Competitive – discussed on application

Overview

Our client is an established international scientific and technical consultancy providing independent forensic investigation, scientific consultancy, surveying, testing and expert witness services across a broad range of industries.

They are seeking a Head of Group – Fire & Explosion to undertake and support complex fire and explosion investigations worldwide. The position combines hands-on forensic investigation with the technical judgement required to assess multidisciplinary incidents involving electrical, mechanical and chemical factors.

The role sits within a multidisciplinary consultancy environment, with investigators able to draw upon specialist scientific, engineering and laboratory expertise when an investigation extends beyond their own technical discipline.

The Role

The successful candidate will lead the global team of Fire & Explosion experts, combining technical leadership with responsibility for developing client relationships, networking and supporting business development across the Group.

Alongside this leadership remit, they will remain technically active, personally investigating the origin, cause and circumstances of fires and explosions across a diverse range of incidents, working independently or alongside other scientific and engineering specialists as required.

Responsibilities will include:

• Responding to live fire and explosion incidents, including international attendance at short notice.
• Conducting systematic scene examinations to establish the origin and root cause of fires and explosions.
• Assessing electrical, mechanical and chemical factors relevant to incident causation and recognising when additional specialist expertise is required.
• Gathering, preserving and evaluating physical evidence from incident scenes.
• Undertaking practical debris examination, recording and excavation.
• Identifying and obtaining appropriate samples for subsequent testing and laboratory analysis.
• Evaluating witness evidence alongside electronic, documentary and physical evidence.
• Using laboratory investigation and analytical testing to support determination of causation.
• Considering potential ignition sources, fire development and spread when reconstructing incidents.
• Assessing material behaviour in fire environments, including potential fire propagation and susceptibility to spontaneous ignition where relevant.
• Contributing to the use of physical or mathematical models and three-dimensional fire-scene modelling where appropriate to the investigation.
• Producing clear, technically robust reports suitable for insurers, lawyers, technical specialists and other interested parties.
• Presenting and defending technical findings under peer scrutiny.
• Providing expert evidence in court or arbitration where required.
• Conducting investigations and maintaining evidence and records to appropriate forensic standards.

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Strong practical and theoretical problem-solving ability within complex technical investigations.
• The ability to investigate fires and explosions methodically and objectively, working from the available physical, documentary, electronic and witness evidence.
• An understanding of electrical, mechanical and chemical factors in fire and explosion incidents.
• Sound judgement in identifying issues outside their own technical specialism and engaging appropriate experts.
• The ability to operate effectively and make technical decisions at incident scenes, including when working independently.
• Strong evidence recording, analytical and technical report-writing skills.
• The ability to explain complex technical findings clearly to both specialist and non-technical audiences.
• The technical confidence to support conclusions when subjected to critical review or cross-examination.
• Willingness and availability to travel internationally at short notice.

Qualifications

• A suitable Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering.
• A related Doctorate is preferred.
• Chartered is preferred

Ideally You Will Have

• Previous experience of fire and explosion investigation and/or forensic consultancy.
• Experience undertaking practical, hands-on incident and scene investigation.
• Experience integrating scene evidence with laboratory or scientific analysis.
• Experience preparing technical or expert reports arising from forensic investigations.
• Exposure to expert witness work, court proceedings or arbitration.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary investigations involving scientific and engineering specialists.
• The ability to work across a varied caseload involving different industries, incident types and technical causes.

Working Arrangements

• Based in London or Cardiff.
• Significant incident-driven travel should be expected and be willing and able to travel worldwide at short notice.
• Investigations may be undertaken independently or as part of a multidisciplinary team depending upon the nature and complexity of the incident.

Package

• Competitive terms and conditions.
• Full details discussed on application.

Application Details

Send your CV & Details to – CV@charlesfranciscooper.co.uk (please state in the Subject line – Head of Group – Fire & Explosion)

Charles Francis Cooper celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for both employees and applicants.

