What You Will Do
This position will be filled at either the Fire Protection Engineer 1/Fire Protection Engineer 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.
At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the Fire Protection (FP) Office serves not only the Laboratory but the Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the surrounding community by providing fire protection engineering and program services to minimize fire-related risks. The mission of the FP Office is to manage and ensure implementation of the LANL Fire Protection Program.
The FP Office is the Laboratory's central fire protection engineering and program support entity responsible for providing institutional technical direction and support for the Laboratory's nuclear and non-nuclear facilities and programs. There are four primary functional areas: fire protection engineering, fire prevention inspection, fire alarm site-wide operations, and fire department program management. The FP Office serves as LANL's Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for fire protection-related codes, standards, and recommended practices (e.g., National Fire Protection Association).
Fire Protection Engineer 1 ($94,500 - $154,600)
Fire Hazard Evaluation (FHE) Program Support
Support the development, review, and maintenance of FHEs for gloveboxes, fume hoods, and other process enclosures.
Perform hazard identification and qualitative fire hazard analyses to document materials, fire scenarios, potential failure mechanisms, and appropriate controls.
Collect and analyze enclosure information including process descriptions, equipment configurations, combustible inventories, and fire protection features.
Assist in planning and tracking FHE development efforts by coordinating with facility operations, fire protection engineers, subcontractors, document control, and other stakeholders.
Support the integration of FHE requirements into facility procedures, authorization basis documents, and operational planning.
Participate in walkdowns of enclosures to verify configuration, document hazards, validate technical assumptions, and provide oversight to subcontractor personnel performing data gathering, mapping, or related FHE support activities.
Fire Protection Engineering Evaluations
Review fire protection engineering evaluations and related documents to support FHE conclusions.
Perform analyses of existing fire protection features to determine adequacy, identify gaps, and propose corrective actions.
Interface with operations, project teams, and other engineering disciplines to ensure FHEs meet technical expectations and program needs.
General Fire Protection Engineering Activities
Review fire protection system designs and calculations.
Support life safety analyses.
Participate in fire protection system testing and inspections.
Perform code compliance evaluations.
Contribute to fire hazards analyses and engineering evaluations as needed.
Fire Protection Engineer 2 ($104,100 - $172,200)
In addition to what was outlined above, at the higher level you will be expected to:
Technical Leadership within the Fire Hazard Evaluation (FHE) Program
Lead complex FHE development efforts.
Oversee programmatic strategies for maintaining FHE quality and consistency across facilities.
Serve as a subject matter expert on fire hazards associated with gloveboxes, process enclosures, pyrophoric materials, combustible inventories, and enclosure fire protection features.
Evaluate fire scenarios, determine appropriate controls, and ensure FHEs meet DOE, NFPA, and LANL fire protection expectations.
Coordination and Program Execution
Lead coordination with facility operations, nuclear safety, engineering disciplines, subcontractors, and document control to support program execution, resolve technical issues, and ensure timely completion of FHEs.
Prepare and review fire protection engineering evaluations, equivalencies, and exemptions relevant to FHE conclusions.
Fire Hazard Analysis and Technical Guidance
Conduct advanced fire hazard analyses in nuclear and high-hazard facilities.
Develop technical guidance for the FHE Program, improve program processes, and contribute to standardization of evaluation methods.
Communication and Mentorship
Communicate findings effectively through technical reports, briefings, and presentations.
Mentor and support early-career engineers in developing technical competency in fire hazard evaluation.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
Knowledge of office software, including the MS365 suite.
Ability to perform technical reviews of facility design documents including designs, plans, submittals, project specs and similar documents and provides effective, actionable comments.
Ability to effectively communicate compliance concerns both verbally and in writing for management, customers, peers, and/or craft personnel.
Experience in design or plans review of fire protection and life safety features of building and of fire protection systems, or experience in documented assessment, analysis, or evaluation of fire hazards and risks of facilities or processes.
Successful experience working collaboratively in team environments, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated excellent attention to detail.
Additional Job Requirements for Fire Protection Engineer 2:
Knowledge of building codes, fire codes, and NFPA standards.
Previous experience in hazard analysis, risk assessment, building design, construction, or fire protection consulting.
Education/Experience at Fire Protection Engineer 1: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university and 2 years of practical work experience necessary to perform the responsibilities outlined above. Advanced engineering or technical degree is highly desired.
Current registration as a Engineer in Training (EIT) is highly desirable.
Education/Experience at Fire Protection Engineer 2: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university and a minimum of 3 years of practical work experience necessary to perform the responsibilities outlined above. Advanced engineering or technical degree is highly desired.
Current registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) is highly desirable.
Desired Qualifications:
Active Q Clearance
Familiarity with DOE and LANL Engineering Standards requirements for fire protection
Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering
Master's degree in an engineering or related discipline
Previous fire protection engineering experience
Experience with fire protection and life safety aspects applicable to chemical processes, wet chemistry and laser laboratories, radiological laboratories, high-hazard, and nuclear facilities
Current registration as an Engineer in Training (EIT) or a Professional Engineer (PE)
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.
Note to Applicants:
A Bachelor's Degree in Fire Protection Engineering Technology may be considered, subject to approval.
Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
Dental and vision insurance
Free basic life and disability insurance
Paid childbirth and parental leave
Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
Onsite gyms and wellness programs
Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 (https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/supplemental-directive/sd-0206-0002) . Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 (https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0472.2-BOrder-chg1-pgchg) for additional information.
426.2A: This position is subject to DOE Order 426.2A, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities, which establishes entry-level requirements to ensure candidates selected for specific positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Regular position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.
Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy P701 (https://int.lanl.gov/policy/documents/P701.pdf) for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947.
