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Structural Fire Engineering Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Fire Protection Engineering is an interdisciplinary field that incorporates mechanical (fire ... systems), and structural (fire resistance design). This position is mainly responsible for ...

We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve ... Fire & Life Safety Engineer: HDR's Fire & Life Safety (FLS) team is continuing to expand our market ...

We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve ... Fire & Life Safety Engineer: HDR's Fire & Life Safety (FLS) team is continuing to expand our market ...

Fire Engineer

Landis, NC · On-site

$59K - $89K/yr

The Fire Engineer is responsible for providing fire protection, rescue operations, and emergency ... Working knowledge of modern firefighting methods including flammable liquids and structural ...

Fire Engineer

Landis, NC · On-site

$59K/yr

The Fire Engineer is responsible for providing fire protection, rescue operations, and emergency ... Working knowledge of modern firefighting methods including flammable liquids and structural ...

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Structural Fire Engineering information

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$50K

$99.4K

$152K

How much do structural fire engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for structural fire engineering in the United States is $99,400.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $80,000.00 and $113,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is structural fire engineering?

Structural fire engineering is a specialized field of engineering focused on understanding how structures respond to fire and designing buildings to maintain their integrity and safety during and after fire events. Structural fire engineers assess the potential effects of fire on building materials and structural systems, develop fire-resistant designs, and ensure that structures meet safety codes and standards. Their work helps protect lives and property by minimizing fire risks and improving building resilience.

What are some common challenges faced by structural fire engineers in coordinating with other disciplines on construction projects?

Structural fire engineers often collaborate closely with architects, mechanical engineers, and construction managers to ensure fire safety measures are integrated without compromising design or functionality. One common challenge is balancing fire protection requirements with architectural aesthetics or ventilation needs, which may require creative problem solving and effective communication. Additionally, interpreting and applying evolving fire safety codes across different jurisdictions can present complexities, especially when projects are international. Successful structural fire engineers are proactive in cross-disciplinary meetings and adept at explaining technical fire protection concepts to non-specialists.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

In the field of structural fire engineering, salaries reaching $500,000 annually are rare and typically associated with senior-level roles, consulting firms, or those with extensive experience and specialized expertise. High earnings may also result from leadership positions, private consulting, or working in high-cost regions. Most structural fire engineers earn significantly less, with top-tier professionals earning over $200,000 annually.

What is the difference between Structural Fire Engineering vs Fire Protection Engineer?

AspectStructural Fire EngineeringFire Protection Engineer
CredentialsEngineering degree, fire safety certifications, specialized training in fire dynamicsEngineering or fire safety degree, fire protection certifications, code compliance training
Work EnvironmentDesigning fire-resistant structures, analyzing building materials, collaborating with architectsImplementing fire safety systems, inspecting fire alarms, ensuring code compliance
Industry UsageConstruction, architecture, structural design firmsBuilding management, safety consulting, construction companies

Structural Fire Engineering focuses on designing buildings to withstand fire and prevent collapse, while Fire Protection Engineers implement and inspect fire safety systems. Both roles require engineering credentials and work closely within the construction and safety industries, but their core responsibilities differ in focus and application.

Is there a high demand for structural engineers?

Structural fire engineering is a specialized field within structural engineering, and demand for structural engineers remains strong due to ongoing infrastructure projects and building safety requirements. Employment opportunities are often influenced by construction activity, building codes, and the need for expertise in fire-resistant design, with many positions requiring knowledge of relevant codes and certifications.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Structural Fire Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Structural Fire Engineer, you need a solid background in structural engineering, fire dynamics, and building codes, typically supported by a degree in civil or structural engineering and relevant professional licensure. Familiarity with fire modeling software (such as FDS), CAD tools, and compliance with standards like NFPA or Eurocodes is essential. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help you assess risks and convey complex technical information to clients and project teams. These skills and qualifications are vital for ensuring the safety, resilience, and regulatory compliance of structures in fire scenarios.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

In the field of structural fire engineering, senior-level professionals with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and specialized skills can reach or exceed a $300,000 annual salary, especially in high-cost-of-living areas or consulting roles. Such salaries are typically associated with senior engineers, project managers, or those in leadership positions within large firms or specialized consulting practices.

What is the highest salary of a fire engineer?

