Sr. Fire Safety Engineer - e-Storage - US

At Canadian Solar, our vision is to make lives better by bringing electricity powered by the sun to millions of people worldwide. As a leading manufacturer of solar panels, inverters, and energy storage solutions, we've been an industry front-runner since our founding in 2001. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in all parts of our organization as we navigate the complexities of a booming industry.

Throughout Canadian Solar's subsidiaries, e-Storage, Recurrent Energy, MSS and CSI Solar Co., we invest in our employees' growth. Our training programs and promotional opportunities ensure we all can continue to learn. We understand the importance of work-life balance and provide various flexible work options to support our employees' well-being. Join our team to "Make the Difference" by creating a lasting positive impact on the world and the communities where we operate.

The Senior Fire Safety Engineer will play a critical role in ensuring the safety, compliance, and performance of our utility-scale and commercial energy storage systems (ESS). As part of the Energy Storage Solution Management team, this individual will support product design, track evolving fire safety regulations and standards, and provide project-level technical support across multiple phases of ESS deployment.

The role requires deep familiarity with UL 9540, 9540A, NFPA 855, IFC, and other applicable fire protection codes, along with strong collaboration and documentation skills. The ideal candidate brings a background in fire protection or mechanical engineering, with experience in system-level safety design, regulatory engagement, and large-scale fire testing.

Responsibilities:

Product Design Support:

- Provide fire safety guidance during the design and development of BESS enclosures and integrated energy storage solutions for global markets.

- Evaluate system layouts, battery configurations, fire detection and alarming, ventilation strategies from a safety perspective.

- Participate in product design reviews and collaborate with product and solution managers to ensure safety considerations are embedded early.

- Interpret and review third-party fire testing reports and modeling data to recommend design or process improvements.

- Support fire safety validation through internal and third-party test campaigns, including UL 9540A and IEC 62933-based evaluations.

- Support system integration testing activities related to fire safety systems

Regulatory Tracking, Continuous Improvement, and Documentation:

- Monitor updates in fire safety codes and standards (e.g., NFPA 855, UL 9540A, IFC) relevant to energy storage products and technology across global markets.

- Maintain and update internal fire safety guidelines, technical notes, and design templates based on evolving standards and field experience.

- Lead continuous improvement initiatives related to safety documentation, including emergency response plans, fire protection strategies, and permitting support packages.

- Consolidate feedback from test results, project experience, and internal reviews into actionable improvements for future product iterations.

- Lead the review or drafting of fire safety documents, including safety manuals and safety training materials.

Project Engineering Fire Safety Support

- Provide project-specific technical support on fire safety requirements, including code interpretations, layout reviews, and compliance documentation.

- Assist in preparing technical documentation for customer due diligence and authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) submissions, specific to the technology and project design. Includes:

o Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

o Hazard Mitigation Analysis (HMA)

o Heat Flux Analysis (HFA)

o Other documents based on jurisdiction

- Support field teams and execution engineers in interpreting fire test data and applying protection strategies at the project level.

- Coordinate with third-party testing labs, consultants, and regulatory bodies to meet project compliance goals.

- Review project drawings and documentation for compliance with eStorage product design and requirements

- Review contractual agreements for conformance with our equipment solution

- Lead resolution of customer and AHJ inquiries related to fire protection and safety strategy implementation.

- Focused on North American markets

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s or higher degree in fire protection engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field.

- Minimum 5 years of fire safety engineering experience, preferably in the energy storage, battery systems, or industrial power sector.

- Deep understanding of fire protection codes and standards including UL 9540A, NFPA 855, NFPA 68/69, NFPA72, and local or international safety regulations.

- Experience planning, managing, and reviewing large-scale fire testing programs and interpreting test results and modeling data.

- Familiarity with ESS hardware development, BESS enclosure designs, fire safety system integration, and emergency response planning.

- Strong technical communication skills, with experience preparing test reports, compliance packages, and AHJ documentation.

- Knowledge of industry fire alarm systems and manufacturers, including networking design

- Ability to collaborate across global teams including product development, compliance, engineering, and external consultants.

- Experience in cross-functional project support or permitting processes is a plus.

- Proficiency in Mandarin is a plus but not required.

- Flexibility to travel and coordinate across global time zones as needed.

- Professional Fire Protection Engineer licensure a plus:

- California

- Texas

- Arizona

- Ontario

Key Competencies

- Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams and time zones.

- Strong organizational skills with excellent written and verbal communication.

- Knowledge of BESS product validation, system integration, and testing methodologies.

- Flexibility to travel up to 20%, including international travel as required, for vendor assessments, testing, and industry events.

Compensation & Benefits:

Canadian Solar offers a competitive salary plus fully comprehensive benefits and performance bonus package based on an annual objective achievement. Our generous benefits package includes a 401(k) Retirement Plan, medical/dental/life/disability program, vacation, and sick days. Canadian Solar Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.