Fire Protection Engineer

SPECTRAFORCE; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectraforce is seeking an experienced Fire Protection Engineer for Arlington, Virginia. You will lead fire sprinkler, fire suppression, and fire alarm design projects, taking ownership of technical decisions and ensuring code-compliant, high-quality results.

Ideal candidates bring hands-on design experience, proficiency in Revit and hydraulic calculations, and knowledge of NFPA standards as well as ICC/IBC codes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering or related field.
• At least 4 years of fire protection design experience.
• Proficiency in Revit and experience designing fire protection systems.
• Knowledge of hydraulic calculations, NFPA standards, ICC codes, and International Building and Fire Codes.
• Strong technical problem-solving, communication, and project coordination skills.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Responsibilities

• Design fire sprinkler, fire suppression, and fire alarm systems in accordance with codes and project requirements.
• Develop and review engineering drawings, layouts, specifications, and technical documentation using Revit and related design tools.
• Perform hydraulic calculations, engineering studies, and system research to support fire protection designs.
• Serve as Designer of Record (DOR) for assigned projects, overseeing deliverables, schedules, budgets, and design quality.
• Coordinate with clients, architects, project designers, and other engineering disciplines to resolve technical challenges.
• Support construction administration, site investigations, RFIs, and change orders.
• Review design deliverables, mentor junior staff, and ensure high-quality engineering work.

Skills

Technical problem-solving

Project coordination

Communication

Independent work

Mentoring junior staff

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering or related field

Tools

Revit

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Fire Protection Engineer to support fire protection design projects in Arlington, Virginia. This is an opportunity for an engineering professional with strong technical design expertise to work on complex projects involving fire sprinkler systems, fire suppression systems, and fire alarm layouts.

The ideal candidate combines hands-on fire protection design experience with proficiency in Revit, hydraulic calculations, and applicable NFPA and building codes. This role also involves project ownership, design quality control, coordination with multidisciplinary teams, and mentoring junior staff.

Note: U.S. citizenship is required for this opportunity.

What You'll Do

• Design fire sprinkler, fire suppression, and fire alarm systems in accordance with applicable codes and project requirements.
• Develop and review engineering drawings, layouts, specifications, and technical documentation using Revit and related design tools.
• Perform hydraulic calculations, engineering studies, and system research to support fire protection designs.
• Serve as Designer of Record (DOR) for assigned projects, overseeing deliverables, schedules, budgets, and design quality.
• Coordinate with clients, architects, project designers, and other engineering disciplines to resolve technical challenges.
• Support construction administration, site investigations, RFIs, and change orders.
• Review design deliverables, mentor junior staff, and ensure high-quality engineering work.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Fire Protection Safety Technology, or a related field.
• At least 4 years of fire protection design experience.
• Strong proficiency in Revit and experience designing fire protection systems.
• Knowledge of hydraulic calculations, NFPA standards, ICC codes, and International Building and Fire Codes.
• Strong technical problem-solving, communication, and project coordination skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and maintain high-quality deliverables under tight deadlines.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Preferred Experience

• Previous Department of Defense (DoD) or federal facility project experience.
• Familiarity with Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) and federal design requirements.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license and Fire Protection Engineering PE exam experience.
• Design-Build project experience; DBIA certification is a plus.
• Existing security clearance or the ability to obtain the required clearance.

What Makes This Role Interesting?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of fire protection engineering projects beyond drafting and design support. You'll contribute to technical decision‑making, lead design quality efforts, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and help develop junior engineering talent.

We're particularly interested in professionals who can demonstrate hands‑on fire protection design expertise and the ability to deliver reliable, code‑compliant engineering solutions.