Sr. Fire Protection Engineer - Nuclear Codes & NRC Compliance

About the role

Jensen Hughes is seeking a Senior Fire Protection Engineer – Nuclear Codes & NRC Compliance. This position will serve as a technical leader in the development, evaluation, and implementation of fire protection strategies and regulatory compliance programs for commercial nuclear power plants, advanced reactor projects, Department of Energy facilities, and other nuclear-related infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex nuclear fire protection engineering projects from proposal development through project execution and closeout.
• Perform and oversee Fire Hazards Analyses (FHAs) for operating nuclear power plants, advanced reactors, and nuclear facilities.
• Evaluate compliance with NRC regulations including: 10 CFR 50 Appendix R, 10 CFR 50.48, NFPA 805, Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection Programs, NRC Regulatory Guides, and associated guidance documents.
• Conduct engineering analyses related to: Fire area assessments, Safe shutdown requirements, Circuit analysis, Fire barrier evaluations, Post-fire operator actions, Risk-informed decision-making.
• Develop technical justifications, exemption requests, licensing basis modifications, and alternative compliance strategies.
• Interpret and apply industry standards including NFPA, IEEE, ASME, ANS, and other applicable nuclear industry requirements.
• Support plant modifications involving fire suppression, fire detection, fire barriers, and life safety systems.
• Prepare and review engineering calculations, technical reports, design basis documents, and regulatory submittals.
• Interface directly with utility clients, NRC personnel, project stakeholders, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers and project staff.
• Support business development activities, proposal preparation, technical presentations, and client relationship management.
• Participate in plant walkdowns, field assessments, inspections, and outage support activities as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 8–12 years of progressively responsible experience in nuclear fire protection.
• Minimum of 5 years supporting a commercial nuclear power plant directly or through nuclear engineering consulting services.
• Demonstrated expertise with NRC fire protection regulations and licensing requirements.
• Experience performing Fire Hazards Analyses and compliance evaluations for operating nuclear facilities.
• Strong knowledge of: NFPA 805, 10 CFR 50 Appendix R, 10 CFR 50.48, NRC Regulatory Guides, NUREGs, and industry guidance documents.
• Experience preparing technical reports, engineering evaluations, and regulatory documentation.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining high-quality technical deliverables.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Degree specialization in Fire Protection Engineering.
• Experience supporting NRC audits, inspections, and licensing activities.
• Familiarity with Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) and Fire PRA methodologies.
• Experience with advanced reactors, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), or Department of Energy nuclear facilities.
• NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) or similar professional certification.
• Project management experience leading large multidisciplinary engineering efforts.