Fire Protection Engineer | 10+ years

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

Benefits offered by this job

Generous 401(k) matching

Comprehensive health benefits

Educational assistance and professional development

Job summary

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. is seeking a Fire Protection Engineer for their San Diego office. This role involves managing projects and ensuring client satisfaction through expert fire protection engineering.

Candidates should have at least 10 years of experience, a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, and strong skills in communication and team collaboration. This position offers a competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in fire protection.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (FPE); EIT in pursuit of PE considered.
• Familiarity with fire protection modeling and analysis software.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple projects, serving as primary contact for clients.
• Conduct site investigations and assess fire protection conditions.
• Develop fire growth and smoke movement models.

Skills

Fire protection systems design

Building code analysis

Analytical thinking

Team collaboration

Effective communication skills

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. The position is located in our San Diego office.

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 and 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

• 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.

EEO Statement

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.