Plumbing and Fire Supression Principal Engineer

Short company description

At AECOM, we believe infrastructure creates opportunity for everyone – uplifting communities, improving access and sustaining our planet.
We’re committed to managing our business with the upmost responsibility and to always strive for better — be that reducing emissions, creating social value or diversifying our senior leadership and workforce.

We understand both the urgency of the challenges facing our society and our responsibility to act in an impactful and enduring way. We’re leading the change towards a more sustainable and equitable future, partnering with those who want to make a positive difference in the world.

We’re listening to clients and the communities we serve in order to improve lives and livelihoods, and to create sustainable legacies for generations to come.

Thinking without limits is what keeps us at the vanguard. Ideas have no borders, and this ethos is embedded in our culture. The full scope of our global expertise is available to anyone who needs it, wherever they are based.

We’re trusted advisors — planners, designers, engineers, consultants and program and construction managers — delivering professional services spanning cities, transportation, buildings, water, new energy, and the environment. Working throughout the project lifecycle, we’re one team driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world.

Our History

AECOM launched when a handful of employees from design and engineering companies shared a dream of creating an industry-leading firm dedicated to delivering a better world.

We became an independent company formed by the merger of five entities. While our official founding was in 1990, many of our predecessor firms had distinguished histories dating back more than 120 years.

Since then, more than 50 companies have joined us and, in 2007, we became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange.

Requirements

Required:

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Services Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Extensive experience in the design of sanitary, plumbing, and fire suppression systems for buildings and infrastructure.
- In-depth knowledge of applicable plumbing and fire protection codes and standards (e.g., NFPA 13/14/20, IPC/UPC, EN 12845, or relevant local normatives).
- Proficiency in hydraulic calculation, system sizing, and relevant design software.
- Demonstrated ability to perform quality control reviews and act as a technical verifier on projects.
- Ability to work independently, determine work priorities, and apply judgement outside defined parameters to make decisions.
- Strong communication skills, able to convey complex or sensitive information to internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred:

- Professional Engineer (PE) licence or equivalent professional registration, or eligibility to obtain.
- Active participation or leadership in professional and industry organizations (committee leader, event organizer, or speaker).
- Contributions to industry thought leadership through publications, social media, or speaking engagements.
- Experience with BIM workflows and coordination on multidisciplinary projects.
- Formal supervisory experience, including defining team operating standards and mentoring junior engineers.
- Experience preparing proposals and supporting business development efforts.
- Familiarity with multiple regulatory frameworks across regions or project types.

Responsibilities

AECOM is seeking a Principal Sanitary and Fire Suppression Design Engineer to serve as a specialized technical resource and advisor within our building services team. The successful candidate will provide expert input to studies and design across plumbing, sanitary drainage, domestic water, and fire suppression systems, develop design procedures that enable high-quality and cost-effective delivery by others, and lead quality control of discipline deliverables. Working independently with latitude to set work priorities, the engineer is accountable for the technical outcome of assigned projects and represents the discipline in interdisciplinary coordination and client engagement.

Responsibilities:

- Provide specialized technical input to studies and design for sanitary, plumbing, and fire suppression systems, applying advanced understanding across all steps of completing the discipline component of the PS&E package.
- Develop study and design procedures that facilitate high-quality, cost-effective work by junior and support staff.
- Prepare and complete sanitary drainage, domestic hot and cold water, storm/rainwater, and fire suppression (sprinkler, standpipe, and special hazard) designs, calculations, and drawings.
- Develop construction cost estimates and estimates of technical effort for assigned projects.
- Perform quality control reviews of design calculations and drawings, and serve as Lead Verifier confirming the technical approach satisfies the client scope of services.
- Prepare technical specification sections for the discipline.
- Participate in interdisciplinary review of project deliverables and resolve conflicting requirements or difficult coordination issues.
- Provide input to the development of engineering budgets and schedules, and ensure technical goals, milestones, and budgets are met.
- Prepare complex project deliverables using a team of junior technical and support staff, providing structured guidance and training to develop team capabilities.
- Communicate with clients to discuss work scope, request supporting information, and receive comments on draft work products.
- Assist with proposals to provide services or obtain funding for projects or programs.

Benefits

• Medical subscription
• Life insurance
• Trainings
• Meal vouchers