Plumbing / Fire Protection Designer - Freelance 1099

Job Description

Job Description

REMOTE POSITION, BUT CANDIDATE MUST RESIDE IN NEW JERSEY AND BE AVAILABLE FOR OCCASIONAL SITE VISITS IN NYC/NORTHERN NJ.

Compensation is negotiated as a lump-sum fee for each assigned project or scope of work , based on the project scope, schedule, and responsibilities. This is not an hourly employee position.

Project workload will vary, and no minimum number of projects or amount of work is guaranteed. Our goal is to develop long-term relationships with strong freelance professionals who can become regular members of AEP's extended project team. Qualified contractors may be added to our team for future assignments and contacted as suitable projects become available.

Work is primarily performed from home. Occasional site visits in Northern NJ and NYC are required

AEP Engineering, LLC is a growing MEP engineering consulting firm seeking an experienced, highly reliable U.S.-based freelance Plumbing / Fire Protection / Sprinkler Designer within practical driving distance of the New York City / Northern New Jersey metropolitan area to support commercial and residential building projects.

This is a 1099 independent-contractor position only. We are looking for an established freelancer or independent professional with meaningful availability for ongoing project work. This is not intended as a moonlighting position for someone whose full-time employment will take priority over AEP projects.

The right person will become a trusted recurring member of our extended project team and will be expected to take ownership of assigned work, meet commitments, and communicate proactively.

Responsibilities

Typical responsibilities may include:

• Develop plumbing and fire-protection designs from architectural backgrounds, project criteria, and direction from AEP
• Develop domestic cold- and hot-water distribution systems
• Develop sanitary waste and vent systems
• Develop storm-drainage systems where applicable
• Develop natural-gas distribution systems where applicable
• Perform plumbing fixture-unit, water-demand, sanitary, storm, and gas-load calculations
• Size piping and related plumbing-system components
• Design domestic water-heating systems and select equipment
• Develop plumbing riser diagrams and schematics
• Coordinate plumbing requirements for architectural, mechanical, electrical, kitchen, specialty, and other equipment
• Develop fire-protection and sprinkler-system layouts where included in the project scope
• Determine applicable sprinkler design criteria, hazard classifications, design densities, coverage requirements, and system requirements
• Develop sprinkler head layouts, piping arrangements, risers, standpipes, and related fire-protection systems as applicable
• Develop fire-protection performance criteria and coordinated design drawings for delegated-design sprinkler systems where appropriate
• Perform or assist with sprinkler hydraulic calculations where required
• Review available water-supply information and identify when additional flow-test or utility information is required
• Coordinate fire-protection systems with architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, and plumbing disciplines
• Prepare plumbing and fire-protection plans, schedules, risers, details, notes, and specifications
• Assist with equipment selections and technical product review
• Identify coordination conflicts and missing information before they affect the project
• Incorporate review comments and revisions
• Perform self-QA/QC before submitting work for AEP review
• Assist with responses to contractor, architect, and client technical questions as required

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a designer, not simply a CAD operator.

The ideal candidate can receive architectural backgrounds and project requirements, understand the design intent, determine what needs to be done, and independently develop coordinated plumbing and fire-protection designs without requiring every pipe, fixture connection, valve, sprinkler head, riser, and note to be individually marked up.

Technical ability is important, but reliability, communication, and ownership are equally important to us.

We are specifically looking for someone who:

• Treats agreed project deadlines as firm commitments
• Does not place AEP projects on the back burner because another client becomes more urgent
• Communicates immediately if an issue could affect scope, schedule, or quality
• Proactively identifies missing information, coordination issues, design concerns, and potential problems
• Asks questions early rather than allowing uncertainty to become a last-minute issue
• Takes ownership of assigned work from start through completion
• Is receptive to feedback and willing to learn AEP's preferred design standards, procedures, and workflows
• Reviews their own work carefully before submitting it
• Communicates clearly and professionally
• Is reasonably available during normal U.S. business hours

