Forensic Fire Engineer – Electrical

What You’ll Do

• Support our claims professionals, independent adjusters and customers by investigating losses to determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions as well as product, equipment and material failures. You will investigate losses through on-site inspection and forensic evaluation to determine origin and cause, where required to support claims handling, coverage determination and recovery efforts against third parties.
• Conduct field investigations of structure fires and explosions, including vehicle fires or equipment failures, documenting your work and collecting all necessary evidence including witness interviews, fire service interviews, media reports, security videos, product recalls etc.
• Analyze and identify the root cause of losses applying established fire investigation methodology and the scientific method detailing the steps and assumptions in your investigation that led you to your conclusion.
• You will use your expertise to make decisions on (1) the most plausible reason for a failure based on data; (2) whether the design, installation or maintenance met industry standards or, if appropriate, building codes; (3) whether the loss was due to design error, manufacturing defect, improper maintenance or external factors.
• Interact with customers to explain the investigation process, gather relevant information, coordinate site access, and communicate findings clearly and professionally without making coverage decisions.
• Provide engineering opinions and technical assistance to Claims Professionals, leadership and other key stakeholders to support decision‑making. This includes preparing reports and letters outlining your opinions in a clear, precise manner adapting to a non‑technical audience.
• Guide the technical direction of investigations, including determining when external specialty expertise is required or reviewing external forensic opinions, including conducting peer reviews of external investigations and opinions.
• Contribute to engineering expertise including multi‑disciplinary initiatives or emerging risk areas, as required.
• Collaborate with other groups on multi‑disciplinary projects to provide solutions on complex losses and failures.
• Provide recommendations based on your expertise in the field of engineering to internal and external partners on operationalizing strategies for engineering services.

• Bachelor’s degree or postgraduate degree in Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Fire Protection, Electrical Engineering, Applied Sciences or a related field.
• Licensed as a Professional Engineer in Ontario. Licensing in other provinces is an asset.
• At least 8 to 10 years of professional experience in forensic engineering, structural investigation, fire/explosion investigation or failure analysis in the insurance field.
• Knowledge of fire dynamics, chemistry of fire/combustion and scientific and technical principles (such as flash points, vapor density, ignition temperatures) to analyse post‑fire indicators and evidence to support conclusions.
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical conclusions clearly to non‑technical stakeholders through verbal explanation and written technical reports.
• Experience reviewing and assessing external forensic or specialty expert opinions for technical accuracy.
• Experience applying relevant legislation and related documents such as the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, Fire Code, Health and Safety Act, and Building Code.
• Certification as a Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI).
• Valid Canadian driver’s license and access to a vehicle.
• Experience testifying in court and previous qualification as an expert is preferred.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) and data management/analysis skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to articulate clearly, concisely and simply the results of their investigations and assessments to the Claims Professional or other stakeholders.
• Critical thinking skills with strong analytic and problem‑solving skills with the ability to analyse and interpret complex technical data.
• Experience analysing trends to support operational performance.
• Experience working in…