Senior Lead Fire and Life Safety Engineer

About the Role

This Opportunity provides leadership within a sector of the organization to ensure fire and life safety engineering, technical deliverables, and building and infrastructure projects meet or exceed industry and company standards for design, safety, and functionality. The role is responsible for subject‑matter innovation, corporate compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, and pragmatic direction to address current and future challenges in a rapidly changing business climate. Your Impact is to deliver proactive strategic leadership for the fire and life safety engineering discipline, overseeing engineering reviews, complex project execution, and expert technical assistance on systems such as sprinklers, fire alarms, and smoke control. The incumbent will drive business development, contract negotiations, long‑term pipeline growth, and profitable project performance while serving as a liaison to agencies, clients, and subcontractors. Additional duties include mentorship, continuous improvement of certifications, and ethical stewardship of resources. • Provide proactive strategic leadership for fire and life safety engineering across projects and sites. • Review permit applications, design plans, specifications, standby plans, contracts, and conduct construction inspections for compliance. • Lead large, complex fire and life safety engineering projects, managing budgets, schedules, hours, expenses, and supervising subcontractors and staff. • Deliver expert technical assistance on sprinkler systems, fire alarm and mass notification, smoke control, egress analysis, commissioning, and code reviews. • Pursue and develop business opportunities, leading contract negotiations, presentations, and client meetings. • Support long‑term strategy, pipeline development, and growth of fire and life safety services within the assigned geography. • Ensure profitable performance and successful completion of projects, contributing to annual tactical action plans. • Conduct stakeholder meetings with public and private entities to address engineering and construction challenges. • Develop and maintain discipline certifications, accreditations, and value propositions. • Perform needs analyses and client surveys to align engineering functions with business strategy and address skill gaps. • Organize discipline meetings, provide updates, and promote innovation in project work. • Act as primary liaison to federal, state, local agencies, clients, subcontractors, and industry groups. • Prepare proposals, define scopes, timelines, pricing, and ensure compliance with applicable codes and engineering practices. • Interpret and summarize data and reports to form sound engineering and regulatory conclusions. • Contribute verbal and written inputs to multidisciplinary teams and offer high‑level strategic advice to clients. • Build and expand a client base for fire and life safety services, identifying cross‑selling opportunities. • Mentor and guide staff development, providing performance direction and leadership. • Stay current with latest fire and life safety techniques, collaborating across disciplines to deliver trusted advisory services. • Exercise responsible and ethical decision‑making regarding company resources, adhering to WSP’s Code of Conduct.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸leadership
• ▸compliance review
• ▸project management
• ▸technical assistance
• ▸business development
• ▸stakeholder liaison

What You Bring

Who You Are: The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related field), an active engineer license, and at least 12 years of fire and life safety design experience. Advanced proficiency in mechanical engineering principles, building codes, technical calculations, and design software is required, along with strong leadership, analytical, and communication skills. A Master’s degree and experience managing multi‑project document review are preferred. • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline. • Professional Engineer (PE) license; multi‑state license preferred. • Minimum 12 years of post‑degree experience in mechanical engineering and fire and life safety design. • Advanced knowledge of mechanical engineering principles, building and infrastructure design, and relevant codes and regulations. • Proficiency in technical calculations, plan review, and application of engineering standards. • Strong leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills with ability to influence at all organizational levels. • Excellent analytical, lateral‑thinking, and detail‑orientation skills under pressure. • Ability to collaborate with senior management, clients, regulators, and staff without formal hierarchy. • Expertise with design software (AutoCAD, CAM), load calculations, spreadsheets, and predictive modeling tools. • Proven record of upholding workplace safety and adherence to health, safety, and harassment policies. • Preferred: Master’s degree in Engineering. • Preferred: Experience managing multi‑project document review and certification processes.

Requirements

• ▸mechanical eng
• ▸pe license
• ▸autocad
• ▸cam
• ▸load calc
• ▸12 years

Work Environment

Office Full-Time