Fire Protection Engineer

Fire Protection Engineering for Nuclear Facilities

FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER

DOE Nuclear Facilities

POSITION OVERVIEW

Hukari Ascendent is seeking an experienced Fire Protection Engineer to support Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities in the design, implementation, and maintenance of comprehensive fire protection systems and programs. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated expertise in fire protection engineering for nuclear operations, DOE Orders compliance, and fire hazard analysis for safety-class and safety-significant structures, systems, and components.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fire Protection System Design & Engineering

• Design and evaluate fire protection systems for nuclear facilities including automatic suppression systems, fire detection and alarm systems, and passive fire protection features
• Develop fire protection system design criteria and specifications in accordance with DOE Orders, NFPA standards, and nuclear facility requirements
• Perform engineering evaluations of fire protection system modifications, upgrades, and new installations
• Review and approve fire protection drawings, calculations, and technical specifications

Fire Hazard Analysis & Safety Documentation

• Conduct Fire Hazard Analyses (FHA) for nuclear facilities in accordance with DOE-STD-1066
• Prepare and review Documented Safety Analysis (DSA) fire protection sections and Technical Safety Requirements (TSR)
• Develop fire protection defense-in-depth strategies for safety-class and safety-significant systems
• Perform fire modeling and analysis using computational tools such as FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator)
• Evaluate fire scenarios, combustible loading, and potential fire propagation paths

Regulatory Compliance & Program Management

• Ensure compliance with DOE O 420.1C (Facility Safety), DOE O 440.1B (Worker Protection), and applicable DOE standards
• Implement NFPA codes and standards (NFPA 801, 804, 805, and others) applicable to nuclear facilities
• Support DOE Facility Representative and regulatory oversight inspections and assessments
• Develop and maintain Site Fire Protection Program in accordance with DOE requirements
• Manage Exemptions and Equivalencies process for fire protection requirements

Inspections, Testing & Maintenance

• Develop and implement inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) programs for fire protection systems
• Conduct fire protection system inspections and functional tests in accordance with NFPA 25 and DOE requirements
• Review and approve fire protection system impairment controls and compensatory measures
• Evaluate fire protection system performance and recommend improvements

Technical Support & Collaboration

• Provide technical support to facility operations, maintenance, and emergency response personnel
• Participate in fire drills, pre-fire planning, and emergency response exercises
• Interface with DOE, site fire departments, and regulatory authorities
• Support Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) evaluations related to fire protection
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and briefings for management and regulatory stakeholders

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related technical discipline
• Master's degree in Fire Protection Engineering preferred

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of professional fire protection engineering experience
• Demonstrated experience with DOE nuclear facilities or similar high-hazard nuclear operations
• Experience conducting Fire Hazard Analyses (FHA) in accordance with DOE-STD-1066
• Experience with fire protection system design, installation, and commissioning

Technical Knowledge

• Thorough knowledge of DOE Orders including DOE O 420.1C, DOE-STD-1066, and DOE-STD-1020
• Strong understanding of NFPA codes and standards (NFPA 13, 72, 801, 804, 805, 25, and others)
• Knowledge of fire protection system design including automatic sprinklers, gaseous suppression, detection and alarm systems
• Understanding of fire modeling techniques and computational fire analysis tools
• Familiarity with nuclear safety analysis and defense-in-depth principles

Certifications & Licenses

• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred (Fire Protection Engineering or related discipline)
• Fire Protection Engineer (FPE) certification or ability to obtain within 2 years

Clearance & Other Requirements

• Ability to obtain and maintain DOE Q-clearance or L-clearance
• US Citizenship required for clearance eligibility
• Ability to work in nuclear facility environments including radiological controlled areas
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel to DOE sites as needed

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional Engineer (PE) license in Fire Protection Engineering
• Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) or similar professional certification
• Active DOE Q-clearance or L-clearance
• Experience at multiple DOE nuclear facilities or NNSA sites
• Experience with nuclear facility decommissioning and decontamination (D&D) fire protection
• Knowledge of performance-based fire protection design methodologies
• Experience with fire dynamics modeling (FDS, CFAST, or similar computational tools)
• Familiarity with nuclear criticality safety and fire protection interface
• Experience with Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS) and Quality Assurance programs
• Knowledge of DOE nuclear weapons complex operations and special nuclear material facilities
• Advanced degree (MS) in Fire Protection Engineering

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Fire Protection System Design & Analysis
• Fire Hazard Analysis & Risk Assessment
• DOE Orders & NFPA Standards Compliance
• Nuclear Safety Analysis & Defense-in-Depth
• Fire Protection Program Management
• Technical Report Writing & Documentation
• Regulatory Interface & Stakeholder Communication
• Problem-Solving & Engineering Judgment

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Office and field work environment at DOE nuclear facilities
• May require work in radiological controlled areas with appropriate training, dosimetry, and PPE
• Travel to DOE sites and nuclear facilities up to 25% of time
• Ability to conduct facility walkdowns including climbing stairs, ladders, and working in confined spaces
• May require participation in off-hours emergency response and on-call support