(Charles Francis Cooper are acting as an employment agency)

Keywords

Fire & Explosion, Fire Investigation, Explosion Investigation, Forensic Investigation, Forensic Engineering, Root Cause Investigation, Origin and Cause, Fire Scene Investigation, Explosion Scene Investigation, Incident Investigation, Failure Investigation, Evidence Examination, Debris Examination, Laboratory Analysis, Accelerant Residues, Ignition Sources, Fire Growth, Fire Spread, Spontaneous Ignition, Fire Modelling, Expert Witness, Court Evidence, Arbitration, Scientific Consultancy, Engineering Consultancy, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Head of Group, Head of Department, Team Lead, Principal Investigator

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What we need
We presently have vacancies for Forensic Structural Engineer to undertake forensic investigations on a wide range of incidents and accidents.

These investigations will usually be undertaken for insurance related purposes, including international insurers, loss adjusters, solicitors, marine Protection and Indemnity clubs and insurance brokers.

They require clear and accurate technical advice regarding the cause of the incident or accident and assistance with determining liability, sometimes at very short notice.

The Role

One attraction of this role is that you will typically be responsible for seeing a technical investigation through from beginning to end from initially collecting the evidence on site to preparing the final technical report and ultimately giving expert evidence in Court. Preferred experience of Buildings and Bridges, and already Chartered or at the very least, nearly chartered.

Your work will often require you to visit the location of an incident, to record and gather evidence. The work will often require you to examine and analyse physical evidence of buildings, bridges, and other types of structures.

Overview of the various aspects of the job

• Conducting site-based investigations to record and gather the available physical evidence.
• Obtaining details regarding the background and circumstances surrounding the incident by interviewing individuals associated with the incident.
• Consulting relevant standards, regulations, and other published guidance.
• Undertaking technical literature reviews.
• Providing the client with timely preliminary verbal and/or written advice in a form that can be readily understood by a layperson and ultimately a Judge.
• Preparing reports that may be in the form of a brief letter style report or in the form of a detailed, illustrated report for Court proceedings.
• Attending client meetings to discuss your investigation.
• Meetings with experts appointed by the other involved parties as part of the litigation process.
• Providing expert witness evidence in Court, which will involve being questioned in depth by a Barrister, who will be briefed by a technical expert.

Their Requirements

The position is a technically demanding, challenging and most rewarding role requiring not only a thorough understanding of the nature and behaviour of your disciple, but also a strong structural engineering background.

Ideally you will have the following:

• Civil / structural engineering undergraduate degree.
• MSc structural engineering or directly related area preferred.
• Have gained several years of postgraduate experience, preferably in an industrial engineering environment.
• Have an aptitude and enthusiasm for problem solving.
• Be self-motivated and be able to work effectively under pressure.
• Have experience of undertaking component failure investigations, which will have included conducting scene inspections hopefully.
• Have a practical engineering ability in addition to a strong academic record.
• Have the ability to communicate technical concepts clearly, both verbally and in writing, to others less informed than yourself.
• Be prepared to provide expert witness evidence in Court when required.

Package

• highly competitive starting salary
• unparalleled prospects.
• five weeks holiday
• a contributory pension schemes
• medical insurance
• life assurance
• permanent health insurance
• company car
• Where appropriate a relocation package is available
• London Office appointment have London weighting

Send your CV & Details to – CV@charlesfranciscooper.co.uk  (please state in the Subject line – Structural Engineer  Application )

Charles Francis Cooper celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for both employees and applicants.

(Charles Francis Cooper are acting as an employment agency)

Keywords

Structural Engineer, Bridges, Buildings, chartered, Bridge Engineer, mice, Expert Witness, Infrastructure

The post Structural Engineer (Buildings and Bridges) appeared first on Charles Francis Cooper.

They presently have vacancies for Mechanical Engineers to undertake forensic investigation of a wide range of engineering related incidents and accidents including those involving personal injury and health and safety aspects.

These investigations will usually be undertaken for insurance related purposes. Their clients include international insurers, loss adjusters, solicitors, marine Protection and Indemnity clubs, insurance brokers and industrial corporations. Their clients require prompt and accurate technical advice, sometimes at very short notice, regarding the cause of the incident or accident and assistance with determining liability.

The Nature of the Work for a Forensic Mechanical Engineer
If you are looking for a routine laboratory or an office-based position, then this is definitely not the job for you. They are offering you a rare opportunity to enter a unique and very rewarding profession in which the variety and the nature of the technically focused work is extremely diverse and challenging, thus providing you with what they consider is unrivalled job satisfaction.

