Senior Fire Protection Engineer

About Us

Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely delivers clients across North America the highest quality solutions on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $7.6 billion in revenue for 2024, Clayco specializes in the "art and science of building," providing fast track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential related building projects.

Clayco Design and Engineering (CDE) was created to diversify and grow Clayco’s industrial business unit’s capabilities with a focus on efficiently delivering robust design-build architectural and engineering solutions. The Clayco Design and Engineering team brings a tremendous amount of engineering expertise to the Clayco enterprise from a wide array of industrial segments such as food & beverage, consumer products, manufacturing, and life-science products.

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.

• 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.

• 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, Hydra
  
  CAD, etc.) and hydraulic calculation tools.
• Strong experience with commissioning, testing, and inspections of fire protection systems in…