The highest salary for a structural fire engineer can exceed $120,000 annually, especially for those with extensive experience, advanced certifications, or leadership roles in large firms or high-risk environments. Salaries vary based on location, expertise, and the complexity of projects handled.
More about Structural Fire Engineering jobs
What job categories do people searching Structural Fire Engineering jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Structural Fire Engineering jobs are:
Infographic showing various Structural Fire Engineering job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 67% Full Time, and 33% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $99,400 per year, or $47.8 per hour.
Fire Protection Engineer

Fire Protection Engineer

Federal Aviation Administration

Atlantic City, NJ • On-site

$123K - $190K/yr

Full-time

PTO

Posted 14 days ago


Federal Aviation Administration rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 152 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

68th of 279 rated public sector bodies


Job description

Summary
This position resides within the Center Ops Division. The Center Ops Division provides operations, maintenance, engineering, logistics, and support services to maintain a dependable infrastructure, a safe and healthy working environment, and a strong operational and administrative foundation at the Technical Center. Our critical services enable all FAA lines of business and other federal and state partners located within our campus to meet their mission objectives effectively and efficiently.
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Duties
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The incumbent of this position serves as a Fire Protection Engineer in the Center Operations Division. Typical responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the duties listed below:
Prepares engineering designs for the construction and/or installation of fire detection and fire suppression apparatus, appliances, devices and systems. Designs typically involve the development of detailed plans, specifications, calculations, construction cost estimate, and statement of work.
Prepares statements of work and cost estimates for contractor support to develop designs.
Performs analyses and calculations within his/her discipline, including the analysis of technical proposals and designs by contractors and others.
Provides technical support within his/her discipline during construction, which includes field inspections, submittal review and project meeting attendance.
Provides additional technical support in areas of smoke control/management, building layout and space planning for life safety purposes, emergency exits, elevator fire recall, risk analysis, and post-fire investigation and analysis.
Performs assessments of existing and proposed facilities for fire hazards, life safety compliance and other risks. Identifies potential hazards and implements mitigation methods.
Ensures the proper design, construction and arrangement of facilities to mitigate fire damage.
Maintains knowledge of current fire protection codes and technologies through research and training.
Assures assigned projects comply with applicable codes and standards, including FAA Orders and directives.
Collaborates with other engineers and design professionals to create complete design packages and ensure proper coordination with structural fire resistance, fire rated construction and means of egress.
Coordinates project activities with other agencies, contractors, utility companies, state and local government authorities, and the general public.
Serves as the technical representative for FAA contracting officers on assigned projects. May be assigned as Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) on study, design, or construction projects.
Estimates, manages and accounts for assigned project and operations funding, in accordance with applicable regulations, policy, and sound accounting practices.
Evaluates and reports on the operational condition of fire protection and fire detection systems, including providing potential solutions to restore or resolve systems of inadequate condition and/or performance.
Develops reports and/or master project list to ensure fire protection and fire detection systems meet all requirements and function properly into the future.
Develops and oversees execution of fire system test plans, including evaluation and recommendations based on outcome(s).
Performs other duties as assigned.
Plans and accomplishes highly complex and challenging projects/programs and other work activities under the minimal direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced engineer. May act as a principal technical specialist or as a project/program manager or team leader for large work activities.
Contacts are internal and external. Often represents FAA as a senior technical point of contact on projects, programs and other work activities. Communicates results to all levels internally (within an LOB/SO or across LOB's/SO's) and externally. Plays a lead role in drafting, reviewing, and editing reports or contractual documents for final approval prior to external distribution. Presents briefings to obtain consensus/approval on policies. Coordinates significant technical matters with representatives of external organizations.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
  • Please review Required Documents section.

Qualifications
A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelors degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1 , or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 2. Written Test Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. 3. Specified academic courses Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. 4. Related curriculum Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelors degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.)
To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-I, FG/GS-13. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.
Specialized experience is: Experience preparing engineering designs for fire detection and fire suppression systems, including detailed plans, specifications, calculations, cost estimates, and statements of work for construction and installation projects.
Some, none, or all candidates may be interviewed.
Education
This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).
Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.
Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.
Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.
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Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.
Additional information
We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements
Leave Enhancement: FAA organizations may offer enhanced annual leave accrual to newly appointed or reappointed employees. In order to receive consideration for such a benefit, applicants' prior non-Federal service or active duty uniformed service must directly relate to the duties of the position to which appointed. Granting enhanced annual leave is at the sole discretion of the hiring organization, and granting such benefit is not an entitlement nor guaranteed to any newly hired employee.
Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. On-the-Spot will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.
As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.
In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.
Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration.
You may also be considered for this vacancy based on eligibility under the 30% or More Disabled Veteran Program, Veterans' Recruitment Appointment, and Persons with Disabilities/Persons with Targeted Disabilities. To be considered for one of these special hiring authorities, you must identify your eligibility in your questionnaire in the Applicant-Preferred Conditions of Employment section. In addition, you must submit documentation that provides evidence of eligibility as indicated in the Required Documents section of the announcement.
Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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