Fire and Life Safety (FLS) Engineer / Specialist

The role leads architectural and MEP fire and life safety compliance for commercial high-rise, hospital, mixed-use, industrial, warehouse and residential developments, from concept design through approvals, construction, testing and handover. You will coordinate with architects, MEP engineers, main contractors, clients, specialist subcontractors and consultant review teams.

SCE Professional Engineer license is mandatory.

Architectural Fire and Life Safety

Develop and review fire and life safety strategies throughout the project lifecycle.

Verify fire-rated walls, floors, doors, shafts, façades, structural protection, compartmentation, fire/smoke barriers and protected openings.

Assess egress, occupant loads, travel distances, dead ends, exit discharge capacity, refuge provisions, horizontal exits and emergency access.

Review exit stairs, lobbies, fire-fighting shafts, smoke control zones, fire command centers, emergency signage and accessibility.

Evaluate interior finishes, insulation, façade/cladding materials and penetration systems for required fire performance and approved certification.

Apply occupancy-specific requirements: high-rise evacuation/smoke management; hospital defend-in-place/phased evacuation; mixed-use separation; industrial process hazards; warehouse storage heights/commodity risks; and residential sleeping-occupancy protection.

MEP Fire Safety Integration

Fire alarm and detection: Review addressable systems; smoke, heat, flame, aspirating, beam, duct, linear heat and gas detection; manual call points; audible/visual notification; voice evacuation; fire telephones/two-way emergency communication; zoning, monitoring, survivability and building-system interfaces.

Cause-and-effect: Develop and verify matrices, operating sequences, input/output logic, alarm verification, supervisory/trouble signals, graphical annunciation and fire command centre controls. Coordinate elevators, access control, doors, dampers, smoke control, generators, gas shut-off, process equipment and BMS interfaces.

Sprinklers and water-based suppression: Review hazard classification, design density/area, sprinkler types/temperature ratings, zoning, valves, hydraulic calculations, seismic restraints where applicable, concealed-space protection, obstructions and occupancy-specific arrangements.

Standpipes, hydrants and hose reels: Coordinate wet/dry risers, landing valves, hose stations, yard hydrants, fire department connections/inlets, pressure-reducing devices, zoning, residual pressures, coverage, accessibility, signage and fire-fighting access.

Special-hazard suppression: Review clean-agent, water-mist, foam, wet/dry-chemical, CO₂ and local-application systems for kitchens, data/electrical rooms, turbines, fuel areas, laboratories, archives and other risks. Address enclosure integrity, discharge alarms, abort functions, interlocks, personnel safety and agent storage.

Fire-water storage and pumping: Verify demand/duration, tanks, fire/jockey pumps, duty/standby arrangements, suction/discharge piping, test headers, controllers, power supplies, pressure zoning, relief provisions, pump-room ventilation/drainage, monitoring, access and testing facilities.

Smoke management: Review extraction, make-up air, atrium/mall smoke control, car-park ventilation, stair/lobby pressurization, elevator-shaft protection, smoke reservoirs, curtains, fans, ducts, dampers, pressure-relief paths, tenability criteria, controls and emergency modes.

HVAC interfaces: Coordinate AHU shutdown/operating modes, smoke/combination/fire dampers, duct smoke detectors, fire-rated ductwork, transfer-air openings, control panels, access doors and damper testing to prevent smoke migration across compartments.

Emergency electrical systems: Review emergency/life-safety generators, ATS, UPS, emergency lighting, illuminated exit signs, fire alarm supplies, fire-pump feeds, smoke-control power, circuit segregation, selective coordination, fire-rated/mineral-insulated cables, protected routes, battery autonomy and electrical-room protection.

Emergency communications: Coordinate public-address/voice alarms, fire-fighter telephones, radio enhancement where required, refuge communication, emergency control-room displays, elevator recall, fire-service lifts, door release, security integration and mass notification.

Passive-fire interfaces: Coordinate tested fire-stopping for cables, conduits, pipes, ducts, busways, joints and mixed-service penetrations; rated shafts/enclosures; penetration labels; inspection access; insulation/movement compatibility; and maintenance of compartment ratings.

Hazardous-material classification: Review inventories, quantities, physical/chemical hazards, storage/use, control areas, maximum allowable quantities, incompatibilities, occupancy classifications, separation distances and Safety Data Sheets for flammable/combustible liquids, gases, oxidizers, corrosives, toxics, reactive materials, aerosols and other regulated substances.

