Physical & Electronic Security SME and Project Manager

Zapata Inc; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Holiday pay

401(k) participation

Job summary

ZAPATA is seeking a hands-on Physical & Electronic Security SME and Project Manager to lead a portfolio of security projects from assessment through design, construction, and turnover. You will be the technical authority on fencing, access control, video surveillance, intrusion, and related systems, coordinating with multiple disciplines and supervising security staff.

The role requires DoD clearance eligibility and travel up to 25% to client sites and project locations, ensuring on-scope,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, or related field.
• Eight+ years in security systems design, security engineering, or project management.
• Experience reviewing engineering drawings and coordinating security design with other disciplines.
• Experience supervising engineers, designers, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to obtain DoD Secret clearance and travel ~25%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage project plans, schedules, budgets, staffing, and resources across multiple concurrent security projects.
• Serve as the primary client contact, translating requirements into scopes of work and design criteria.
• Prepare client proposals and track performance against them.
• Negotiate and manage subcontractor and consultant agreements.
• Conduct project closeout reviews and drive process improvements.
• Lead planning and design of electronic security systems and physical security measures.

Skills

Security design

Project management

Leadership

Communication

MS Word/Excel

DoD clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or architecture

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Bluebeam

Job description

Physical & Electronic Security SME and Project Manager

ZAPATA is a full-service architecture and engineering firm with operations throughout the continental United States serving Department of War, federal government, and private‑sector clients. Our security practice plans, designs, and delivers integrated physical and electronic security solutions for our client’s critical facilities.

Position Summary:

This position is a hands‑on security systems expert who can also manage projects. As Physical & Electronic Security Project Manager, this position will own a portfolio of physical and electronic security projects from assessment through design, construction support, and acceptance. It will be the technical authority on fencing and barriers, access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, and related systems. This position will review and approve the engineering drawings and specifications before they go out the door and lead the project engineers and designers producing that work.

This position serves as the primary point of contact for clients, coordinate security design with our architecture, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and IT/telecommunications disciplines, and ensure every project is delivered on scope, on schedule, and on budget. This position supervises multidisciplinary technical staff.

Responsibilities/Duties:

• Develop and manage project plans, schedules, budgets, staffing, and resources across multiple concurrent physical and electronic security projects.
• Serve as the primary client point of contact, translating client requirements and concerns into clear scopes of work and design criteria and keeping stakeholders informed throughout the project lifecycle.
• Prepare client proposals and track performance against them.
• Negotiate and manage subcontractor and consultant agreements for security design and implementation services.
• Conduct project closeout reviews of budget, schedule, and technical performance; capture lessons learned and drive process improvements.

Technical Leadership and Design Review

• Lead the planning and design of electronic security systems (ESS), including access control, video surveillance and video management systems, intrusion detection and alarm systems, duress, intercom and mass‑notification interfaces, perimeter intrusion detection, and the network and power infrastructure that supports them.
• Lead physical security planning and design, including perimeter security, fencing, gates, vehicle barriers, bollards, entry control facilities, secure rooms, and other facility‑hardening measures, applying CPTED and risk‑based design principles.
• Review, markup, and approve engineering drawings, specifications, and calculations at each design milestone for technical accuracy, constructability, interdisciplinary coordination, and compliance with applicable codes, standards, and client criteria.
• Conduct security assessments, vulnerability and risk analyses, and site surveys; document existing conditions and develop security requirements for new and existing facilities.
• Prepare and review technical deliverables, including design narratives, basis‑of‑design documents, specifications, test and acceptance procedures, commissioning plans, and operations and maintenance requirements.
• Support construction administration: respond to RFIs, review submittals, witness factory and site acceptance testing, and support system commissioning and turnover.
• Act as a technical consultant to clients on facility security planning, construction sustainment, and long‑range security technology roadmaps.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop security engineers, designers, and technical staff; set priorities, allocate workload, and review the quality of their work.
• Coordinate with production and engineering leadership to resolve design issues, evaluate cost‑reduction ideas, and confirm project feasibility.
• Build and maintain the standards, templates, and quality‑control practices used for project deliverables.

Client and Business Development

• Grow relationships with existing and prospective clients and identify follow‑on security opportunities.
• Stay current with security technologies, design practices, codes, standards, and industry developments, and bring that knowledge back to the team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, experience in state or federal law enforcement or security services, or a related technical field.
• Eight or more years of progressive experience in security systems design, security engineering, or security program/project management, with significant hands‑on experience in physical and electronic security systems.
• Technical knowledge of access control systems, video surveillance and video management systems, intrusion detection and alarm systems, and the integration of these systems with each other and with IT networks.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing and approving engineering drawings and specifications, and coordinating security design with other building disciplines.
• Experience supervising engineers, designers, or technical staff and managing multidisciplinary design teams, consultants, and contracts.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and deliver on scope, schedule, and budget.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical recommendations to clients and non‑technical stakeholders and lead stakeholder meetings.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel, PDF editors like Adobe or Bluebeam.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance.
• Ability to travel approximately 25% to project sites and client locations.

Preferred

• Experience designing security for Department of War, federal, military, or electric utility facilities.
• Working knowledge of UFC 4‑021‑02 (Electronic Security Systems), UFC 4‑010‑01 (DoD Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings), UFC 4‑022‑01 (Entry Control Facilities/Access Control Points), ICD 705 and the IC Tech Spec for SCIFs, and service‑specific physical security regulations.
• Familiarity with FIPS 201 / HSPD‑12 PIV credentialing, UL 2050, NFPA 731, and NDAA Section 889 equipment restrictions.
• Understanding of cybersecurity requirements for networked security systems.Experience preparing CSI Division 28 (Electronic Safety and Security) specifications and coordinating Division 08 and Division 32 security‑related work.
• Working familiarity with AutoCAD, Revit, or other BIM/CAD tools sufficient to review and redline drawings.
• Prior experience in an architecture/engineering or design‑build environment.

ZAPATA offers a competitive benefits package, including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, disability and life insurance, paid time off, holiday pay, and 401(k) participation.

All employment offers are contingent upon successfully completing a criminal background check and drug screen. ZAPATA participates in E-Verify.

EOE AA Disabled/Veterans
VEVRAA Federal contractor. ZAPATA desires priority referrals.
Drug-Free Workplace