Associate Engineer (Fire Protection)

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. SJFD’s service area includes high-hazard occupancies such as an international airport, a general aviation reliever airport, five major hospitals (including two trauma centers and five emergency departments), the SAP Center (17,500 capacity), PayPal Park (18,000 capacity), San José State University (33,409 students), three super regional malls, approximately 100 high-rise structures, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

About the role

The San José Fire Department (SJFD) is seeking to fill two (2) Associate Engineer positions in the Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP). The Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP) Development Division contributes to the Department’s mission through its focus on public education and outreach, fire investigations to determine cause and origin, and code compliance activities such as plan review and inspection.

Under the general supervision of a Senior Engineer, the Associate Engineer performs professional engineering, plan review, and inspection work. The role focuses on one or more of the following BFP areas: Building Life Safety Systems, Fire Sprinkler/Suppression Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, and Site Development. This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this or other divisions or departments.

Responsibilities

• 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/regulations and the resolution of fire safety issues in building designs.
• 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.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a professional engineering discipline (e.g., Fire Protection, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil) or possession of an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certificate.
• Three (3) years of increasingly responsible professional engineering experience.
• A master’s degree in a professional engineering discipline may substitute for one (1) year of experience.
• Possession of a valid State of California driver’s license.
• Completion and filing of an “Assuming Office Form 700” (disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions) within the first 30 days of employment.

Skills

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:

• Job Expertise: Knowledge of codes and standards relevant to building life safety and fire protection. Experience examining building plans for compliance with fire safety and fire protection regulations. Experience in the design, evaluation, and inspection/testing of fire/life safety systems (e.g., passive fire protection, emergency evacuation, fire sprinkler/suppression, fire alarm systems). Possession of certifications and/or licenses related to fire protection.
• Communication Skills: Ability to convey information clearly, orally and in writing; effective listening; openness to others' ideas.
• Analytical Thinking: Logical, systematic approach to problem-solving.
• Customer Service: Anticipates customer needs and delivers services effectively and efficiently with professionalism.
• Decision Making: Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; develops appropriate solutions.
• Planning: Aligns unit goals with organizational strategy; defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives while optimizing resources.
• Problem Solving: Defines problems, collects information, and uses logic and intuition to arrive at solutions.
• Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills: Builds effective relationships, collaborates, and resolves conflicts.

Pay

Salary range: $135,975.84 – $172,099.20 annually. This range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. Actual salary is determined by the candidate’s qualifications and experience.