Principal Fire Engineer

About Us:

Cahill Design Consultants is a privately owned engineering consultancy based in Colchester, delivering fire engineering and acoustic design services for over 12 years. The focus is on quality work and adding value to our clients project whilst building a team that can sustain it.

About this role

We are looking for a Principal Fire Engineer to join a consultancy where your work is visible, your input genuinely shapes how we operate, and your development gets real attention rather than a prescriptive framework.

You will lead fire engineering projects across varied sectors, mentor colleagues, quality-assure technical work, and take an active role in how CDC delivers commercially. You will have real support and real autonomy. This is not a role where you wait for permission to do good work.

Do you come from somewhere where hierarchy got in the way? CDC may be what you are looking for. Prefer depth and quality over volume and speed? Well, it's the same answer.

What you will do

The role combines technical delivery, project leadership, and team development:

•      Lead fire engineering commissions across residential, commercial, mixed-use, healthcare, education, and other sectors from concept to handover

•      Develop and sign off fire strategies for complex buildings, including performance-based approaches using qualitative and quantitative methods

•      Oversee or conduct fire and smoke modelling (FDS, SmartFire or similar) and evacuation modelling (Pathfinder or similar), and interpret outputs for design teams and clients

•      Review and quality-assure technical work produced by colleagues, providing structured, developmental feedback

•      Lead client relationships and represent CDC in meetings, workshops, and discussions with approving authorities

•      Contribute to bids, proposals, and the commercial success of your projects

•      Help shape CDC’s internal processes, standards, and knowledge-sharing culture

What we are looking for:

Essential -

• Substantial experience in fire engineering consultancy — we would typically expect around 7 or more years, but we're interested in the quality and depth of your experience, not just the number of years.
• Degree in Fire Engineering or a closely related engineering or science discipline
• Strong, current knowledge of UK fire safety legislation applied to complex buildings
• Proven experience writing fire strategies across at least one sector
• Experience liaising with clients, design teams, and approving authorities
• Quality review and technical oversight of others’ work
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including for non-specialist audiences
• CEng status via the Engineering Council, or actively working towards it
• MIFireE or equivalent professional body membership, or near to it
• Able to travel to Colchester two days per week (hybrid working)

Desirable -

• Direct experience with fire or smoke modelling tools (FDS, SmartFire or similar)
• Direct experience with evacuation modelling (Pathfinder or similar)
• Experience across multiple building types or sectors
• Contribution to commercial activities: bids, proposals, or client development
• Experience formally mentoring or developing early-career engineers

WHAT WE OFFER

–    Competitive Salary

–    5% enhanced employer pension

–    4× salary life assurance

–    70% income protection

–    Discretionary annual bonus

–    25 days + 8 bank holidays

–    Buy up to 15 extra days

–    Long service leave from yr 5

–    Maximum 39 days/year

–    TOIL / paid OT available

–   Up to £100 per month Wellbeing allowance

–    24/7 Smart Health digital GP

–    myStrength mental health app

–    EAP from day one

–    Covers partner & children

–    Enhanced Parental leave for ALL parents

–    Professional fees paid (IFE etc.)

–    Funded CPD + annual training day

–    Chartership support & coaching

–    Flexa-accredited employer

–    Hybrid is default, not exception

–    Cycle to work (up to £1,000)

–    Tech scheme (up to £1,000)

–    Give as You Earn

–    Legal & financial helpline

–    Nutrition & fitness plans

–    Second medical opinion service

–    Career break / sabbatical supported

Apply

Send your CV with a brief note on why this role appeals.

Careers@cdc-limited.co.uk

30-min call

A conversation for both sides to see if we're are on the same page.

Panel interview

In-person interview at our Colchester office.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Engineering and construction have a gender problem. That is not a secret. We are aware of it and we have made deliberate choices about how we hire, how we pay, and how we support people at different stages of their careers and lives.

Our enhanced parental leave policy applies equally regardless of gender or family structure, because we think that is the right thing to do, and because it is one practical way to push back against the imbalance that tends to hit hardest at the point of parenthood.

If you need any adjustments at any stage of this process, please just ask. We would rather adapt than lose a good person to an avoidable barrier.