Senior Fire Protection Engineer

Lead Fire Protection Engineer - Mission Critical

The Lead Fire Protection Engineer - Mission Critical will play a key role in designing fire protection systems tailored to mission-critical facilities, ensuring the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance. This role requires extensive experience in fire protection engineering, a deep understanding of the unique challenges of mission-critical environments, and the ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative, compliant, and cost-effective solutions. The ideal candidate will have experience in the design of fire protection systems for data centers, telecom facilities, and other high-security, high-availability environments.

The Specifics of the Role

• Lead the design, implementation, and coordination of fire protection systems for mission-critical facilities, including data centers, server farms, telecommunications hubs, and command centers.
• Design and specify advanced fire protection systems, including fire suppression (e.g., clean agent systems, pre-action sprinkler systems), fire alarm systems, smoke detection, and emergency life safety systems tailored to mission-critical environments.
• Perform detailed fire protection system calculations, including hydraulic calculations for sprinklers, and assessments of fire suppression system effectiveness, including special hazard systems.
• Develop and maintain fire protection system design criteria, technical specifications, and project documentation, ensuring compliance with industry standards and codes (NFPA, IBC, UL, local building codes, etc.).
• Collaborate with other engineering disciplines (mechanical, electrical, civil) and architects to ensure seamless integration of fire protection systems into the overall building design.
• Conduct risk assessments, system evaluations, and fire protection system analysis to determine the most effective solutions for mission-critical applications.
• Oversee system commissioning, testing, and inspections to ensure that fire protection systems are installed and functioning correctly, meeting design specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical expertise and support during construction and project implementation phases, addressing any issues or design changes that arise on-site.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers and technical staff, providing leadership and fostering professional growth in fire protection engineering practices.
• Stay current with industry trends, new technologies, and emerging best practices in fire protection engineering, particularly as they relate to mission-critical facilities.
• Manage and track project schedules, budgets, and deliverables, ensuring timely and cost-effective completion of fire protection designs.
• Prepare and present detailed reports, technical documentation, and presentations to clients, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies as needed.
• Ensure the highest level of safety, operational continuity, and compliance with all applicable regulations and industry standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; Master's degree is a plus.
• Minimum of 8-12 years of professional experience in fire protection engineering, with a focus on mission-critical facilities (e.g., data centers, telecom facilities, control rooms).
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required; Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) or other fire protection-related certifications are highly desirable.
• In-depth knowledge of fire protection system design for mission-critical applications, including clean agent systems, pre-action sprinklers, and smoke detection technologies.
• Expertise in relevant codes and standards, including NFPA (particularly NFPA 75, NFPA 76, NFPA 2001), IBC, UL standards, and local building codes.
• Proficiency in fire protection system design software (AutoCAD, Revit, HydraCAD, etc.) and hydraulic calculation tools.
• Strong experience with commissioning, testing, and inspections of fire protection systems in mission-critical environments.
• Ability to perform risk assessments and system evaluations tailored to the specific needs of mission-critical infrastructure.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to interact with clients, contractors, regulatory bodies, and internal team members at all levels.
• Strong project management skills, with experience handling multiple complex projects simultaneously while ensuring adherence to budget, schedule, and quality standards.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment to deliver integrated solutions.
• Experience designing fire protection systems for large-scale data centers or other mission-critical facilities, such as server farms, control rooms, or telecommunications buildings.
• Familiarity with advanced fire suppression technologies such as clean agent systems (FM-200, Novec 1230), inert gas suppression systems, and pre-action sprinkler systems.
• Experience with BIM (Building Information Modeling) and its application in fire protection design.
• Knowledge of energy-efficient and sustainable fire protection design solutions for mission-critical facilities.
• Familiarity with global fire protection standards and best practices, including experience working in international markets.

Some Things You Should Know

• No other builder can offer the collaborative design-build approach that Clayco does.
• We work on creative, complex, award-winning, high-profile jobs.
• The pace is fast!

Why Clayco?

• 2025 Best Places to Work St. Louis Business Journal, Los Angeles Business Journal, and Phoenix Business Journal.
• 2025 ENR Midwest Midwest Contractor (#1).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms Design-Build Contractor (Top 5).
• 2025 ENR Top 100 Green Contractors Green Contractor (Top 3).
• 2025 ENR Top 25 Data Center Builders - Data Center Contractor (Top 3).

Benefits

• Discretionary Annual Bonus: Subject to company and individual performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package Including: Medical, dental and vision plans, 401k, generous PTO and paid company holidays, employee assistance program, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, disability coverage, learning & development programs and more!

Compensation

• The salary range for this position considers a wide range of factors in making compensation decisions including but not limited to: Education, qualifications, skills, training, experience, certifications, internal equity, and location. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

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