Senior BESS Fire Protection Engineer

NEI Electric Power Engineering, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 135,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401(k) with employer matching

Paid time off

Job summary

NEI Electric Power Engineering, Inc. seeks a Lead Fire Protection Engineer to drive fire protection design, code compliance, hazard mitigation, and life safety for utility-scale BESS projects from concept to operations.

You will act as Engineer of Record where applicable and help shape internal standards and best practices. The role requires PE licensure, 5+ years of experience including BESS exposure, and the ability to work across multiple states.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering or related engineering discipline; PE license required.
• 5+ years of fire protection engineering experience, including BESS experience.
• Active PE license; able to work in multiple states; Fire Protection PE discipline.
• Experience applying fire/building codes to industrial/energy projects.
• Knowledge of BESS hazards, lithium-ion failure modes, and emergency response considerations.

Responsibilities

• Lead BESS fire protection design, code reviews, hazard mitigation, and life safety evaluations.
• Serve as Fire Protection Engineer of Record where required.
• Develop criteria, design basis, code analyses, hazard mitigation, and EOPs.
• Evaluate layouts for code compliance, exposure protection, and egress.
• Review NFPA 855, IFC, IBC, UL 9540/9540A; comply with AHJ requirements.
• Coordinate with AHJs, fire marshals, insurers, and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Provide field support, commissioning, and incident response as needed.
• Mentor staff and support proposals, budgets, and schedules.

Skills

Fire protection engineering

Code compliance

Hazard mitigation

Life safety design

Project coordination

Client communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering

Professional Engineer license

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Bluebeam

Navisworks

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lead fire protection engineering, code compliance, hazard mitigation, and life safety design for utility-scale and commercial/industrial BESS projects from conceptual design and permitting through detailed engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations support. Serve as technical lead and Engineer of Record, where applicable, and help develop internal BESS fire protection standards, tools, and best practices.

Coordinate with multi-disciplinary design teams, clients, owners, OEMs, AHJs, fire departments, insurers, contractors, and independent engineers.

Salary Range: $135,000 - $190,000 / year

The salary range above is based upon the Denver, Colorado labor market. Compensation is based on experience and demonstrated impact in similar executive support and operational coordination roles.

• Lead BESS fire protection design, code reviews, hazard mitigation, and life safety evaluations.
• Serve as Fire Protection Engineer of Record, where required, for fire protection, life safety, hazard mitigation, and code compliance deliverables.
• Develop/review design criteria, basis of design documents, code analyses, Hazard Mitigation Analyses, fire protection narratives, specifications, permitting packages, and Emergency Response Plans.
• Evaluate BESS layouts for code compliance, fire department access, separation distances, exposure protection, deflagration hazards, ventilation, gas detection, egress, and water supply.
• Review UL 9540A reports, listings, manufacturer data, battery chemistry information, fire propagation data, gas generation data, and equipment fire safety documentation.
• Apply applicable NFPA standards, International Fire Code, International Building Code, UL standards, FM Global standards, and local AHJ requirements.
• Develop/review fire and gas detection, alarm, suppression, ventilation, fire water, hydrant/FDC, fire access, signage, and emergency shutdown requirements.
• Coordinate fire alarm, gas detection, shutdown, monitoring, and other interfaces with electrical and SCADA engineers.
• Review vendor submittals, contractor drawings, calculations, equipment data, and design packages for conformance with project requirements.
• Coordinate with AHJs, fire marshals, emergency responders, insurers, owner’s engineers, and independent engineers to resolve technical questions and support approvals.
• Provide field assistance, commissioning support, troubleshooting, site assessments, and incident response support, as required.
• Mentor technical staff; review junior work; support proposals, scopes, budgets, schedules, client presentations, and technical qualifications.
• Maintain current knowledge of BESS fire protection technology, incident history, codes, standards, and industry best practices.
• Demonstrates strong technical judgment, practical code-compliant design approach, attention to detail, responsiveness, client focus, clear communication with technical and non-technical audiences, and willingness to mentor others and improve internal standards

Must Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related engineering discipline; advanced degree in Fire Protection Engineering a plus but not required.
• 5+ years of relevant fire protection engineering experience, including at least 1 year of BESS experience.
• Active Professional Engineer license required; Fire Protection PE discipline, NCEES PE Fire Protection exam, or demonstrated ability to serve as responsible fire protection engineer for BESS projects. Ability to work in multiple states and jurisdictions.
• Experience applying fire/building codes and best practices to complex industrial, energy infrastructure, or high-hazard projects.
• Working knowledge of BESS hazards, lithium-ion failure modes, thermal runaway, flammable gas generation, explosion control, fire propagation, and emergency response considerations.
• Experience with NFPA 855, International Fire Code, International Building Code, UL 9540, and UL 9540A.
• Experience developing/reviewing fire protection design packages, detection/alarm concepts, suppression requirements, gas detection, ventilation/exhaust concepts, code analyses, and emergency response plans.
• Ability to coordinate with AHJs, fire marshals, clients, EPC contractors, OEMs, insurers, and multi-disciplinary design teams.
• Strong written/oral communication, technical writing, interpersonal, project management, and deadline management skills.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Nice to Have

• Direct utility-scale BESS experience and/or Fire Protection Engineer of Record experience for BESS, renewable energy, power generation, industrial, or high-hazard facilities.
• Familiarity with fire, smoke, airflow, evacuation, gas dispersion, and consequence modeling tools such as FDS, PyroSim, Pathfinder, CONTAM, PHAST, FLACS, or similar software.
• Experience with fire water supply analysis, hydraulic calculations, fire pump sizing, hydrant layout, suppression design, large-scale fire tests, plume analysis, or other BESS fire analyses.
• Experience with FM Global data sheets, insurer requirements, owner’s engineer reviews, independent engineering reviews, or project financing due diligence.
• Experience with AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, Navisworks, Microsoft Office, and other standard design/review software.

This position is fully remote and may be structured as full-time or part-time for the right candidate, based on experience and organizational needs.

Benefits & Total Rewards

NEI offers a comprehensive benefits and total rewards package that include medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability; a 401(k) with employer matching; paid time off; paid holidays; and paid parental leave. Benefits eligibility and details may vary by role and location and will be provided during the interview process.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or genetic information. NEI Electric Power Engineering participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your completed Form I-9 to confirm your work authorization in the United States.