Associate Engineer; Fire Protection - Fire Department

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees plays a key role in the success of San José, the heart of Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities.

If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408‑535‑1285, 711 (TTY), or via email at City Careers.

The San José Fire Department's (SJFD) mission is to serve the community by protecting life, property, and the environment through prevention and response. SJFD is a high-volume, high-performance, “all hazard” fire department, responding to approximately 93,000 calls for service each year from 33 Fire Stations. Its service area includes an international airport, a general aviation reliever airport, five major hospitals (including two trauma centers and five emergency departments), the SAP Center (home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, 17,500 capacity), Pay Pal Park (home of MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes, 18,000 capacity), San José State University, three super regional malls, about 100 high-rise structures and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The San José Fire Department is seeking to fill two (2) Associate Engineer positions in the Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP) Development Division.

• Under general supervision of a Senior Engineer, perform professional engineering, plan review, and inspection work.
• Examine plans, perform calculations and review specifications for commercial, industrial, and residential buildings for compliance with the California Building Code, California Fire Code, California State Fire Marshal regulations, applicable NFPA standards, and local ordinances.
• Provide technical advice to consultants, architects, engineers, contractors, developers, department officers and staff, and the Fire Marshal on the application or interpretation of fire safety codes, and on the resolution of fire safety issues found in the preliminary design of buildings.
• Analyze and evaluate proposals for alternate materials, methods of construction, and/or variances to fire safety codes and regulations.
• Conduct field inspections to ensure finished construction complies with approved plans.
• Focus on Building Life Safety Systems, Fire Sprinkler/Suppression Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, or Site Development.

Salary range for this classification: $ – $ (includes an approximate five percent ongoing non‑pensionable pay; final salary based on qualifications and experience).

• Education
  : A bachelor’s degree in an accredited engineering discipline (e.g., Fire Protection, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil) or possession of an Engineer‑in‑Training (EIT) certificate.
• Experience
  :
  Three (3) years of increasingly responsible professional engineering experience.
• Acceptable Substitution
  : A master’s degree may be substituted for one (1) year of experience.
• Licenses or Certificates
  :
  Valid California driver’s license required.
• Form 700
  :
  Must complete and file an “Assuming Office Form 700” within the first 30 days of employment.

• Job Expertise – Knowledge of codes and standards relevant to building life safety and fire protection; experience examining building plans; experience in design, evaluation, and inspection/testing of fire/life safety systems; possession of relevant certifications or licenses.
• Communication Skills – Effectively conveys information orally and in writing; demonstrates listening skills; openness to others’ ideas.
• Analytical Thinking – Uses logical, systematic approaches to problem solving.
• Customer Service – Anticipates customer needs and delivers services efficiently with professionalism.
• Decision Making – Selects…