Designer - Fire Alarm and Low Voltage

About the role

The Fire Alarm and Low Voltage Designer will join AMPAM as part of the Coastal Fire & Integration Systems acquisition. This role involves preparing accurate, code-compliant designs for fire alarm and low-voltage systems, ensuring compliance with NFPA, IBC, California Building Code, and local AHJ requirements.

Responsibilities

• Reading and interpreting construction documents, including drawings, specifications, contracts, addenda, RFPs, and scope documents.
• Designing and laying out fire alarm and low-voltage systems for complex buildings using CAD-based software.
• Preparing fire alarm shop drawings, permit-level drawings, design drawings, as-built drawings, and record drawings.
• Preparing fire alarm design documentation, including riser diagrams, device layouts, equipment locations, panel schedules, sequence of operations, input/output matrix, battery calculations, voltage drop calculations, point-to-point details, and other required design information.
• Preparing fire alarm submittal packages, including drawings, calculations, product data sheets, equipment cut sheets, and supporting documentation.
• Designing advanced fire alarm systems, including high-rise, voice evacuation, emergency communication, smoke control interface, elevator recall, duct detector shutdown, sprinkler monitoring, fire pump monitoring, door release, and other building system interface requirements.
• Reviewing architectural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sprinkler, elevator, and other trade drawings to coordinate fire alarm and low-voltage system design requirements.
• Identifying design conflicts, scope gaps, code concerns, constructability issues, and field coordination concerns.
• Identifying corrective measures, including design solutions, revisions, alternate layouts, and recommended system modifications.
• Conducting technical research and providing documentation related to code requirements, alternative methods, equivalencies, product applications, and design solutions.
• Responding to plan check comments, AHJ comments, engineering comments, customer comments, and internal review comments.
• Coordinating plan status with plan checkers, AHJs, general contractors, engineers, consultants, inspectors, project managers, field teams, programmers, and other professionals.
• Supporting project managers, estimators, field technicians, programmers, and service teams with technical information as needed.
• Coordinating with programmers to ensure design intent, sequence of operations, device addressing, system interfaces, and programming requirements are clearly documented and understood.
• Coordinating with field teams to address installation questions, field conflicts, RFI responses, design revisions, as-built updates, and closeout requirements.
• Assisting with design-build projects, value engineering, change order support, tenant improvement designs, retrofit work, and system modification drawings.
• Maintaining organized design records, drawing files, submittals, calculations, correspondence, plan check comments, RFIs, revisions, and project documentation.
• Maintaining current knowledge of fire alarm codes, low-voltage systems, manufacturer requirements, AHJ expectations, and company design standards.

Qualifications

• Possess a working knowledge of low-voltage communication systems, including fire alarm, emergency communication, monitoring, access control, CCTV, DAS/ERRCS, AV, and related building system interfaces.
• Demonstrate competency in advanced fire alarm design, including high-rise systems, smoke control interfaces, voice evacuation, emergency communication systems, elevator recall, sprinkler monitoring, duct detector shutdown, door release, and other life safety system integrations.
• Possess proficient knowledge of current codes and standards, including NFPA, IBC, California Building Code, California Fire Code, local AHJ requirements, and the principles and practices of fire protection engineering.
• Be professionally licensed or certified in the area of expertise, such as NICET Fire Alarm Systems certification, or possess equivalent industry experience.
• Be proficient in AutoCAD software to ensure efficient and accurate production of shop drawings, permit drawings, design drawings, as-built drawings, and record documents.
• Be proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Bluebeam, and related design/document management software.
• Have experience preparing fire alarm submittal packages, permit drawings, equipment data sheets, voltage drop calculations, battery calculations, sequence of operations, riser diagrams, device layouts, panel schedules, and related design documentation.
• Have experience preparing and writing reports detailing specific fire protection issues, design concerns, code analysis, corrective measures, alternative methods, or equivalency proposals.
• Have proficient knowledge of fire alarm product lines, including Kidde, EST/Edwards, Notifier, and other commonly used fire alarm systems.
• Be able to read and interpret construction drawings, electrical drawings, architectural drawings, mechanical drawings, reflected ceiling plans, specifications, contracts, addenda, RFPs, and scope documents.
• Possess good communication, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Be able to communicate professionally with project managers, estimators, field technicians, programmers, general contractors, engineers, consultants, clients, inspectors, plan checkers, and AHJs.
• Be able to manage multiple design projects simultaneously, depending on project size, complexity, scope, deadlines, and permitting requirements.