Fire Protection Engineer

Job Code and Title

5215-Fire Protection Engineer

Permanent Civil Service. Under general direction, performs challenging and responsible professional engineering review and inspection work in the specialized field of fire prevention and safety, and advises fire inspection personnel engaged in fire prevention work.

• Reviews fire protection plans and systems, equivalency proposals, permit applications, subdivision and parcel maps, etc., to ensure compliance with applicable codes, ordinances, and standards; reviews site permits, architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing plans and specifications for code compliance; ensures that fire code provisions are included where hazardous processes and/or dangerous chemicals or radioactive materials are involved; and submits recommendations to the Fire Marshal for approval or disapproval of plans or specifications.
• Advises and provides training to Fire Department personnel regarding applicable codes, technical engineering aspects of fire prevention work, plan review, and technical research; prepares technical documents as appropriate; and assists the Chief, Division of Fire Prevention and Investigation (Fire Marshal) in the training of Fire Department Personnel.
• Inspects and witnesses acceptance tests for fire protection systems; and participates in inspections of buildings and other structures periodically during the course of construction to ensure compliance with approved fire protection plans and testing procedures.
• Interacts with members of the public (contractors, architects, engineers, building managers, and owners, etc.) and other government agencies regarding fire code, standard, and ordinance issues; gives lectures and arranges life‑safety demonstrations; and represents the Fire Department on fire code and technical issues as necessary.
• Reviews codes, ordinances, and fire protection standards from other jurisdictions for possible local applications; assists in the development of new codes and ordinances; assists in the revision of codes, ordinances, standards, and Fire Department Administrative Bulletins; and reviews new products, listings, materials, fire protection systems and equipment for use in local fire prevention applications.
• Provides professional, technical guidance and assistance to the department in the design, testing, and potential of proposed new fire‑fighting apparatus and equipment as well as fire‑retardant materials.
• Investigates sites of fires and makes determinations regarding possible structural, mechanical, alarm, fire extinguishing, or other safety system failures; prepares reports as required.
• Evaluates performance‑based analysis to determine whether proposed fire protection systems are acceptable with regard to the intent of codes, standards, and ordinances; evaluates conditions as necessary to ensure that a proposed performance‑based design is acceptable; communicates acceptability of performance‑based designs to Fire Department officials; and performs and analyzes results of hydraulic water flow tests.
• May act for the Senior Mechanical Engineer in his/her absence.

Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree in fire protection, mechanical, electrical, chemical, or civil engineering, or a related engineering field, from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Two (2) years of professional experience in fire protection analysis including building design, specification writing, construction inspection, and plan review (including reading and interpreting architectural plans, computer fire modeling, and review of fire protection and life safety systems such as sprinkler and fire pump systems, smoke removal systems, fire‑resistive construction, means of egress, etc.).

License and Certification: Possession of a valid Fire Protection Engineer license issued by the California Board of Registration for Professional Engineers.

Substitution: A degree in fire protection engineering from an accredited college or university may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience. A valid registration as a Fire Protection Engineer from another state (which is transferable…