Lead Plumbing & Fire Protection Design Engineer

Lead Plumbing & Fire Protection Design Engineer

Company Name: MG Engineering
Location: Hollywood, FL
Project Focus: Plumbing Design, Fire Protection, MEP/Building Systems, High-Rise Residential, Hospitality, Healthcare, Life Science, Commercial, Institutional, Mixed-Use, and Infrastructure Projects
Work Setting: Full-Time | Hollywood, Florida Office | Integrated MEP Engineering Environment
Base Salary: $115,000-$210,000+ annually (DOE)
Total Compensation Package: Potential total compensation of $135,000-$250,000+, medical, dental, vision, retirement benefits, paid leave, professional development, licensure support, and leadership advancement opportunities
Recruited Exclusively By: Luxus Group

Position Overview

This is a senior technical leadership role for an experienced plumbing and fire protection engineer ready to lead complex building systems projects from concept through construction. As Lead Plumbing & Fire Protection Design Engineer, you will provide design oversight, technical direction, quality control, and mentorship on projects across South Florida and the broader state market.

The role suits an engineer with deep knowledge of domestic water, sanitary, stormwater, natural gas, specialty plumbing, fire sprinkler, standpipe, fire pump, and water-service systems. You will work directly with architects, owners, contractors, utilities, building and fire officials, and multidisciplinary engineering teams while helping grow MGE's Florida plumbing and fire protection practice.

You will oversee projects from feasibility and conceptual planning through construction documents, permitting, bidding, construction administration, commissioning, and closeout. The position rewards an engineer who pairs technical depth with practical judgment, clear communication, and a willingness to develop the people around them. Working knowledge of Florida codes, South Florida permitting practices, agency requirements, and regional construction methods is a strong advantage.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, design, analysis, and documentation of plumbing and fire protection systems for new construction, renovations, infrastructure upgrades, and repositioning projects
• Establish design criteria, system concepts, technical approaches, and project-specific engineering standards
• Direct the design of domestic water, domestic hot water, hot-water recirculation, sanitary waste and vent, stormwater and secondary drainage, natural gas, medical gas and vacuum, laboratory plumbing, acid waste, grease waste and interceptors, fuel oil, compressed air, backflow prevention, booster pump, and specialty plumbing systems
• Direct the design of sump pumps, sewage ejectors, stormwater pumps, water filtration and treatment, plumbing fixtures and equipment, and sustainable water-use and reuse systems
• Lead fire protection design for wet-pipe, dry-pipe, and preaction sprinkler systems, standpipes, fire pumps and fire pump rooms, fire department connections, fire protection water services, water-storage tanks, backflow-prevention assemblies, and special-hazard and clean-agent coordination
• Perform and review fixture-unit calculations, pipe sizing, pressure-loss calculations, hot-water demand, gas-load calculations, drainage calculations, hydraulic sprinkler calculations, standpipe calculations, and fire pump sizing
• Evaluate incoming water pressure and determine requirements for pressure-reducing valves, booster pumps, break tanks, and other pressure-management equipment
• Review water-heating options based on demand, redundancy, energy use, storage, recovery, and building operations
• Develop fire protection design criteria, hazard classifications, system zoning, and performance requirements
• Evaluate municipal water supply data and flow test results to determine whether fire pumps, storage tanks, or alternate supply arrangements are required
• Evaluate system alternatives for performance, efficiency, resilience, maintainability, lifecycle cost, code compliance, and constructability
• Address South Florida design conditions including high water table, heavy rainfall and storm drainage, corrosion, hurricane resiliency, and High Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements
• Coordinate wind-load anchorage and product-approval documentation for rooftop and exterior plumbing and fire protection equipment
• Integrate water conservation, energy efficiency, and sustainability strategies into plumbing design, including low-flow fixtures, high-efficiency equipment, water reuse, rainwater harvesting, heat recovery, and LEED or WELL requirements
