Senior Fire Safety Engineer (Regions) in Swindon

At Network Rail, we're part of a large family serving millions of passengers and freight users throughout the UK every day. Our service impacts millions of people and we strive to become more efficient as we enhance, maintain and operate our network. Now is a fantastic time to join our team in Wales and Western region as we finalise the reforms to our maintenance organisation which will deliver:

• A safer and more reliable and punctual service for passengers and employees - quicker fault fixes by more agile multi-disciplined response teams.
• Individual rostering - enabling us to send the right number of people to fix a fault.
• Multi-skilling - investing in the knowledge and skills of our people so they are better equipped to fix the most common faults themselves.
• Accelerated and improved technology deployment - we have a raft of labour and life-saving technology ready to be rolled out.

Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We're an organisation where people matter. When you're part of our team, you matter to us and you matter to millions.

Provide specialist fire safety advice across a diverse rail portfolio, providing technical expertise, reviewing designs, developing standards, supporting assurance activities and using data to inform safe, effective decision-making. This role is more than that of a fire safety engineer for conventional building assets. It has long-term ownership of assets, rather than short term transactional engagement, for everything across the network (e.g. buildings, tunnels, overhead lines).

We're looking for a qualified Fire Safety Engineer with strong technical expertise and a passion for solving complex engineering challenges. You'll be confident working within a complex operational environment, influencing a wide range of stakeholders and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams. A proactive and innovative mindset is essential, along with the ability to apply fire engineering principles, analyse data to support decision-making, and drive continuous improvement through learning and technology.

Your Main Responsibilities will be to:

• Develop and produce policy, fire risk control arrangements (including standards, procedures and codes of practice) and fire safety training requirements.
• Undertake fire safety inspection and risk assessment of high risk or other specialist elements of the property portfolio and Network Rail controlled infrastructure.
• Identify and develop appropriate engineering controls for reducing the risk of fires.
• Provide design advice and technical review for proposed alterations to the property portfolio and Network Rail controlled infrastructure support new developments, alterations, and ongoing maintenance.
• Review fire safety aspects of the ROGS applications of train operating companies.
• Provide effective fire safety advice and support to Network Rail line management.
• Undertake regular liaison arrangements with local rail industry managers and staff and officers of the Fire Authorities, the safety regulator and other relevant bodies to safeguard Network Rail's interests, with regard to fire safety.
• Direct the technical investigation of significant fires affecting the property portfolio or Network Rail controlled Infrastructure if required as part of a Network Rail investigation into an incident.

Given the diverse nature of the role and our asset portfolio, every day is different which provides exciting opportunities for personal and professional development in working within an infrastructure environment, which presents unique challenges and requires a solution orientated mindset. A typical day will often include working with operational and engineering teams in helping manage risk and contributing to creating practical solutions. This can include a wide spectrum of activities such as reviewing and supporting the provision of fire risk assessments, analysing data to identify trends, to writing, reviewing and contributing to the development of standards and guidance documents.

As a subject matter expert the role will also often include providing design advice to project teams, and reviewing fire safety designs as part of new developments and changes to existing infrastructure. Whilst the role is predominantly desk based, it will involve some visits to assets located across the region, and may occasionally require going trackside.

The role will help support Network Rail's ongoing national Fire Safety Programme, delivering various workstreams to embed a culture of fire safety into the DNA of Network Rail, and enhance our management of fire safety across the Network Rail.

The role resides in Directorate of Engineering and Asset Management which is responsible for planning, preparing and preserving our infrastructure, balancing cost, performance and risk with intelligent asset management and technical engineering decisions to support. Reporting will be to the Principal Engineer (Fire Safety), who acts as the Regional Fire Engineer. The role is part of Network Rail's national team of fire engineers who are based in the routes, regions, and technical authority, and has a Head of Profession within the Technical Authority.

A significant function of the role is engagement with the routes and functions within the region in helping promote and contribute to the effective deployment of fire safety from both an operational and engineering perspective, discharging the function of Route Fire Engineer. The role will work alongside the route-based Workforce Health, Safety and Environment Advisers (Fire Safety) who support local fire safety management with their respective routes.

Salary: This role is a Band 3.C. £55,596 - £67,813 per annum. As a Network Rail employee, you will enjoy a wide range of benefits!

• Privileged staff travel - Leisure travel discount of 75% on all leisure travel and includes family members.
• A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train.
• GWR ticket alliance, Heavily discounted all day passes for you and up to 3 friends and family to use across the GWR network (48 passes per year).
• Benefits package including healthcare offers, a cycle to work scheme, discounted healthcare club membership, and discounted offers and benefits including childcare, healthcare and online shopping site.
• A range of Pension schemes to choose from.
• Effectively manage work-life balance with a 35hrs per week contract, hybrid working, flexible working, flexible leave, and enhanced family friendly support.
• 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community.
• In Wales and Western region, you will have the opportunity to join PROUD, our reward and recognition scheme where you can say thanks and recognise colleagues across the region who have demonstrated outstanding values and behaviours.

Closing date: 22nd September 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. This vacancy is also being advertised externally. This role requires working in the office for at least 60% of the working week.

You will ideally have:

• Member of the Institution of Fire Engineers or other recognised fire engineering professional body such as the SFPE (Society of Fire Protection Engineers).
• Degree or equivalent qualification in fire engineering such as Level 5 Diploma in Fire Engineering Design.
• Significant experience in fire safety engineering.

Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety within your application.

What could set you apart:

• Registered as a Chartered Engineer.

Not sure if you meet all the requirements? Let us decide. Some of these criteria may be learnt in role. Therefore, if you do not meet all the criteria, please submit your application. We will screen your application against these criteria to assess the best match.

Key Information:

• Number of Positions: 1
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Hours: Full Time
• Location: Swindon Western House, Swindon
• Geographical Area: South West England
• Job Category: Engineering and Asset Management
• Function: Organisation: EA W&W Chief Regional Engineer (570841)