A key attraction of this role is that you will typically have the opportunity to be responsible for seeing the technical investigation through from beginning to end, from initially collecting the evidence on site to preparing the final technical report and ultimately giving expert evidence in Court.

You will have the opportunity to investigate a broad range of engineering related incidents and accidents. This will encompass the investigation of engineering failures, ranging from the separation of plumbing connections to the collapse of large engineering structures. The investigation of personal injury accidents will often require both engineering expertise and a detailed knowledge of health and safety regulations and guidelines. The entirely unpredictable nature and location of the work are key attractions of the roles.

Your work will often require you to visit the location of an incident, sometimes at short notice, to record and gather evidence and to examine and analyse engineering components and other physical evidence in a laboratory environment.

There is also a practical element to the job in that on occasion you will be required to carefully dismantle machinery, equipment or component assemblies in a systematic manner to obtain the evidence that you require to determine the cause of the failure. This practical aspect of the work also extends to the requirement to devise and undertake ad hoc mechanical tests, as and when the need arises.

The list below provides an overview of the various aspects of the job for a Forensic Mechanical Engineer

• Conducting site-based investigations to record and gather the available physical evidence.
• Obtaining details regarding the background and circumstances surrounding the incident by interviewing people associated with the incident.
• Undertaking telephone enquiries of equipment suppliers and manufacturers to obtain the required technical information.
• Reviewing technical documentation that may comprise engineering drawings, operating manuals and maintenance records.
• Providing the client with timely preliminary verbal and/or written advice in a form that can be readily understood by a layperson and ultimately a Judge.
• Conducting detailed visual and low magnification examinations of failed components, equipment or machinery.
• Mechanical testing of components, equipment or machinery.
• Devising and conducting ad hoc testing of components, equipment or machinery.
• Preparing reports that may be in the form of a brief letter style report or in the form of a detailed, illustrated report for Court proceedings.
• Providing expert witness evidence in Court, which may involve being questioned in depth by a Barrister.

Here few examples of the types of investigation undertaken

• The collapse of a large, newly constructed cement storage silo
• A collision between two forklift trucks sustaining fatal injuries.
• A mobile crane accident resulting in injury to the operator and serious damage to both the crane and a nearby building.
• An industrial accident in which a machine operator sustained a serious hand injury due to inadequate guarding.
• A fatal accident resulting from the detachment of a section of the boom of a vehicle- mounted hydraulic access platform.

Requirements for the Forensic Mechanical Engineer
The Mechanical Engineer position is a technically demanding and challenging role requiring a thorough understanding of mechanical engineering principles and their application.

Requirements

• Have attained a good honours degree in mechanical engineering.
• Have gained several years of postgraduate experience, preferably in an industrial engineering environment.
• Have an aptitude and enthusiasm for problem solving.
• Be self-motivated and be able to work effectively under pressure.
• Have experience of undertaking engineering type investigations and be familiar with health and safety regulations and guidance relating to the workplace.
• Have a practical engineering ability in addition to a strong academic record.
• Have the ability to communicate technical concepts clearly, both verbally and in writing, to others less informed than yourself.
• Be prepared to work unpredictable hours, as and where the work demands.
• Be prepared to provide expert witness evidence in Court when required.
• Training and Prospects

Package

• highly competitive starting salary
• unparalleled prospects.
• five weeks holiday
• a contributory pension scheme
• medical insurance
• life assurance
• permanent health insurance
• company car.
• Where appropriate a relocation package is available
• London Office appointment have London weighting

Send your CV & Details to – CV@charlesfranciscooper.co.uk  (please state in the Subject line “Mechanical Engineer – Failure investigation Application”)

Charles Francis Cooper celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for both employees and applicants.

(Charles Francis Cooper are acting as an employment agency)

Keywords

Engineer, Engineering, failure investigation, expert witness, Forensic investigation, Mechanical, health and safety, H&S, industrial engineering, industrial engineer, MSc,  Meng, PhD, Chartered, CEng, IMechE

The post Mechanical Engineer – Failure investigation appeared first on Charles Francis Cooper.