Fire Alarm Designer

Wachter's greatest asset is the people who work here. Join the Wachter family and chart your career path!

Wachter is accepting applications for Fire Alarm Designer positions in our Engineering and Design department. This role is responsible for designing and developing fire alarm systems for commercial and industrial projects, ensuring compliance with applicable codes, standards, and customer requirements.

Ideal candidates will hold a NICET Level 4 Fire Alarm Systems certification. We will consider a NICET level 3 candidate if you are open to getting your Level 4 certification asap.

Candidate must possess equivalent fire alarm design experience with a strong understanding of NFPA codes, AHJ requirements, and industry best practices. Experience designing fire alarm systems for retail, commercial, industrial, or multi-site deployments is highly preferred.

We seek self-motivated and reliable candidates who can work independently and find solutions to complete the job. Long-term employment with competitive pay and exceptional benefits for qualified candidates. We value relationships and invest in our employees.

Qualifications:

• NICET Level 3, (preferably a NICET Level IV) Fire Alarm Systems certification required, or equivalent experience in fire alarm system design and engineering.
• Minimum 2 years of experience designing commercial and/or industrial fire alarm systems.
• Strong working knowledge of NFPA 72, NFPA 70 (NEC), IBC, IFC, and applicable local codes and AHJ requirements.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, and other design software used for fire alarm system layout and documentation.
• Experience developing complete construction drawing packages, including floor plans, riser diagrams, battery calculations, voltage drop calculations, device layouts, and equipment schedules.
• Familiarity with major fire alarm manufacturers such as Notifier, Siemens, Edwards, Simplex, Honeywell, Bosch, or equivalent platforms.
• Ability to review architectural, electrical, and mechanical drawings and coordinate fire alarm designs with other building systems.
• Experience supporting permit submissions and responding to plan review comments from AHJs and third-party reviewers.
• Strong understanding of voice evacuation systems, mass notification systems, and networked fire alarm systems.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and maintaining design quality.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams.

Responsibilites:

• Design complete fire alarm and emergency communications systems in accordance with NFPA, NEC, IBC, IFC, local codes, and customer specifications.
• Prepare detailed construction drawings, submittal packages, device layouts, riser diagrams, sequence of operations, battery calculations, voltage drop calculations, and equipment schedules.
• Review architectural, electrical, mechanical, and site plans to develop code-compliant fire alarm system designs.
• Coordinate with project managers, field technicians, customers, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), and other stakeholders throughout the design and permitting process.
• Support permit applications and respond to plan review comments, requested revisions, and code compliance inquiries..
• Ensure all designs meet customer requirements, project schedules, budgets, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Provide technical support to installation teams during project execution and assist with troubleshooting design-related issues.
• Collaborate with sales and estimating teams to develop scopes of work, equipment recommendations, and design concepts during project planning.
• Maintain current knowledge of fire alarm codes, emerging technologies, manufacturer requirements, and industry best practices.
• Conduct design reviews and quality control checks to ensure accuracy and consistency across project documentation.
• Support commissioning activities and final project closeout documentation as required.
• Manage multiple design projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and maintaining high-quality standards.
• Work closely with national account customers and internal teams to ensure standardized designs across multiple locations and jurisdictions.
• Identify potential project risks, code issues, and constructability concerns early in the design process and recommend solutions.
• Maintain organized project records, drawings, revisions, and documentation throughout the project lifecycle.

Benefits Package: Company Paid!

• Medical, Dental, Prescription & Vision Benefits

• Life, AD&D, and LTD insurance

• Paid Vacation and Holidays

• MD Live & TriaHealth

• Company-Matched 401(k) and IRA Retirement Savings

• Per-Diem paid when overnight travel is required

$90 - $115,000 a year

About:

Wachter is a family-owned company since 1930 and we see each employee as a critical piece of the Wachter Family. With over 900 licenses across the country, Wachter serves commercial and industrial clients with the right technologies needed to keep them successful.

We design, install, and maintain the technologies that keep businesses operating efficiently. Our team of dedicated electricians, engineers, and technicians provides electrical, data, security, communications, and automation services to clients in numerous industries.

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We're an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.