Sr. Fire Protection Engineer - Nuclear Codes & NRC Compliance

Jensen Hughes; Westborough, Charlotte (MA, NC); On-site; USD 127,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan

Healthcare coverage

Job summary

Jensen Hughes is seeking a Senior Fire Protection Engineer – Nuclear Codes & NRC Compliance to lead fire protection programs for commercial nuclear plants, advanced reactors, and DoE facilities. The role focuses on NRC requirements, NFPA 805, and licensing support, working with plant engineering, regulatory teams and clients.

The position requires extensive nuclear fire protection experience, strong regulatory knowledge, and the ability to deliver high-quality technical deliverables while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, Nuclear or related discipline.
• Minimum 8–12 years in nuclear fire protection.
• Minimum 5 years supporting a commercial nuclear plant or consulting.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex nuclear fire protection projects from proposal through closeout.
• Perform and oversee Fire Hazards Analyses for operating plants and advanced reactors.
• Evaluate NRC compliance including 10 CFR 50 Appendix R and 10 CFR 50.48.
• Conduct engineering analyses related to fire area assessments and safe shutdown.
• Develop technical justifications, licensing basis modifications, and alternative strategies.
• Interpret and apply NFPA, IEEE, ASME, ANS and other nuclear standards.
• Interface with clients, NRC personnel and multidisciplinary teams.
• Provide mentorship and project leadership to engineers and staff.

Skills

Nuclear fire protection

NRC compliance

Fire hazard analysis

Regulatory knowledge

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Protection Engineering or related field

Job description

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States; Westborough, Massachusetts, United States

Company Overview

Throughout our worldwide network of experts, clients and communities, we are renowned for our leadership in fire protection engineering – a legacy of responsibility we have proudly upheld since 1939. Today, our expertise extends broadly across closely related security and risk-based fields – from accessibility consulting and risk analysis to process safety, forensic investigations, security risk consulting, emergency management, digital innovation and more.

Our engineers and consultants collaborate to solve complex safety and security challenges, ensuring our clients can protect what matters most. For over 80 years, we have helped mitigate risks that threaten lives, property and reputations. Through technology, expertise and industry-leading research, we remain dedicated to our purpose of making our world safe, secure and resilient.

At Jensen Hughes, we believe that creating and sustaining a culture of trust, integrity and professional growth starts with putting our people first. Our employees are our greatest strength, and we value the unique perspectives and talents they bring to our organization.

Our wide range of Global Employee Networks connect people from across the organization, supporting career development and providing forums for individuals to share experiences on topics they're passionate about. Together, we are cultivating a connected culture where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed together.

Job Overview

Jensen Hughes is seeking a Senior Fire Protection Engineer – Nuclear Codes & NRC Compliance. This position will serve as a technical leader in the development, evaluation, and implementation of fire protection strategies and regulatory compliance programs for commercial nuclear power plants, advanced reactor projects, Department of Energy facilities, and other nuclear-related infrastructure.

The successful candidate will possess extensive experience in nuclear fire protection engineering, with strong expertise in Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements, nuclear industry codes and standards, fire hazard analyses, licensing basis evaluations, and risk-informed engineering approaches. This individual will work closely with plant engineering organizations, regulatory affairs teams, project managers, and clients to ensure compliance with applicable federal regulations and industry standards while supporting safe, reliable plant operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex nuclear fire protection engineering projects from proposal development through project execution and closeout.
• Perform and oversee Fire Hazards Analyses (FHAs) for operating nuclear power plants, advanced reactors, and nuclear facilities.
• Evaluate compliance with NRC regulations including:
  • 10 CFR 50 Appendix R
  • 10 CFR 50.48
  • NFPA 805 Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection Programs
  • NRC Regulatory Guides and associated guidance documents
• Conduct engineering analyses related to:
  • Fire area assessments
  • Safe shutdown requirements
  • Circuit analysis
• Develop technical justifications, exemption requests, licensing basis modifications, and alternative compliance strategies.
• Interpret and apply industry standards including NFPA, IEEE, ASME, ANS, and other applicable nuclear industry requirements.
• Support plant modifications involving fire suppression, fire detection, fire barriers, and life safety systems.
• Prepare and review engineering calculations, technical reports, design basis documents, and regulatory submittals.
• Interface directly with utility clients, NRC personnel, project stakeholders, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers and project staff.
• Support business development activities, proposal preparation, technical presentations, and client relationship management.

Participate in plant walkdowns, field assessments, inspections, and outage support activities as required.

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 8–12 years of progressively responsible experience in nuclear fire protection
• Minimum of 5 years supporting a commercial nuclear power plant directly or through nuclear engineering consulting services
• Demonstrated expertise with NRC fire protection regulations and licensing requirements.
• Experience performing Fire Hazards Analyses and compliance evaluations for operating nuclear facilities.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • NFPA 805
  • 10 CFR 50 Appendix R
  • 10 CFR 50.48
  • NRC Regulatory Guides
  • NUREGs and industry guidance documents
• Experience preparing technical reports, engineering evaluations, and regulatory documentation.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining high-quality technical deliverables.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Degree specialization in Fire Protection Engineering.
• Experience supporting NRC audits, inspections, and licensing activities.
• Familiarity with Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) and Fire PRA methodologies.
• Experience with advanced reactors, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), or Department of Energy nuclear facilities.
• NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) or similar professional certification.
• Project management experience leading large multidisciplinary engineering efforts.

Key Technical Expertise

• NRC Regulatory Compliance
• NFPA 805 Implementation
• Fire Hazard Analysis (FHA)
• Fire Probabilistic Risk Assessment (FPRA)
• Safe Shutdown Analysis
• Licensing Basis Evaluations
• Fire Detection and Suppression Systems
• Fire Barrier Design and Evaluation
• Regulatory Interface and Audits
• Performance-Based Fire Protection Design
• Nuclear Plant Modifications and Upgrades

Compensation

Jensen Hughes offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a retirement plan, healthcare coverage, and a broad range of other benefits. Incentives and/or benefit packages may vary depending on the position and location.

Please note that the salary range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting and not a guarantee of compensation. Final compensation may vary based based on factors, including but not limited to, responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, geographic location, internal equity, alignment with market data.

National Pay Range
$127,000 - $155,000 USD

Equal Opportunity Employer

Jensen Hughes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.