Qualifications

• Professional experience designing plumbing systems for buildings
• Professional experience with fire-protection and sprinkler-system design
• Strong AutoCAD skills
• Experience producing permit and construction-document drawing sets
• Knowledge of domestic water, sanitary, vent, storm, natural gas, and domestic water-heating systems
• Experience performing plumbing sizing and demand calculations
• Working knowledge of sprinkler-system design, hazard classifications, densities, sprinkler coverage requirements, piping arrangements, and hydraulic principles
• Familiarity with standpipe systems and fire-service requirements where applicable
• Ability to distinguish between engineer-of-record design requirements and delegated sprinkler-contractor design responsibilities
• Ability to read and coordinate architectural and other engineering drawings
• Strong written and verbal English communication
• Ability to work independently and remotely
• U.S.-based
• Experience with commercial, multifamily residential, healthcare, retail, office, renovation, and/or new-construction projects is preferred
• Working knowledge of the IBC, IPC, applicable fuel-gas codes, NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, NFPA 14, and the NYC Building and Plumbing Codes is required. Candidates must understand the major code sections, know how they affect their design, when they apply, and know how to efficiently locate and interpret applicable code requirements when asked.
• Familiarity with NYC fire-protection requirements and FDNY-related requirements is strongly preferred
• PE licensure is not required for this position

Site Survey / Local Travel Requirement

This is a remote freelance position, but candidates must be located within reasonable driving distance of AEP's primary New York/New Jersey project area and must be willing and able to travel to project sites as needed.

Responsibilities may include:

• Conducting existing-condition and due-diligence site surveys
• Documenting existing plumbing fixtures, piping, water services, sanitary and storm systems, gas services, sprinkler systems, standpipes, fire services, and related building conditions
• Taking field measurements, photographs, pipe-size information, equipment information, and utility information
• Identifying visible conflicts, deficiencies, and conditions that may affect the proposed design
• Organizing field notes and survey information for use in design
• Communicating significant field findings promptly to AEP

Candidates must have:

• Reliable transportation
• A valid driver's license
• Ability and willingness to travel to project sites in New Jersey, New York City, and surrounding areas
• Confidence working independently in occupied and unoccupied buildings
• Ability to conduct thorough, organized field surveys without requiring constant direction

Software and Equipment Requirements

As an independent contractor, you must provide and maintain your own:

• Computer and related hardware
• Reliable high-speed internet connection
• AutoCAD software suitable for performing the required work
• Microsoft 365 software, including Word, Excel, Outlook/email, and other standard office applications
• Professional email and reliable phone/online communication capability
• Any other general software and equipment normally required to perform your freelance design work

AEP does not provide computer hardware, Microsoft 365 licenses, AutoCAD licenses, or general office equipment for this independent-contractor position.

Contractor Relationship

This is a remote 1099 freelance independent-contractor relationship.

Project workload will vary, and no minimum number of hours or projects is guaranteed. Our objective is to develop long-term relationships with strong freelance professionals who can become regular contributors to AEP projects as our workload continues to grow.

Work will be assigned on a project or task basis, with scope, schedule, and compensation established for each assignment.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and briefly answer the following:

• How many years of plumbing design experience do you have?
• How many years of fire- protection/sprinkler design experience do you have?
• Do you currently work as a freelancer or independent contractor?
• What types of building projects do you have the most experience designing?
• Are you able to independently develop plumbing designs from architectural backgrounds and project criteria?
• Are you able to independently develop sprinkler layouts and fire-protection design criteria?
• Do you perform sprinkler hydraulic calculations yourself?
• How familiar are you with NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, NFPA 14, and NYC plumbing/fire-protection requirements?
• What version of AutoCAD do you currently use?
• Approximately how much availability do you typically have each week?
• What hours are you generally available during the U.S. workday?
• Are you located in the United States?
• What is your typical hourly rate or preferred project-based compensation?

AEP Engineering, LLC is an MEP engineering consulting firm providing Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, and Fire Alarm design services for commercial and residential building projects throughout the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area.

Company Description

AEP Engineering, LLC is an MEP engineering consulting firm providing Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, and Fire Alarm design services for commercial and residential building projects throughout the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area.