Fire safety engineer

Alternative titles for this job include Fire engineer

Fire safety engineers make sure that buildings are designed to keep people, property and the environment safe from the dangers of fire.

Average salary (a year)

£26,000 Starter

to

£70,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

40 to 42 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends occasionally

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role

University

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in engineering followed by an undergraduate or postgraduate specialism in fire safety engineering.

Alternatively, you may be able to take a specialist undergraduate degree in structural and fire safety engineering.

Some courses offer a work placement. This will give you relevant work experience and can help you to make useful industry contacts.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

College

You can take a higher national certificate (HNC) or diploma (HND) course at college which may help you to find work as a trainee engineer. You'll then do further training on the job to specialise in fire safety.

Relevant college courses include:

• Level 4 HNC in Engineering
• Level 5 HND in Engineering

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national certificate or higher national diploma

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice for higher education courses in college
• search for courses

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Fire Safety Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.

This can take around 5 years to complete and combines workplace training with study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

Work

If you are already working in the fire safety field, you may be able to take professional qualifications offered by The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), such as:

• Level 3 Certificate in Fire Engineering Science
• Level 4 Certificate in Fire Engineering Science
• Level 5 Diploma in Fire Engineering Design

More Information

Career tips

Many fire safety engineers work in the construction industry for engineering consultancies and house building companies.

There may also be opportunities in the insurance industry or in local authorities to work in risk assessment or fire investigation.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join The Institution of Fire Engineers for professional development and networking opportunities.

Further information

You can learn more about a career as a fire engineer from The Institution of Fire Engineers.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• knowledge of engineering science and technology
• design skills and knowledge
• maths knowledge
• knowledge of building and construction
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• analytical thinking skills
• thinking and reasoning skills
• knowledge of physics
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

• have a full driving licence

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Depending on your role and where you work, you could:

• use computer modelling to predict how fires start and spread
• make recommendations about building design and materials to prevent fires starting and spreading
• visit construction sites to oversee works
• give advice on fire safety systems and procedures like sprinklers and emergency exits
• liaise with local authorities, construction professionals and architects about fire safety
• keep up to date with new fire regulations and laws
• inspect equipment, buildings and materials to make sure they are safe
• write fire investigation reports

Working environment

You could work in an office or on a construction site.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.

You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With further professional study, you could gain technician, incorporated or chartered engineering status, depending on your level of academic qualification.

You could specialise in a specific building type like commercial, residential or retail.

With experience you could become a self-employed consultant.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Fire Engineering Degree Apprenticeship - London (Building Specialists)

• Wage: £23,000 a year Annually
• Location: E14 4HD

Fire Safety Engineer - Level 6 Apprenticeship - Bristol

• Wage: Competitive Annually
• Location: 111 Victoria Street, Redcliffe, Bristol

Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Engineering

• Provider: HULL COLLEGE
• Start date: 08 September 2025
• Location: Hull

Engineering

• Provider: LUMINATE EDUCATION GROUP
• Start date: 13 September 2025
• Location: Leeds

Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Not what you're looking for?

Related careers

• Building control officer
• Civil engineer
• Health and safety adviser
• Firefighter

Skills assessment

Take an assessment to learn more about your skills and the careers that might suit you.

Speak to an adviser

You can call 0800 100 900 or use webchat to speak to an adviser.

We're open:

• 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday
• 10am to 5pm Saturdays and bank holidays

We're closed on Sundays, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Is this page useful?

Yes No

Thank you for your feedback.

Thank you for your feedback. Click here if you'd like to let us know how we can improve the service.