Senior Fire Protection Engineer

Company Description

Great Platform for Talent

Job Description

Role Overview

Lead Fire Protection and Life Safety (FLS) design and authority coordination for HSR stations and rail tunnels (and associated back-of-house facilities), covering suppression systems, detection and alarm, smoke control strategies, egress coordination, and operational/commissioning requirements. The role is expected to manage high-risk interfaces typical to rail assets (stations, underground spaces, tunnel systems, plant rooms, and egress routes) and deliver authority-compliant designs for Middle East projects, including Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) requirements where applicable.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the FLS Basis of Design, performance requirements, and design assumptions for stations and tunnels, aligned with project fire strategy and operational philosophy.
• Design and coordinate fire suppression systems, including as applicable:
• Automatic sprinklers (wet/dry/pre-action), standpipe/hose reels, hydrants, foam systems, and clean agent / inert gas systems for critical rooms (OCC/UPS/server/telecom rooms), water mist where specified
• Fire pumps and pump rooms (duty/standby/jockey), water storage tanks, zones, pressure reducing valves, and sectionalization
  
• Lead design of fire detection and alarm systems and interfaces: initiating devices, notification, voice alarm interface, cause & effect, fireman's controls, and integration with BMS/SCADA, access control, smoke control, lifts/escalators, tunnel systems (as applicable).
• For tunnels and underground environments: coordinate/define tunnel fire-life-safety philosophy and interface with:
• Ventilation / smoke management (longitudinal/transverse, pressurization of egress, smoke extraction where required)
• Emergency egress provisions (cross-passages, emergency exits, refuge areas, signage/wayfinding), fire-rated separation, and emergency lighting interfaces
• Fixed firefighting systems (where required) and operational response requirements
  
• Perform and/or review hydraulic calculations (sprinkler/standpipe/hydrant networks) including demand and water supply verification; produce calculation reports and calculation submissions as required.
• Support and coordinate fire/smoke scenario studies as required (e.g., smoke modelling basis, tenability criteria, evacuation interface), managing inputs to specialist CFD/FDS consultants when applicable.
• Prepare project deliverables: design reports, drawings, specifications, datasheets, MTO/BOQ, and tender/IFC packages; ensure alignment with BIM deliverables and coordination models (LOD requirements).
• Lead multi-disciplinary coordination with Architecture (compartmentation, fire ratings, egress/evacuation), MEP/HVAC (smoke control, pressurization, damper logic), Electrical (power supplies, fire-rated cabling, controls, generator/UPS interfaces), ICT/Security (interfaces to PA/VA, ACS), and Civil/Structural (fire water tanks, pump rooms, penetrations).
• Support authority engagement and approvals, including:
• Preparation of Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) submission packages (where applicable) and coordination of comments/responses
• Coordination with other relevant approving entities as project-specific (municipality, rail operator, independent checker)
  
• Support procurement and delivery: technical bid evaluations, vendor clarifications, shop drawing review support, site queries/RFIs, inspection and commissioning planning.
• Develop/review testing and commissioning documentation: inspection and test plans (ITPs), flushing/chlorination, hydrostatic tests, pump performance tests, integrated cause & effect testing, and readiness for authority witnessing.
• Ensure compliance with project QA/QC processes, design governance, risk identification/mitigation, and change management impacting FLS systems.
  
  

Qualifications

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering / Fire Protection Engineering (or equivalent).
• 1416 years relevant experience delivering Fire Protection and Life Safety for major projects, with strong preference for rail/metro/HSR stations and tunnel/underground environments (or similarly complex critical facilities).
• Proven experience with Middle East authority processes, including Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) submissions/approvals and typical regional documentation expectations (comment resolution, resubmissions, witness testing requirements).
• Strong working knowledge of relevant codes/standards, including (as applicable to project):
• NFPA 13, 14, 20, 24, 72, 101, and related standards for pumps, water-based systems, and fire alarm
• Familiarity with NFPA 130 (rail transit stations/tunnels) and NFPA 502 (tunnel road tunnels) concepts where applicable to the project type and authority acceptance
• IBC and commonly referenced international FLS frameworks; ability to map compliance to local authority requirements
  
• Experience producing coordinated design deliverables to LOD 300350 (and higher where required) and providing contractor support through construction and commissioning.
• Demonstrated capability in leading complex interfaces, managing specialist subconsultants (CFD/FDS), and driving multidisciplinary design decisions.
  
  

Additional Information

Software

• Revit, AutoCAD, Navisworks (model review / clash coordination), ACC/Autodesk Construction Cloud.
• Sprinkler / hydraulic calculation and design tools (as applicable):
• HydraCALC, HASS, Elite Fire / SprinklerFitter, or equivalent hydraulic calculation software
• AutoSPRINK / Revit add-ins (where used for sprinkler layout productivity)
  
• CFD / smoke modelling exposure preferred: FDS + Smokeview, PyroSim, or equivalent; ability to manage inputs/outputs and coordinate with specialists.