Fire Alarm Systems Designer
Summary
Designs code-compliant fire alarm and low-voltage life-safety systems for commercial, multi-family, and high-rise projects at a San Diego fire protection contractor. Day to day: produce CAD shop drawings, permit layouts, and AHJ submittals; run battery/voltage calculations; and coordinate with PMs, field techs, and contractors.
Who We Are:
Symons Fire Protection, Inc. is a premier, full-service fire-life safety contractor based in San Diego, CA. For over 30 years, we have specialized in the design, installation, inspection, and maintenance of residential and commercial fire sprinkler and alarm systems across Southern California. We pride ourselves on operational excellence, high-quality craftsmanship, and unwavering safety standards.
How We’ll Take Care of You:
- 401(k) + Company Matching
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and AD&D Insurance
- Vacation, Paid Holidays, Birthday Holiday, and Sick Pay
- Discretionary Bonus Program
- FREE Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
- FREE Onsite Gym
- FREE premium coffee and snacks
- Company Celebrations (i.e., summer picnic, holiday event)
- Employee Referral Program
- A management team that actively cares about your professional development
Position Summary:
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Fire Alarm and Low Voltage Systems Designer to join our design team. In this role, you will be responsible for creating code-compliant, high-quality engineering drawings, shop drawings, and technical submittals for complex commercial, multi-family residential, retrofits, tenant improvements, and high-rise developments. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of fire-life safety codes and electrical design fundamentals, operating with minimal supervision to deliver precise layouts from initial concept through permitting and final build.
Core Responsibilities
- Collaboration & Coordination: Interface directly with Project Managers, estimators, field installation technicians, general contractors, and clients to ensure designs align with physical site conditions and project scopes.
- System Design & Drafting: Prepare complete and accurate shop drawings, layouts, and as-built documentation for fire alarm and life safety systems, voice evacuation, mass notification, and related low-voltage integrated networks (e.g., access control, CCTV, and structured cabling ERCES/DAS).
- Engineering Calculations: Perform critical system engineering calculations, including battery backup load requirements, voltage drops, and circuit loading parameters.
- Technical Submittals & RFIs: Assemble submittal packages for code enforcement and the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Generate and track Requests for Information (RFIs) to resolve design conflicts proactively.
- Standardization Maintenance: Ensure all layouts strictly adhere to company guidelines and standards while maintaining an up-to-date engineering library of product cut sheets and technical equipment data.
Productivity Expectations
- Project Throughput: Manage and deliver multiple design projects simultaneously, maintaining an active pipeline of 3 to 5 concurrent projects varying in size and scope.
- Turnaround Efficiency: Complete standard shop drawing sets, floor layouts, and technical submittals within established project milestones and internal 72-hour turnaround windows for critical revisions.
- Quality Assurance & Accuracy: Maintain a high first-time approval rate from local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), minimizing project delays caused by plan-check corrections.
- Time Tracking & Billing: Accurately log and allocate design hours daily by project and task, consistently maintaining a 90% billable utilization rate on designated commercial contracts.
- Proactive Status Reporting: Provide weekly progress updates to project management on layout timelines and physical space conflicts.