vacation & Paid holidays

Paid family care/sick leave

Parental leave

Comprehensive benefits

401k w/match

Job summary

YA Group is an international professional services organization providing forensic consulting, engineering, risk mitigation, and related services. Founded over 25 years ago, YA Group has expanded through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Today, YA Group has over 800 professionals dedicated to excellence and innovation. YA Engineering Services (YAES) offers immediate response to new assignments, performs investigations timely, and provides comprehensive reports backed by robust analyses

Qualifications

• 5+ years of related work experience in fire investigation or a related field in the private sector.
• NAFI – CFEI or IAAI-CFI certification required.
• Deposition experience or ability to provide expert testimony.
• Thorough understanding of fire dynamics, fire behavior, and forensic analysis techniques.
• In-depth knowledge of NFPA 921 & 1033 fire investigation standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex fire and explosion investigations across residential, commercial, and industrial settings.
• Collaborate with law enforcement, fire departments, and insurance companies to gather information.
• Collect and analyze evidence using witness interviews, scene photography, fire pattern analysis, and data preservation.
• Analyze building systems and relevant fire codes, identifying potential failure modes and recommending solutions.
• Prepare clear and concise reports outlining investigation findings for clients.
• Provide expert testimony or attend depositions if necessary.
• Develop and maintain positive client relationships through clear communication and meeting deadlines.
• Stay current on fire investigation trends, regulations, and best practices.

Skills

Fire dynamics

Forensic analysis

Deposition experience

Analytical skills

Report writing

Client relations

Travel willingness

Microsoft Word/Excel/Adobe

Education

NAFI – CFEI or IAAI-CFI certification

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Adobe products

Job description

The Role:

Fire Consultants provide high quality consulting services relating to fires, explosions, and losses of significance for YA’s customers, which include insurance companies, third-party adjusters and independent businesses and insureds. YA Fire Consultants work closely with a team of engineers and litigation specialists to support our clients throughout the entire investigative process, from the initial scene examination to providing expert testimony if needed. Fire Consultants are expected to use a large measure of independent judgement, considering and weighing alternatives when appropriate, considering the financial and operational significance of the services being performed.

The ideal candidate has an established client network and has a strong track record of building rapport and maintaining lasting client relationships.

In This Role, You Will:

• Lead complex fire and explosion investigations, determining cause and origin across residential, commercial, and industrial settings.
• Collaborate with law enforcement, fire departments, and insurance companies to gather information.
• Collect and analyze evidence using various methods, including witness interviews, scene photography, fire pattern analysis, and data preservation.
• Analyze building systems and relevant fire codes, identifying potential failure modes and recommending solutions.
• Prepare clear and concise reports outlining investigation findings for clients.
• Provide expert testimony or attend depositions if necessary.
• Develop and maintain positive client relationships through clear communication and meeting established deadlines.
• Stay current on fire investigation trends, regulations, and best practices.
• Perform other duties as required.

What You Bring:

• 5+ years of related work experience in fire investigation or a related field in the private sector.
• NAFI – CFEI or IAAI-CFI certification required.
• Deposition experience or ability to provide expert testimony.
• Thorough understanding of fire dynamics, fire behavior, and forensic analysis techniques.
• In-depth knowledge of NFPA 921 & 1033 fire investigation standards.
• Willingness to travel to investigate fire losses throughout your state and surrounding areas.
• Proven ability to write detailed reports and meet strict deadlines.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe applications.
• Ability to perform various physical tasks including standing/walking for extended periods, kneeling/squatting/bending, working outdoors in extreme temperatures, climbing/crawling/reaching overhead.

Who We Are:

YA Group is an international professional services organization providing forensic consulting, engineering, risk mitigation, and related services. Founded over 25 years ago as a property damage consulting firm, YA has expanded through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Today, YA has over 800 professionals dedicated to excellence, partnership, and driving innovation.

YA Engineering Services (“YAES”) is a national forensic multi-disciplinary consulting firm. YAES provides immediate response to new assignments, performs investigations in a timely manner, and provides comprehensive reports that are clear, concise, and backed by reasonable analyses and recommendations. YAES offers a team of highly qualified, technically excellent engineering professionals who work seamlessly together to service the needs of our clients in the model of an engineering cooperative.

What We Offer:

• Employee-focused culture
• Strong commitment to work-life balance
• 100% Remote work
• Flexible vacation & Paid holidays
• Paid family care/sick leave
• Parental leave
• Comprehensive benefits
• 401k w/match

Disclosures:

As part of our recruitment process, we may use AI-assisted tools to support candidate screening and evaluation. These tools are designed to assist—rather than replace—human decision-making, and all employment decisions are made by our recruiting team in accordance with applicable laws and our commitment to equal employment opportunity.

Where required by law, we will provide additional information about the use of these tools, including their purpose, and offer alternative processes or accommodations upon request.