Fire Protection Engineer | 10+ years

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 101,550 - 169,250; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health plans

Generous 401(k) matching

Time off for self-care

Educational assistance and development

Job summary

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. is seeking a Fire Protection Engineer to join our team in Northbrook or Downtown Chicago. The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience in fire protection systems and possess a Bachelor's degree in fire protection engineering.

Responsibilities include managing projects, conducting investigations, and preparing technical documents. The role emphasizes both personal growth and collaboration with a supportive team.

Competitive salary range: $101,550 - $169,250, along with robust benefits and a commitment to employee development.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (FPE); EIT in pursuit of PE considered.
• Experience with fire protection systems and building code consulting.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple projects and liaise with clients and contractors.
• Conduct site investigations and prepare reports.
• Analyze data and prepare project specifications.

Skills

Proactive mindset

Effective communication

Technical writing

Team collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in fire protection engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

AutoCAD

REVIT

Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS)

PyroSim

Smokeview

Pathfinder

CFAST

Job description

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE), an employee‑owned firm, is seeking a curious, committed, and enthusiastic Fire Protection Engineer to join our dynamic and diverse team of engineers and designers. This position can be located in either our Downtown Chicago office or at WJE company headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois.

Building on the industry experience you bring to WJE, our team will commit to your development into a well‑rounded consultant; facilitating your continued deepening of technical expertise and project management skills, encouraging your participation in industry professional development opportunities, and supporting your desire to make a meaningful impact in your field.

If you are enthusiastic about solving problems, curious about how things work, and not afraid to get your hands dirty, we want you on our team!

Responsibilities

• Assume responsibility for the day‑to‑day success of multiple projects, including acting as the primary point of contact for clients, contractors, and project teams; training and mentoring teammates; and managing small‑to‑medium projects, as appropriate.
• Perform on‑site investigations, condition assessments, and inspections, which may include surveying, documenting deficiencies, field testing, collecting data and samples, and preparing site visit reports.
• Develop fire growth, smoke movement, and egress zone models.
• Analyze field data, interpret model results, and perform research and review of construction documents, governing codes, and design guidelines to facilitate analysis, problem‑solving, and development of alternative designs for a variety of fire protection systems, building code issues, and life safety objectives.
• Prepare conceptual, preliminary, and final client deliverables, including written reports, calculation packets, construction documents, and project specifications.
• Contribute to company‑wide objectives through involvement in office and company development initiatives, in‑house Technical Resource Groups (TRGs) and research projects, and relevant industry committees and professional organizations (e.g., SFPE).

Qualifications & Competencies

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, which may include designing and evaluating various fire protection systems; conducting building code analysis and code consulting; developing equivalencies for alternative methods and materials; writing fire protection building code programs; and/or building and analyzing complex fire, smoke, and egress models.
• Bachelor's degree in fire protection engineering or related field; master's degree preferred.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (FPE); EIT in pursuit of PE will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.
• Effective technical, graphical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with drafting, analysis, and modeling software (e.g., AutoCAD, REVIT, Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), PyroSim, Smokeview, Pathfinder, and CFAST).
• Proactive, team player mindset with willingness to take on various responsibilities, tackle new challenges, and learn new skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and adapt to changing demands, while maintaining productive interpersonal relationships and a high standard of excellence, integrity, and attention to detail.

Culture, Compensation, and Benefits

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) is a global firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists. Clients worldwide seek our expertise to solve the most significant, interesting, and challenging problems in the built world. Our applied experience from more than 175,000 projects combined with unparalleled laboratory and testing capabilities have made WJE a leader in providing innovative yet practical solutions to the clients we serve.

Working at WJE is a team endeavor characterized by a culture of trust and personal responsibility. We encourage open communication, continuous learning, innovative thinking, ongoing mentoring, and free‑flowing collaboration. We seek highly talented and hard‑working individuals who want to be challenged, who want hands‑on work, who want to set a higher standard, and who want to be mentored by the industry’s most accomplished experts. People with outstanding character, unwavering commitment to our core and culture, strong expertise, and genuine enthusiasm for their work.

WJE offers a robust, total compensation structure composed of base salary, incentive pay, and industry‑leading benefits. Base salary is determined through consideration of a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role while remaining mindful of our commitment to internal equity. Employees receive variable compensation based on personal and company performance, typically resulting in above‑market total compensation.

A good faith estimate of the annual starting base salary (gross) is in the following range:
$101,550.00 – $169,250.00

WJE’s industry‑leading, total rewards package enables our employees to grow and thrive with comprehensive health and financial benefits, including:

• Robust and affordable health plans for employees and their families, including HSA as well as low and high‑deductible PPO options.
• Generous 401(k) matching of 110% for the first 6% of eligible pay, vesting immediately.
• Time off to care for yourself and others.
• Investments in employees’ educational assistance and professional development.

WJE is an Equal Opportunity Employer as to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. WJE will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of Fair Chance Ordinances.