Hazardous-material detection/controls: Coordinate combustible/toxic gas detection, oxygen-deficiency monitoring, leak detection, alarm set points, local/remote annunciation, emergency shut-off, isolation valves, excess-flow controls, process interlocks, emergency ventilation, standby power and fire alarm/BMS links.

Storage/handling safeguards: Review approved cabinets/rooms, cylinder restraints, incompatible-material segregation, spill containment, drainage isolation, ventilation, bonding/grounding, explosion protection, pressure relief, purge systems, hazardous-area electrical classifications, emergency eyewash/showers and safe transfer/dispensing.

Fuel, LPG and process hazards: Review tank capacities, day tanks, piping, pumps, loading/unloading, leak/gas detection, emergency isolation, ventilation, containment, separation, fire protection, vehicle-impact protection, shutdown logic and coordination with process safety studies.

Emergency planning: Support fire/spill scenarios, pre-incident plans, emergency procedures, evacuation/shelter-in-place, responder information, hazard signage/labelling, decontamination, incident-control interfaces and authority coordination.

Testing/acceptance: Define inspections, flushing, pressure/functional/integrated tests, alarm/control verification, smoke-control tests, pump acceptance, room-integrity tests, gas-detector calibration and suppression discharge tests where permitted, including records, training and handover requirements.

Design Review, Coordination and BIM

Review drawings, specifications, calculations, schedules, fire strategies, shop drawings, material submissions and method statements at each stage.

Lead interdisciplinary workshops and resolve conflicts between architecture, structure, MEP, fire protection and operational requirements.

Use BIM coordination/clash detection to resolve life-safety issues involving clearances, access, routing, compartment boundaries and maintainability.

Maintain design comments, responsibility matrices, action trackers and closure evidence.

Code Compliance and Authority Approvals

Maintain project-specific code matrices covering the Bahrain Fire & Life Safety Code 2025 (effective 1 January 2026), Bahrain Civil Defence requirements, Saudi Building Code SBC 801, Saudi Civil Defense requirements, municipality conditions, client requirements and adopted NFPA standards.

Apply project-adopted NFPA 101, 13, 72, 92 and 130, where applicable.

Prepare/review fire strategy reports, authority drawings, calculations, compliance narratives, deviation requests, technical responses and resubmissions.

Support Bahrain and Saudi Civil Defense submissions, inspections, permits, certificates, fire safety certification and relevant municipality/authority interfaces.

Coordinate with the client’s authority having jurisdiction and close comments, approval conditions and design changes.

Confirm current authority procedures, submission formats and project interpretations before issue; escalate conflicts/departures for formal resolution.

Site Inspections, Commissioning and Testing

Inspect installations against approved drawings, specifications, listings and manufacturer requirements.

Identify nonconformities, assess life-safety impacts, recommend corrective actions and verify closure.

Witness testing/commissioning of alarms, suppression, smoke control, pressurization, emergency power, pumps, dampers, interfaces and integrated cause-and-effect sequences.

Documentation, Reporting and Risk

Maintain review logs, inspection/test records, authority correspondence, approvals, certificates and final compliance files.

Prepare technical reports, minutes, dashboards and executive updates on compliance, risks, decisions and outstanding actions.

Perform qualitative and, where required, quantitative fire-risk assessments, recording assumptions, limitations, mitigations and residual risks.

Manage FLS issues through project risk registers and change control.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Bachelor’s degree in Fire, Mechanical, Electrical, Architectural or Civil Engineering, or a closely related discipline, from a recognised institution.

Minimum 15 years of relevant FLS experience in design, review, construction, commissioning and/or authority approvals.

Proven coordination of architectural and MEP life-safety requirements on complex buildings, including hospitals, high-rise or other high-occupancy projects.

Working knowledge of the Bahrain Fire & Life Safety Code 2025, SBC 801, applicable Civil Defense requirements and adopted NFPA standards.

Ability to prepare code analyses, egress assessments, fire strategies, compliance matrices and authority-ready submissions.

Competence with Pathfinder and Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), including reviewing assumptions and interpreting results.

Proficiency in AutoCAD and Revit; familiarity with BIM coordination, model review and clash-resolution platforms.

CFPS, NICET or equivalent recognized fire protection/life safety credentials preferred, where relevant.