Senior/Associate Fire Engineer – Expert Witness in Belfast

Company Overview

Throughout our worldwide network of experts, clients and communities, we are renowned for our leadership in fire protection engineering – a legacy of responsibility we have proudly upheld since 1939. Today, our expertise extends broadly across closely related security and risk‐based fields – from accessibility consulting and risk analysis to process safety, forensic investigations, security risk consulting, emergency management, digital innovation and more. Our engineers and consultants collaborate to solve complex safety and security challenges, ensuring our clients can protect what matters most. For over 80 years, we have helped mitigate risks that threaten lives, property and reputations. Through technology, expertise and industry‐leading research, we remain dedicated to our purpose of making our world safe, secure and resilient.

At Jensen Hughes, we believe that creating and sustaining a culture of trust, integrity and professional growth starts with putting our people first. Our employees are our greatest strength, and we value the unique perspectives and talents they bring to our organization. Our wide range of Global Employee Networks connect people from across the organization, supporting career development and providing forums for individuals to share experiences on topics they're passionate about. Together, we are cultivating a connected culture where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed together.

Job Overview

Jensen Hughes are specialists in fire engineering, fire forensics and litigation. Within the litigation team, we comprise highly experienced consultants committed to delivering technical excellence for clients across the full spectrum of services. Our clients trust us to respond rapidly and deliver conclusive reports, robust evidence and expert testimony of the highest technical standard. Our unique collaborative approach and vast areas of expertise ensure clients benefit from a personal and professional service.

As a Fire Engineering Expert Witness, you will assist and work on high‐profile projects and cases, specifically design and construction defects, cladding issues, internal fire safety defects etc. You will take a lead role with disclosure, research and report writing. You will have access to the firm's resources and know‐how and have the opportunity to be involved in training and development.

A key attraction of this role is that you will have the opportunity to be responsible for seeing a technical investigation through from beginning to end from initially collecting the evidence on site to preparing the final technical expert witness report and ultimately giving expert evidence in court. You will provide impartial, evidence‐based analysis and testimony in construction and legal disputes as well as regulatory investigations. You will work closely with solicitors, developers and public bodies to deliver expert opinions grounded in UK and Irish fire safety legislation, standards and engineering best practice. This role can be based from any of our UK or Ireland offices.

Responsibilities

• Conducting site‐based investigations to record evidence and analyse fire incidents.
• Reviewing technical documentation that may include manuals and maintenance records.
• Consulting relevant standards, regulations and other published guidance.
• Providing the client with timely preliminary verbal and/or written advice in a form that can be readily understood by a layperson and ultimately a Judge.
• Preparing reports that may be in the form of a brief letter‐style report or a detailed, illustrated report for court proceedings.
• Attending client meetings to discuss your investigation.
• Meeting with experts appointed by the other involved parties as part of the litigation process.
• Providing expert witness evidence in court, which will involve being questioned in depth by a barrister who will have been briefed by a technical expert.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Degree in Fire Engineering or other relevant area.
• Established professional background in fire safety engineering, including cladding and site experience.
• Chartered Engineer or working towards Chartership.
• Experience of fire safety design in residential apartment and commercial buildings including knowledge of relevant fire safety design codes.
• Extensive experience in fire engineering, with expert witness experience in UK and/or Irish jurisdictions.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to legal and lay audiences.
• A team‐player who can work effectively with colleagues at all levels.
• Client‐facing experience and ability to understand and respond effectively to client needs.
• Prior involvement in high‐profile litigation, tribunals, public inquiries or regulatory investigations.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status with a recognised UK or Irish institution (e.g., IFE, Engineers Ireland).
• Membership in professional bodies such as the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) or Engineers Ireland.
• Experience with cross‐border casework and multi‐jurisdictional standards.

Our People Are Our Greatest Asset

At Jensen Hughes, we know that our people are the foundation of our success. To attract and retain the best talent, we offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, work‐life balance and professional growth.

Our UK and Ireland Benefits Include

• Private medical insurance
• 33 days paid time off with an additional day after 3 years
• 4x life assurance
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Employee assistance programme
• Enhanced parental‐related pay
• Recognition and reward programmes to celebrate team efforts
• Access to extensive technical training and resources

Supporting Your Work‐Life Balance

• Flexible working hours and patterns including early Friday finish
• Enhanced holiday entitlement after three years
• The option to carry over up to five unused holiday days into the next year

A Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Our benefits represent a meaningful investment in both our people and the future of Jensen Hughes. We regularly review our benefits programme to ensure it aligns with statutory requirements, market trends and the needs of our team. Any modifications will be carefully considered to support our employees and the company's long‐term goals.

Jensen Hughes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.

At Jensen Hughes, we embrace innovation and understand that people are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and other generative platforms to learn, prepare and communicate. We have provided some guidelines regarding the responsible use of AI in the recruitment process. Please review these guidelines.