Fire Protection Engineer

Abbott Laboratories; Illinois; On-site; USD 78,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Tuition reimbursement

Education assistance

Job summary

Abbott Park, IL is seeking a Fire Protection, Mechanical, and Piping Design Engineer to join the Global Systems and Services team. You will deliver technical design and coordinate multi-disciplinary work across Abbott facilities.

The ideal candidate brings strong fire protection, mechanical, and piping design experience, with NFPA/ASME/OSHA knowledge and excellent collaboration skills to drive projects from concept to startup.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Thorough knowledge of NFPA 13 and FM Global Data Sheets for sprinkler systems.
• NICET Level III Certification for Fire Protection-Water Based Systems Layout, 5+ years design experience.
• 5+ years of experience in fire protection, mechanical, and/or piping system design.
• Strong knowledge of industry standards (NFPA, ASME, ANSI).
• Experience with AutoCAD and Revit for engineering drawings.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multidisciplinary projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical design expertise in fire protection, mechanical, and piping systems.
• Prepare and communicate recommendations and action plans.
• Develop, review, and approve engineering drawings, specifications, and calculations.
• Coordinate design and execution of projects with internal teams, contractors, and external consultants.
• Ensure compliance with NFPA, ASME, OSHA, and local regulations.
• Support system design for new installations, upgrades, and renovations in manufacturing and commercial environments.
• Perform system evaluations, risk assessments, and troubleshooting of existing infrastructure.
• Provide technical guidance during construction, commissioning, and system startup.
• Assist in project planning, scheduling, and resource coordination.

Skills

Fire protection

Mechanical design

Piping design

Coordination

Engineering drawings

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Job description

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You’ll also have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• Employees can qualify for free medical coverage in our Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• An excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution
• Tuition reimbursement, the Freedom 2 Save student debt program and FreeU education benefit - an affordable and convenient path to getting a bachelor’s degree.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

This position works out of our Abbott Park, IL location within the GES Global Engineering Services division.

We seeking a highly skilled and motivated Fire Protection, Mechanical, and Piping Design Engineer to join our Global Systems and Services team. This role will be responsible for delivering technical design expertise, coordinating multi-disciplinary work efforts, and developing standardized work processes to support critical infrastructure across Abbott facilities.

The ideal candidate is both technically proficient and highly collaborative, with the ability to balance detailed engineering design work and cross-functional coordination in a dynamic environment.

What You'll Work On:

Fire Protection Experience Required:

• Extensive Experience with upgrading and renovating existing building fire protection systems.
• Experience in system layout and Design of Wet, Dry, Pre-Action, and Deluge Sprinkler Systems.
• Ability to provide Sprinkler System Project Reviews, including Plans, Calculations, and Material Submittals. Adhering to Abbott’s standards, preferences, and good practices, while also meeting NFPA 13 and FM Data Sheets minimum requirements.
• Ability to provide Sprinkler System Modification Cost Estimates and drawings to support front end planning for potential Office or Lab Renovation projects. (nice to have)
• Ability to create a complete sprinkler demolition and construction package for submittal to Authorities Having Jurisdiction.
• Support Construction and Maintenance divisions for questions and/or drawing requests related to Modifications and Maintenance and Testing of existing building sprinkler systems.

TECHNICAL/DESIGN:

• Provide technical design expertise in fire protection systems, mechanical systems, and piping design.
• Prepares and communicates recommendations and respective action plans.
• Develop, review, and approve engineering drawings, specifications, and calculations if required.
• Coordinate design and execution of projects across multiple stakeholders, including internal teams, contractors, and external consultants.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards (NFPA, ASME, OSHA, local regulations).
• Support system design for new installations, upgrades, and renovations in manufacturing and commercial environments.
• Perform system evaluations, risk assessments, and troubleshooting of existing infrastructure.
• Provide technical guidance during construction, commissioning, and system startup.
• Assist in project planning, scheduling, and resource coordination to ensure timely project delivery.

Problem Solving / Innovation

• Creates cost‑effective solutions by analyzing complex issues, integrating technical and financial data, and improving designs, processes, and costs.

Organizational Interface

• Mentors, collaborates, and communicates effectively across teams and stakeholders to solve issues and meet project goals.

Additional Responsibilities

• Develops standards, leads testing/validation, manages documentation, resolves issues, and supports training and cross‑functional initiatives.
• Lead or contribute to the development and continuous improvement of engineering standards, templates, and work processes.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field (equivalent combination of education and work experience)
• Thorough knowledge of NFPA 13 and FM Global Data Sheets for sprinkler systems
• NICET Level III Certification for Fire Protection-Water Based Systems Layout, including 5 years minimum design experience.
• 5+ years of experience in fire protection, mechanical, and/or piping system design.
• Strong knowledge of industry standards (NFPA, ASME, ANSI, etc.).
• Experience with engineering design tools (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit software).
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or progress toward licensure a plus
• Experience in pharmaceutical, healthcare, or regulated manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) requirements.
• Experience developing engineering standards and operational procedures.

Key Competencies

• Technical leadership and engineering judgment
• Project coordination and stakeholder management
• Process development and continuous improvement mindset
• Attention to detail and quality orientationAbility to work independently and within cross-functional teams

Learn more about our health and wellness benefits, which provide the security to help you and your family live full lives: www.abbottbenefits.com

Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal

The base pay for this position is $78,000.00 – $156,000.00. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.