Senior associate to principal fire safety engineer

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

The Opportunity

Our Melbourne-based Fire Safety Engineering team is on the lookout for a Senior Associate to Principal Fire Safety Engineer to join us and lead a local team to enable us to keep growing.

This is a high-impact role for a seasoned fire safety engineer ready to shape the future of Australia’s transport infrastructure. You’ll be at the forefront of major projects like High-Speed Rail, Parramatta Station, North East Link, Suburban Rail Loop, and the Logan to Gold Coast Faster Rail projects, bringing technical expertise and leadership to deliver best-in-class fire safety outcomes.

We offer hybrid working and flexible locations, so you can base yourself where it suits you best.

In this role, you will:

• Drive fire safety outcomes on underground infrastructure projects across road, rail, and pumped hydro tunnels
• Oversee project delivery through all phases, from tender and detailed design to construction and commissioning
• Support fire-life safety planning for emerging transport technologies, including battery electric buses
• Deliver practical fire safety solutions and support mechanical/life safety system design and testing
• Develop and review fire strategies, performance-based designs, and risk assessments
• Prepare clear, high-quality reports and documentation for clients and regulators
• Conduct site inspections and audits to ensure compliance with fire safety standards
• Collaborate with internal teams, clients, and contractors to embed fire safety into project delivery
• Apply innovative approaches and current research to improve fire safety outcomes
• Mentor junior engineers and promote technical excellence
• Engage with regulatory bodies and represent the team in industry forums

About You

You’ll likely bring between 10 to 15 years of experience in fire safety engineering, along with existing experience in leading and supporting a small team of high-performing engineers.

Qualifications & Experience:

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Fire Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Chartered Engineer status (CPEng) or equivalent, or working towards it
• Proven experience delivering large-scale transport or infrastructure projects
• Strong understanding of Australian fire safety codes, standards, and performance-based design approaches
• Excellent analytical and project management skills, with the ability to juggle competing priorities
• Confident communicator with the ability to build rapport and influence across diverse stakeholder groups
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and mentoring junior engineers
• Active involvement in professional fire engineering or transport industry bodies is a plus

Why WSP?

At WSP, we value our people and our reputation. We are locally dedicated with international scale, future-focused, collaborative and empowering — and we’re looking for people who share those values.

You’ll be part of a team that delivers technical excellence while keeping client outcomes, sustainability, quality and safety at the centre of what we do. You’ll also have the opportunity to grow your leadership capability, contribute to meaningful projects and help shape better outcomes for communities and clients.

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.

Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact.

With us, you can. Apply today.