Back to jobs
New

Sr. Fire Protection Engineer - Nuclear Codes & NRC Compliance

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States; Westborough, Massachusetts, United States

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 is seeking a Senior Fire Protection Engineer – Nuclear Codes & NRC Compliance. This position will serve as a technical leader in the development, evaluation, and implementation of fire protection strategies and regulatory compliance programs for commercial nuclear power plants, advanced reactor projects, Department of Energy facilities, and other nuclear-related infrastructure.

The successful candidate will possess extensive experience in nuclear fire protection engineering, with strong expertise in Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requirements, nuclear industry codes and standards, fire hazard analyses, licensing basis evaluations, and risk-informed engineering approaches. This individual will work closely with plant engineering organizations, regulatory affairs teams, project managers, and clients to ensure compliance with applicable federal regulations and industry standards while supporting safe, reliable plant operations.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage complex nuclear fire protection engineering projects from proposal development through project execution and closeout.
  • Perform and oversee Fire Hazards Analyses (FHAs) for operating nuclear power plants, advanced reactors, and nuclear facilities.
  • Evaluate compliance with NRC regulations including:
    • 10 CFR 50 Appendix R
    • 10 CFR 50.48
    • NFPA 805 Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Fire Protection Programs
    • NRC Regulatory Guides and associated guidance documents
  • Conduct engineering analyses related to:
    • Fire area assessments
    • Safe shutdown requirements
    • Circuit analysis
    • Fire barrier evaluations
    • Post-fire operator actions
    • Risk-informed decision-making
  • Develop technical justifications, exemption requests, licensing basis modifications, and alternative compliance strategies.
  • Interpret and apply industry standards including NFPA, IEEE, ASME, ANS, and other applicable nuclear industry requirements.
  • Support plant modifications involving fire suppression, fire detection, fire barriers, and life safety systems.
  • Prepare and review engineering calculations, technical reports, design basis documents, and regulatory submittals.
  • Interface directly with utility clients, NRC personnel, project stakeholders, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
  • Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers and project staff.
  • Support business development activities, proposal preparation, technical presentations, and client relationship management.

Participate in plant walkdowns, field assessments, inspections, and outage support activities as required.

Requirements and Qualifications

Required

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
  • Minimum of 8–12 years of progressively responsible experience in nuclear fire protection
  • Minimum of 5 years supporting a commercial nuclear power plant directly or through nuclear engineering consulting services
  • Demonstrated expertise with NRC fire protection regulations and licensing requirements.
  • Experience performing Fire Hazards Analyses and compliance evaluations for operating nuclear facilities.
  • Strong knowledge of:
    • NFPA 805
    • 10 CFR 50 Appendix R
    • 10 CFR 50.48
    • NRC Regulatory Guides
    • NUREGs and industry guidance documents
  • Experience preparing technical reports, engineering evaluations, and regulatory documentation.
  • Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining high-quality technical deliverables.
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred

  • Professional Engineer (PE) license.
  • Degree specialization in Fire Protection Engineering.
  • Experience supporting NRC audits, inspections, and licensing activities.
  • Familiarity with Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) and Fire PRA methodologies.
  • Experience with advanced reactors, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), or Department of Energy nuclear facilities.
  • NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) or similar professional certification.
  • Project management experience leading large multidisciplinary engineering efforts.

Key Technical Expertise

  • Nuclear Fire Protection Programs
  • NRC Regulatory Compliance
  • NFPA 805 Implementation
  • Fire Hazard Analysis (FHA)
  • Fire Probabilistic Risk Assessment (FPRA)
  • Safe Shutdown Analysis
  • Circuit Analysis
  • Licensing Basis Evaluations
  • Fire Detection and Suppression Systems
  • Fire Barrier Design and Evaluation
  • Regulatory Interface and Audits
  • Performance-Based Fire Protection Design
  • Risk-Informed Engineering Analyses
  • Nuclear Plant Modifications and Upgrades

 

#LI-BD1

 

Please note that the salary range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting and not a guarantee of compensation. Final compensation may vary  based on factors, including but not limited to, responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, geographic location, internal equity, alignment with market data.

 

Jensen Hughes offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a retirement plan, healthcare coverage, and a broad range of other benefits. Incentives and/or benefit packages may vary depending on the position and location.

National Pay Range

$127,000 - $155,000 USD

Jensen Hughes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, 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 click here to review.


The security of your personal data is important to us. Jensen Hughes has implemented reasonable physical, technical, and administrative security standards to protect personal data from loss, misuse, alteration, or destruction. We protect your personal data against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, using security technologies and procedures, such as encryption and limited access. Only authorized individuals may access your personal data for the purpose for which it was collected, and these individuals receive training about the importance of protecting personal data.  Jensen Hughes is committed to compliance with all relevant data privacy laws in all areas where we do business, including, but not limited to, the GDPR and the CCPA.  Additionally, our service providers are contractually bound to maintain the confidentiality of personal data and may not use the information for any unauthorized purpose.

 

*Policy on use of 3rd party recruiting agency for direct placements

Jensen Hughes will occasionally augment a recruiting search through agencies for certain positions when business conditions warrant. Jensen Hughes will not accept resumes, inquiries or proposals from recruiting agencies as an acceptable method to consider a candidate. 3rd party recruiting agencies must sign a standard Jensen Hughes agreement after being evaluated and accepted by a Human Resources or Talent Acquisition manager, or member of the talent acquisition team. Hiring managers and employees of Jensen Hughes are not authorized to accept resumes, engage in fee-based searches through recruiting firms or sign a search agreement. Please note this policy does not apply to “staffing firms” or firms that are involved with hiring temporary staff. Any recruiting agency interested in being considered may contact our recruiting team at jensenhughesrecruiting.com.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Jensen Hughes? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Jensen Hughes’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.