Fire Safety Engineer

As an organisation we recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Do you have an in-depth understanding of fire engineering principles? Do you have experience managing fire safety projects? Do you want to take your next step at UHBW?

The Fire Safety Engineer serves as a cornerstone in the Trust's commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of patients, staff, and visitors through advanced fire safety expertise. The role focuses on embedding a culture of fire safety excellence within the organization, fostering collaboration across departments to proactively address fire risks and enhance the resilience of facilities.

The role requires in-depth fire engineering knowledge, leadership in project management, and the ability to assess and mitigate fire safety risks comprehensively. A level of autonomy is expected.

Main duties of the job

The role will include:

• Leading the development and implementation of the Trust's fire safety strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and NHS standards.
• Providing expert technical advice on fire engineering principles
• Establishing robust reporting and governance structures to monitor fire safety performance and maintain transparent records for audits and inspections.
• Acting as the primary liaison with external fire engineers, regulatory bodies, and local authorities to ensure the Trust's fire safety objectives are understood and met.

In return, you will receive:-

• A competitive starting salary and unsocial enhancements
• Access to a raft of national and local discount schemes including shopping, holidays and insurance
• An industry leading pension where your employer pays in 20.6% of your annual salary!
• 27+8 days annual leave per year, paid leave including absence

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person specification Skills

• Ability to assess and evaluate fire risks, interpret complex fire safety regulations, and devise appropriate strategies for risk mitigation
• Familiarity with fire modelling software, safety equipment, and advanced fire safety systems
• Able to manage fire safety projects, including feasibility studies, design consultations, installation oversight, and on-site inspections
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with internal teams, external consultants, and regulatory authorities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and deliver results within tight deadlines.

Experience

• In-depth understanding of fire engineering principles and fire safety legislation
• Comprehensive knowledge of fire safety standards and regulations
• Strong grasp of fire risk assessment techniques, including hazard identification, risk rating, and mitigation strategies
• Knowledge of fire detection, alarm, and suppression systems, including advanced systems
• Experience in delivering fire safety training and awareness programs to various staff groups, with a focus on fostering a fire-safe culture within the organization.
• Strong background in working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including senior management, clinical staff, Estates and Facilities teams, and external consultants
• Experience in monitoring and integrating updates to fire safety legislation and standards, adjusting internal policies and practices as needed.
• Experience conducting post-fire investigations to analyse fire spread, identify weaknesses in fire safety protocols, and develop corrective actions.

Qualifications

• Membership with a recognized institution
• Bachelor's degree in Fire Engineering, Fire Safety, or related discipline. Level 4 or higher Fire Safety Management or Fire Engineering Diplomas.
• NEBOSH Fire Safety and Risk Management Certificate.

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

By applying for this post, you are agreeing to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Please be aware of scams - unless specified above, we will only communicate with you or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.