[Hiring] Fire Alarm Design Engineer @Giga Energy

Role Description

As Fire Alarm Engineer at Giga, you will provide technical design leadership and expertise for fire alarm systems, detection systems, smoke control systems, and life safety systems across our AI data center facilities. You'll work on multiple concurrent projects, ensuring technical excellence, design quality, and code compliance while mentoring junior staff and collaborating closely with project teams, clients, and authorities having jurisdiction. This is a hands-on specialist role for someone who wants real technical ownership and thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical design leadership for fire alarm systems, detection systems, smoke control systems, and life safety systems on data center and mission-critical facility projects.
• Design fire alarm and detection systems using manufacturers' equipment and best practices appropriate for data center facilities.
• Design detection and monitoring for lithium-ion battery energy storage and UPS battery systems, including off-gas detection, hydrogen monitoring, and thermal runaway response sequences.
• Develop sequences of operation, equipment schedules, riser diagrams, and device layouts, and prepare and maintain fire alarm specifications.
• Develop smoke control and management strategies aligned with facility operations and life safety requirements.
• Perform quality control review of fire alarm and life safety systems drawings, ensuring technical accuracy, code compliance, and alignment with design intent.
• Provide design guidance and markup comments on other engineers' and designers' submittals, explaining best practices based on real-world data center experience.
• Ensure design compliance with IBC, IFC, NFPA codes, and FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets as Owner design criteria.
• Coordinate fire alarm and life safety system designs with mechanical, electrical, structural, civil, architectural, and fire protection disciplines.
• Interface with clients, AHJs, and fire alarm contractors to convey and defend design intent, obtain approvals, and resolve technical issues.
• Support field activities including site observation, acceptance testing with AHJs, and resolution of construction-phase issues.
• Mentor junior engineers and drafters on fire alarm system design, code requirements, and best practices.
• Participate in design reviews and quality assurance/quality control efforts across multiple concurrent projects.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience designing fire alarm systems.
• NICET Fire Alarm Systems (FAS) Level III or IV certification.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field.
• Experience working on Data Center projects.
• Extensive knowledge and design experience with fire alarm systems and related manufacturers' equipment.
• Extensive knowledge and design experience with releasing service and suppression interlocks.
• Extensive knowledge and design experience with lithium-ion battery hazards.
• Proficiency in IBC, IFC, NFPA codes.
• Knowledge and application of FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets.
• Knowledge and application of NFPA 70 (NEC).
• Extensive design experience in data center fire alarm and life safety systems.
• Field experience with fire alarm system installation, testing, and commissioning.
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD to produce complete construction documents.
• Proven ability to self-check work and verify cross-references.
• Able to work with the Engineer of Record on design direction.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to carry multiple concurrent design assignments and deliver on schedule.
• Able to work with minimal day-to-day oversight.

Bonus Points

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification.
• Experience estimating and scheduling mid-to-large-scale projects.
• Experience in fire protection and plumbing design is a plus.
• Familiarity with hyperscale, colocation, and AI-focused data center facility requirements.
• Texas project experience and familiarity with local AHJ processes.

Benefits

• Subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Equity (options) in a rapidly growing startup.
• 401(k) with 4% employer match.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Parental leave.
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Commuter benefits, where applicable.
• Opportunities to collaborate in person at periodic team and company on-sites.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Giga Energy is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. Giga Energy complies with all applicable labor laws, including the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and other relevant state and federal regulations. We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage applicants who require accommodations during the hiring process to contact us.