Fire Protection Engineer in Chelmsford

This is a newly established role created to bring ownership, structure and technical authority to fire engineering and compliance within a manufacturing environment. The business designs and manufactures passive fire protection products and currently operates with multiple sources of fire test data, historic assessments and external test house input, without a single accountable owner. This role exists to change that.

The Fire Engineering & Compliance Lead will define and embed a consistent, requirements-led approach to fire performance across all product design and engineering activity. You will establish a single source of truth for fire compliance, set engineering standards, and ensure products are designed correctly from first principles—significantly reducing reliance on external testing and rework.

This role requires someone comfortable acting as the technical authority for fire performance, making informed engineering judgements and setting direction for the wider organisation.

• Act as the internal technical authority for fire, smoke and related regulatory performance across the full product portfolio.
• Establish and maintain a single, controlled fire compliance knowledge base, consolidating test reports, assessments, classifications and standards interpretations.
• Define and implement fire engineering requirements that underpin all product design and development activities.
• Create clear design rules, standard constructions and limitations of use for fire-rated products.
• Lead the interpretation and application of UK and European fire standards and building regulations.
• Reduce reliance on external test houses by developing robust internal fire engineering justifications and assessment routes.
• Review and interpret fire test reports, classifications and assessments to ensure correct and compliant product application.
• Support new product development from concept through to compliant release.
• Provide authoritative technical guidance to Engineering, Quality, Sales and Operations teams.
• Act as the primary technical interface with external test houses, certification bodies and regulators when required.

• Engineering background with significant experience in fire performance and compliance.
• Experience working with fire-rated construction or building products (e.g. access solutions, doorsets, partitions or similar passive fire systems).
• Strong working knowledge of:

• Fire resistance testing and classification (e.g. BSEN 1634, BS 478)
• UK Building Regulations and Approved Document B
• Assessment, extended application and evidence-based compliance routes

• Technically authoritative and confident making engineering decisions.
• Structured and methodical approach to requirements and standards management.
• Able to challenge historic assumptions and informal practices.
• Strong communicator capable of guiding both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proactive, ownership-driven mindset with a focus on long-term compliance robustness.

This position plays a critical role in protecting product integrity, ensuring regulatory compliance and enabling efficient, right-first-time engineering. It offers the opportunity to build the fire engineering framework from the ground up and have a lasting impact on how products are designed, justified and brought to market.