Senior Fire Safety Engineer

Working arrangements:

Full time (nominal 35 hours)

Evenings and weekend working, as business needs

There may be a requirement to participation in an out-of-hours on-call rota

Hybrid working (minimum of two days per week onsite, depending on business needs, after the initial training/induction period)

Closing date: Shortlisting and interviews will take place throughout the advertising period and if it is possible to fill this vacancy before the closing date, the advert will be closed immediately

The Role and Department

As Senior Fire Safety Engineer, you will be responsible for applying advanced fire engineering principles in the design and assessment of buildings across a diverse estate. This includes the technical delivery of fire safety services, design and drawing appraisals, and ensuring compliance with Approved Document B, BS9999, BS9991 or performance-based fire engineering solutions. You will provide expert advice on a wide range of fire safety issues such as compartmentation, passive and active fire protection systems, occupancy levels, fire escape strategies, emergency lighting, alarms, fire suppression systems, fire-fighting equipment, and specialist systems. You will also assess fire safety arrangements for disabled occupants, fire appliance access, and construction-phase fire safety. You will produce and review Fire Safety Manuals and provide technical guidance throughout the project lifecycle. Extensive experience in fir e dynamics and delivering fire engineering consultancy across complex projects is essential.

In addition to technical expertise, you will lead the Fire Safety team, providing strategic direction, operational oversight, and professional development, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. You will also be required to lead on policy development, internal governance, and quality assurance, ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks and institutional standards. By promoting a deep understanding of fire safety policy and external developments, you will play a key role in shaping the future of fire safety provision within the University.

The Estates and Facilities Directorate provides essential services to Durham University and is responsible for managing, maintaining and developing the infrastructure and building fabric of the various campuses.

Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description.

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