Principal Fire Engineer

We are pleased to invite technical professionals with outstanding abilities in Fire Engineering to join our growing fire team!

ABOUT THIS ROLE

We are looking for a Principal Fire Engineer to join a small consultancy where your work is visible, your input genuinely shapes how we operate, and your development gets real attention rather than an annual review.

You will lead fire engineering projects across varied sectors, mentor colleagues, quality-assure technical work, and take an active role in how CDC delivers commercially. You will have real support and real autonomy. This is not a role where you wait for permission to do good work.

Come from a larger firm where hierarchy got in the way? CDC may be what you are looking for. Prefer depth and quality over volume and speed? Same answer.

ABOUT CDC

Cahill Design Consultants is a privately owned engineering consultancy based in Colchester, delivering fire engineering and acoustic design services for over 12 years. We are not beholden to external investors and we are not chasing growth for its own sake. The focus is on quality work and building a team that can sustain it.

We have held Flexa Careers accreditation for three consecutive years, with an 88% employee-led score. We are ISO 9001:2015 registered and in 2025 donated 1% of turnover to charity, with 118 hours of team volunteering.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

The role combines technical delivery, project leadership, and team development:

• Lead fire engineering commissions across residential, commercial, mixed-use, healthcare, education, and other sectors from concept to handover.
• Develop and sign off fire strategies for complex buildings, including performance-based approaches using qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Oversee or conduct fire and smoke modelling (FDS, Smart Fire or similar) and evacuation modelling (Pathfinder or similar), and interpret outputs for design teams and clients.
• Review and quality-assure technical work produced by colleagues, providing structured, developmental feedback.
• Lead client relationships and represent CDC in meetings, workshops, and discussions with approving authorities.
• Contribute to bids, proposals, and the commercial success of your projects.
• Help shape CDC’s internal processes, standards, and knowledge-sharing culture.

We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Requirements are split into Essential and Desirable. Apply if you meet the essential criteria, even if some desirable criteria are not yet there.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Substantial experience in fire engineering consultancy. We would typically expect around 7 or more years, but we’re interested in the quality and depth of your experience, not just the number of years.
• Degree in Fire Engineering or a closely related engineering or science discipline.
• Strong, current knowledge of UK fire safety legislation applied to complex buildings.
• Proven experience writing fire strategies across at least one sector.
• Experience liaising with clients, design teams, and approving authorities.
• Quality review and technical oversight of others’ work.
• CEng status via the Engineering Council, or actively working towards it.
• MIFireE or equivalent professional body membership, or near to it.
• Able to travel to Colchester two days per week (hybrid working).

• Direct experience with fire or smoke modelling tools (FDS, Smart Fire or similar).
• Direct experience with evacuation modelling (Pathfinder or similar).
• Experience across multiple building types or sectors.
• Contribution to commercial activities, including bids, proposals, or client development.
• Experience formally mentoring or developing early-career engineers.

PAY & PENSION

• 5% enhanced employer pension.
• 4× salary life assurance.
• 70% income protection.
• Discretiona…