Associate Director - Fire Safety Engineering

Shape the Future of Fire Engineering on Some of the UK's Most Complex and Safety-Critical Projects

Are you an experienced Fire Safety Engineer looking for an opportunity to apply genuine engineering expertise rather than relying on prescriptive solutions? Join Tetra Tech's growing Fire Engineering team and take a leading role in delivering innovative, performance-based fire engineering solutions across nationally significant infrastructure projects, complex nuclear facilities, major commercial developments and high-hazard environments.

This is a rare opportunity to influence major projects, lead technical excellence and help shape the future growth of a specialist team where engineering judgement, innovation and professional development are genuinely valued.

Purpose & Scope of the Role

As an Associate Director within the Fire Safety Engineering team, you will combine technical leadership, project delivery and strategic oversight to support a diverse portfolio of complex projects across sectors including nuclear, residential, commercial, industrial, waste and recycling, and other high-hazard environments.

You will lead the development of fire safety strategies, fire engineering assessments and specialist technical advice, working closely with clients, regulators, architects, design teams and multidisciplinary project stakeholders.

The role requires the ability to solve challenging technical problems, integrate fire safety requirements into complex designs and ensure compliance with relevant legislation, standards and regulatory expectations.

As a senior leader within the team, you will be responsible for overseeing technical quality, project performance, resource planning and commercial delivery across multiple commissions.

You will also play a key role in strengthening client relationships, supporting business growth, mentoring colleagues and driving continuous improvement within the fire engineering discipline.

The Fire Engineering team is entering an exciting phase of growth and currently delivers projects ranging from focused specialist commissions through to large multidisciplinary projects.

Around 75% of the team's workload is within the nuclear sector, providing opportunities to work on bespoke engineering challenges where innovation, analysis and technical judgement are essential. This includes supporting major new-build nuclear infrastructure projects, existing licensed facilities and some of the UK's most significant safety-critical developments.

Unlike many traditional fire engineering consultancies, this role offers exposure to projects where standard guidance is often limited, allowing you to apply fire engineering fundamentals, modelling, calculations and performance-based design approaches to develop innovative and defensible solutions.

Your Impact in this Position

In the short term, you will establish yourself as a trusted technical leader, taking ownership of major projects, providing senior technical oversight and delivering high-quality outcomes for clients across a varied project portfolio. You will strengthen relationships with key clients and identify opportunities to expand existing frameworks and secure new business.

As your influence grows, you will help shape technical standards, support business strategy, develop team capability and take an increasingly prominent role in mentoring and leading colleagues. Your expertise will contribute directly to the continued growth and maturity of the Fire Engineering team.

Longer term, this role offers a strong pathway towards Technical Director and broader senior leadership opportunities. You will have the opportunity to build your profile through involvement in nationally significant infrastructure projects, challenging nuclear projects and multidisciplinary engineering environments, while shaping a career aligned to your technical interests and professional ambitions.

Core Capabilities

Fire Safety Engineering Expertise

You will bring extensive experience in fire safety engineering and a passion for solving complex technical challenges. Working across novel designs, high-hazard facilities and safety-critical environments, you will lead the development of fire safety strategies, undertake engineering assessments and provide expert technical guidance throughout project lifecycles.

This role offers the opportunity to apply advanced fire engineering principles, modelling techniques and engineering judgement to projects where innovative thinking is required. Your expertise will help ensure all solutions are practical, compliant, technically robust and aligned with client objectives. A strong understanding of UK fire legislation and guidance, including Approved Document B, BS 9999 and the PD 7974 framework, will be central to your success.

Regulator and Stakeholder Interaction

You will act as a trusted adviser to clients, regulators and project stakeholders, representing Tetra Tech in technical discussions and helping to navigate complex approval processes. Your ability to communicate technical concepts clearly, build strong professional relationships and balance competing priorities will be critical.

Alongside technical leadership, you will contribute to business development by identifying new opportunities, expanding client relationships and supporting the growth of key accounts. You will play an important role in maintaining long‑term partnerships and ensuring clients receive a consistently high‑quality service.

Technical Report Writing and Quality Assurance

You will lead the production, review and approval of high-quality fire engineering documentation, ensuring technical accuracy, clarity and consistency across all deliverables. This includes fire safety strategies, engineering assessments and specialist technical reports.

Your analytical approach and attention to detail will ensure complex engineering concepts are translated into clear recommendations that support effective decision-making. You will provide quality assurance across project outputs, maintaining the highest standards of technical excellence and regulatory compliance.

Proposals and Project Management

You will take ownership of projects from initial client engagement through to successful delivery, defining scopes of work, preparing fee proposals and providing strategic project direction. Working closely with clients and project teams, you will ensure projects are delivered efficiently, commercially and to the highest technical standards.

Success in this area will come from balancing technical leadership with strong commercial awareness, effective resource management and the ability to deliver multiple projects within agreed budgets, timescales and quality requirements.

Mentoring and Line Management

As a senior member of the team, you will play a key role in developing the next generation of fire engineering professionals. You will provide coaching, technical guidance and constructive feedback, helping colleagues build confidence, capability and expertise.

You will contribute to a collaborative and high‑performing culture, supporting professional development, knowledge sharing and continuous improvement across the team. The role also offers the opportunity to take on line management responsibilities and influence the long‑term development of the Fire Engineering function.

Training, Qualifications And Experience

You will hold a degree in Fire Engineering, Engineering, Science or a related technical discipline, or be able to demonstrate equivalent professional competence through experience. Significant experience in fire safety engineering is essential, including a proven track record of leading complex projects, managing technical delivery and working within regulated environments.

A strong understanding of fire engineering principles, methodologies, UK regulations and industry guidance is required, together with the ability to provide expert advice on complex engineering challenges.

Experience within the nuclear sector would be advantageous but is not essential. Applications are welcomed from professionals working within other highly regulated, technically complex or high-hazard industries. Chartered status with the Institution of Fire Engineers, or progress towards chartership, would be highly desirable.

Working Environment

This role offers a flexible hybrid working model designed to support both collaboration and individual productivity. Team members typically attend the office two to three days per week, with the remainder of their time worked remotely.

The Fire Engineering team is primarily based in Warrington, with additional office locations in West Cumbria and Basingstoke. Fully remote working would be considered.

Why join Tetra Tech?

Tetra Tech is a leading provider of consulting and engineering services working across the full project lifecycle worldwide. We have a wide range of expertise across our teams, providing a global support network with a personalised approach to client relationships to better understand where we can add value. We provide a collaborative environment that supports individual performance, innovation, and creativity.

We support public and private sector clients on local, national, and international projects to deliver sustainable and resilient solutions. Our operations in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands include more than 6,000 employees who are Leading with Science to solve our clients’ most complex problems.

In alignment with the Equality Act 2010, we will make reasonable adjustments to support candidates and employees requiring additional arrangements. This could include adaptations to work schedules, training approaches, or the physical workspace. Please inform us if you need any accommodations during the recruitment process or in your day‑to‑day role.

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