• Serve as the senior plumbing and fire protection technical authority on assigned projects
• Work closely with Project Managers to define scope, schedule, budget, staffing, deliverables, and technical milestones
• Lead projects from feasibility and due diligence through design, permitting, bidding, construction administration, commissioning, and closeout
• Direct engineers, designers, BIM/Revit professionals, and technical support staff
• Monitor engineering progress, hours, deliverables, and technical quality
• Identify technical, permitting, coordination, and construction risks early and develop mitigation strategies
• Coordinate with mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, architectural, structural, civil, landscape, lighting, technology, security, and specialty-consultant teams
• Participate in BIM coordination, clash-detection reviews, design workshops, milestone reviews, and project meetings
• Coordinate shaft requirements, ceiling congestion, equipment rooms, tank rooms, fire pump rooms, utility entrances, and service spaces
• Coordinate sprinkler and standpipe layouts with lighting, ductwork, ceiling systems, structural elements, and architectural features
• Confirm required fire protection coverage, valve locations, riser arrangements, testing connections, access provisions, maintenance access, and equipment-removal pathways
• Coordinate electrical power and emergency-power requirements for fire pumps and other fire protection equipment
• Collaborate with fire alarm and life-safety professionals on system interfaces while maintaining clear discipline responsibilities
• Coordinate roof drainage and site stormwater connections with architectural, structural, and civil teams, and coordinate water, sewer, gas, and fire protection services with utilities and civil engineers
• Ensure designs comply with the Florida Building Code (Plumbing, Building, Fuel Gas, and Energy Conservation volumes), the Florida Fire Prevention Code, NFPA 13, NFPA 14, NFPA 20, NFPA 24, NFPA 25, NFPA 96, and applicable owner standards
• Support permit submissions and respond to plan review comments from municipal building departments, the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals, county and municipal fire marshals, AHCA for healthcare projects, the Florida Department of Health, water and sewer utilities, and other authorities having jurisdiction
• Stay current on Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code updates, local amendments, agency bulletins, and permitting procedures
• Prepare and review drawings, riser diagrams, schedules, details, specifications, calculations, technical narratives, permit drawings, and supporting documentation
• Lead existing-condition surveys, feasibility studies, condition assessments, due-diligence reports, and infrastructure-upgrade recommendations
• Assess existing system condition, capacity, code compliance, and opportunities for reuse, and identify aging or undersized infrastructure that may affect project scope
• Develop phasing and temporary-service strategies for renovations in occupied buildings
• Lead QA/QC reviews to verify code compliance, system sizing, coordination, constructability, and technical completeness
• Develop and maintain standardized details, specifications, calculation templates, design procedures, and quality-control checklists
• Review shop drawings, equipment submittals, sprinkler calculations, product data, substitutions, contractor proposals, RFIs, change-order requests, and closeout documents
• Conduct site visits, field observations, punch-list inspections, testing reviews, and construction-phase coordination
• Review fire pump tests, backflow tests, hydrostatic tests, flushing reports, record drawings, operating manuals, and other required closeout documentation
• Serve as a senior plumbing and fire protection contact for clients, architects, developers, owners, contractors, and consultants
• Explain complex engineering and code issues clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences, and help clients weigh system alternatives, code risks, and operating considerations
• Mentor plumbing and fire protection engineers, designers, and BIM/Revit staff, provide clear and constructive feedback, and support internal training and knowledge sharing
• Provide technical input for proposals, scopes of work, staffing plans, fee estimates, project pursuits, client interviews, and business development efforts

