Senior Engineer, Fire Protection - BESS

Who We Are

Atwell, LLC is a bold leader in the consulting, engineering, and construction services industry, delivering a broad range of creative solutions to clients in the real estate & land development, and energy markets. We have a strong national presence and a diverse, award-winning project portfolio. Atwell is a privately owned company, with 2,000+ passionate team members across 75+ locations and growing!

Atwell, LLC  is a proud recipient of the following 2025  awards:

• Ten consecutive years in a row as a “Best Place to Work” by Zweig Group (#11)
• Recognized as #70 in the ENR Top 500 Design Firms, ranked in every region
• Recognized in Crain's “Fast 50” as one of the fastest-growing companies (#14)
• Recognized as the 2025 ENR Design Firm of the year for the Southeastern US

About the Position

Lead fire protection engineering, code compliance, hazard mitigation, and life safety design for utility-scale and commercial/industrial BESS projects from conceptual design and permitting through detailed engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations support. Serve as technical lead and Engineer of Record, where applicable, and help develop internal BESS fire protection standards, tools, and best practices. 

Coordinate with multi-disciplinary design teams, clients, owners, OEMs, AHJs, fire departments, insurers, contractors, and independent engineers. 

Salary Range: $135,000 - $190,000 / year

The salary range above is based upon the Denver, Colorado labor market. Compensation is based on experience and demonstrated impact in similar executive support and operational coordination roles.

Essential Responsibilities

• Lead BESS fire protection design, code reviews, hazard mitigation, and life safety evaluations. 

• Serve as Fire Protection Engineer of Record, where required, for fire protection, life safety, hazard mitigation, and code compliance deliverables. 

• Develop/review design criteria, basis of design documents, code analyses, Hazard Mitigation Analyses, fire protection narratives, specifications, permitting packages, and Emergency Response Plans. 

• Evaluate BESS layouts for code compliance, fire department access, separation distances, exposure protection, deflagration hazards, ventilation, gas detection, egress, and water supply. 

• Review UL 9540A reports, listings, manufacturer data, battery chemistry information, fire propagation data, gas generation data, and equipment fire safety documentation. 

• Apply applicable NFPA standards, International Fire Code, International Building Code, UL standards, FM Global standards, and local AHJ requirements. 

• Develop/review fire and gas detection, alarm, suppression, ventilation, fire water, hydrant/FDC, fire access, signage, and emergency shutdown requirements. 

• Coordinate fire alarm, gas detection, shutdown, monitoring, and other interfaces with electrical and SCADA engineers. 

• Review vendor submittals, contractor drawings, calculations, equipment data, and design packages for conformance with project requirements. 

• Coordinate with AHJs, fire marshals, emergency responders, insurers, owner’s engineers, and independent engineers to resolve technical questions and support approvals. 

• Provide field assistance, commissioning support, troubleshooting, site assessments, and incident response support, as required. 

• Mentor technical staff; review junior work; support proposals, scopes, budgets, schedules, client presentations, and technical qualifications. 

• Maintain current knowledge of BESS fire protection technology, incident history, codes, standards, and industry best practices. 
• Demonstrates strong technical judgment, practical code-compliant design approach, attention to detail, responsiveness, client focus, clear communication with technical and non-technical audiences, and willingness to mentor others and improve internal standards

Must Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related engineering discipline; advanced degree in Fire Protection Engineering a plus but not required.  

• 5+ years of relevant fire protection engineering experience, including at least 1 year of BESS experience. 

• Active Professional Engineer license required; Fire Protection PE discipline, NCEES PE Fire Protection exam, or demonstrated ability to serve as responsible fire protection engineer for BESS projects. Ability to work in multiple states and jurisdictions.  

• Experience applying fire/building codes and best practices to complex industrial, energy infrastructure, or high-hazard projects. 

• Working knowledge of BESS hazards, lithium-ion failure modes, thermal runaway, flammable gas generation, explosion control, fire propagation, and emergency response considerations. 

• Experience with NFPA 855, International Fire Code, International Building Code, UL 9540, and UL 9540A. 

• Experience developing/reviewing fire protection design packages, detection/alarm concepts, suppression requirements, gas detection, ventilation/exhaust concepts, code analyses, and emergency response plans. 

• Ability to coordinate with AHJs, fire marshals, clients, EPC contractors, OEMs, insurers, and multi-disciplinary design teams. 

• Strong written/oral communication, technical writing, interpersonal, project management, and deadline management skills. 

• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. 

Nice to Have

• Direct utility-scale BESS experience and/or Fire Protection Engineer of Record experience for BESS, renewable energy, power generation, industrial, or high-hazard facilities. 

• Familiarity with fire, smoke, airflow, evacuation, gas dispersion, and consequence modeling tools such as FDS, PyroSim, Pathfinder, CONTAM, PHAST, FLACS, or similar software. 

• Experience with fire water supply analysis, hydraulic calculations, fire pump sizing, hydrant layout, suppression design, large-scale fire tests, plume analysis, or other BESS fire analyses. 

• Experience with FM Global data sheets, insurer requirements, owner’s engineer reviews, independent engineering reviews, or project financing due diligence. 

• Experience with AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, Navisworks, Microsoft Office, and other standard design/review software. 

Disclaimer 

While AI tools may support your application process, this role is built on human talent. Your judgment, experience, and character matter most, so we encourage you to showcase what makes you uniquely you.

Atwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from any 3rd party agencies. No fee will be paid to 3rd parties who submit unsolicited resumes to any Atwell employee. Resumes from approved vendors must be specifically requested by Atwell and approved by the Atwell Talent Acquisition Team.

Pay Range

$135,000—$190,000 USD

Atwell Benefits:  To attract and retain the best professionals in the industry, we aim to provide an excellent working environment and a progressive benefits program designed to support your personal and professional needs.

Work/Life:

• Generous Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Flexible work schedules are available for some positions
• Tenure Awards - Travel Vouchers to see the world based on your travel preferences

Compensation:

• Competitive Compensation packages 
• Annual bonuses, spot bonuses and peer recognition awards
• 401K match - 1:1 up to 4% of compensation 
• Tuition Assistance
• Student Loan Repayment 
• Paid Licensing / Certification Fees and Renewals
• Financial Rewards for Obtaining Licensure
• Employee Referrals 
• Annual Wellness Reimbursement for anything wellness related (Gym memberships, fitness tracker, home gym equipment, etc.)
• Dependent Care Match

‘Atwell’ness:

• Medical (BC/BS), Dental (Delta), and Vision (VSP)
• Family Planning & IVF Benefits
• Pet Insurance
• Health Savings Account & Flex Spending Account options
• Employer paid LTD, STD, and life insurance
• Metlife Supplemental Benefits covering accident, hospitalization, and critical illness
• Member Assistance Program (MAP) with complimentary counseling sessions, legal benefits, financial consultations, and work/life referral services