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering, Architectural Engineering, or related discipline
• Experience: 8+ years of progressively responsible plumbing and fire protection design experience
• Consulting Background: Significant experience working within an MEP consulting engineering environment
• Technical Leadership: Demonstrated experience leading plumbing and fire protection design assignments from concept through construction
• System Expertise: Strong knowledge of domestic water, sanitary, stormwater, gas, sprinkler, standpipe, fire pump, and specialty plumbing systems
• Documentation: Experience preparing engineering drawings, specifications, calculations, reports, permit submissions, and construction documents
• Codes & Standards: Working knowledge of applicable building, plumbing, fire, fuel gas, and NFPA requirements
• Software: Proficiency with Revit and AutoCAD
• Hydraulic Software: Experience with HydraCALC, AutoSPRINK, SprinkCALC, or similar applications
• Construction Administration: Experience reviewing submittals, responding to RFIs, and supporting construction-phase activities
• Coordination: Ability to coordinate effectively with architects and multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Project Delivery: Ability to lead multiple concurrent projects, prioritize competing deadlines, and maintain quality standards
• Communication: Excellent technical writing, verbal communication, organization, and leadership skills
• Field Work: Ability to conduct field surveys and participate in construction-phase site activities

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience: 12+ years of plumbing and fire protection design experience
• Licensure: Professional Engineer license in Florida preferred, or ability to obtain by comity
• Licensure Path: EIT certification with active progress toward PE licensure may be considered for candidates with strong leadership experience
• Advanced Education: Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Fire Protection Engineering
• Certification: Certified in Plumbing Design (CPD), CFPE, NICET, LEED, WELL, or other relevant credentials
• Engineer of Record: Experience serving as Engineer of Record or senior technical reviewer
• Florida Expertise: Working knowledge of the Florida Building Code, Florida Fire Prevention Code, High Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements, and South Florida permitting and inspection practices
• Agency Experience: Experience with Broward County, Miami-Dade County, or Palm Beach County plan review, county and municipal fire marshals, and AHCA healthcare plan review
• Project Experience: Experience with high-rise residential and condominium, hospitality, healthcare, senior living, laboratories, higher education, mixed-use, or mission-critical projects
• Complex Systems: Experience with high-rise sprinkler and standpipe systems, fire pumps, water-storage tanks, pressure zones, PRV stations, medical gas, laboratory gas, acid waste, specialty waste, or fuel oil systems
• Resiliency: Experience with flood-zone design, wind-load equipment anchorage, emergency water supply, or post-storm operational continuity strategies
• Sustainability: Experience supporting LEED, WELL, water-use reduction, water reuse, rainwater harvesting, or decarbonization-related plumbing strategies
• Quality Leadership: Experience conducting formal QA/QC or peer reviews
• Market Relationships: Established relationships within the South Florida architecture, engineering, construction, institutional, or real estate market
• Team Leadership: Experience supervising engineers and developing future technical leaders

What Success Looks Like

• Deliver accurate, coordinated, code-compliant, and constructible plumbing and fire protection designs
• Establish clear technical direction at the beginning of each assignment
• Anticipate plumbing, fire protection, permitting, and construction challenges before they create delays
• Reduce redesign through thorough coordination, early risk identification, and strong QA/QC practices
• Consistently meet project schedules and quality expectations across multiple concurrent assignments
• Build confidence with clients, architects, building and fire officials, utilities, contractors, and internal teams
• Move permit submissions through review efficiently with well-prepared documentation and clear responses to comments
• Strengthen the technical capabilities of developing engineers and designers
• Improve discipline standards, calculation templates, QA/QC practices, and project-delivery efficiency
• Help secure repeat work and expand strategic client relationships
• Become a trusted leader within MGE's Florida plumbing and fire protection practice

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range of $115,000-$210,000+ annually, depending on experience and qualifications
• Potential total compensation of approximately $135,000-$250,000+, depending on licensure, technical expertise, leadership responsibility, and broader value to the firm
• The range is intentionally broad to accommodate candidates from experienced design leaders through senior professionals ready to take on expanded technical, project, client, or practice leadership
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid vacation, sick time, personal time, and holidays
• Flexible spending account
• Supplemental insurance options
• Professional development and continuing education
• PE licensure and professional-association support
• Leadership and career-advancement opportunities
• Final compensation and benefits will be determined based on qualifications and confirmed during the interview process

About MG Engineering

MG Engineering is a full-service engineering firm specializing in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, fire alarm, lighting, commissioning, sustainability, central energy, enhanced construction administration, and technology services. The firm has served Florida clients for close to 25 years, opened a Miami office in 2016, and relocated to a larger Hollywood office in 2021 to support statewide growth. MGE is headquartered in New York City with additional offices in Long Island, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, and has grown to more than 150 professionals.

The firm serves public- and private-sector clients across commercial office, corporate interiors, residential, mixed-use, healthcare, life science, education, hospitality, entertainment, retail, restaurant, government, civic, cultural, institutional, senior living, central energy, renovation, repositioning, and mission-critical markets. MGE principals are licensed in 37 states and locations nationwide.

The Florida office operates as an integrated MEP team, which gives plumbing and fire protection engineers direct access to mechanical, electrical, fire alarm, lighting, commissioning, sustainability, and technology colleagues on the same projects. MGE has been recognized by Crain's New York Business as one of the Best Places to Work.

About Luxus Group

Luxus Group is a specialized recruiting and talent advisory firm serving the architecture, engineering, construction, and related professional-services industries. As an AEC-focused recruiting partner, Luxus Group helps engineering and design firms identify, engage, evaluate, and hire difficult-to-find professionals. The firm understands the technical and leadership differences between plumbing designers, fire protection engineers, Project Managers, Technical Leads, Discipline Leaders, and principal-level professionals. Luxus Group is representing MG Engineering in the identification and recruitment of qualified candidates for this opportunity. Interested professionals may contact Luxus Group for a confidential discussion regarding the position, compensation, project portfolio, team structure, and long-term advancement potential.

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