Please note that we do not accept unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals, or resumes from external recruiters or staffing agencies.
Location: Candidates must be located in the Greater Northern, CA area
Background Check Requirement
As part of our hiring process, Frontline Wildfire Defense conducts comprehensive background checks for all new hires. These checks typically cover the past 7–10 years and may include employment and education verification. For roles that require work in the field, driving record verification is also required. Employment offers are contingent upon the successful completion of these background checks.
About Frontline Wildfire Defense
Founded in 2017 by landscape ecologist and fire mitigation expert Harry Statter, Frontline developed the first fully integrated wildfire defense system to stop the leading cause of home loss in wildfires: ember-driven ignition. The system combines exterior sprinklers, full-coverage design, and connected software for remote monitoring and response, allowing homes to protect themselves long after families evacuate or infrastructure fails.
Proven effective during the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, 96% of homes with Frontline systems survived. That success has earned top industry recognition, including Frontline being recognized as one of TIME’s Best Inventions 2025 in the Green Tech category and receiving the PCBC Gold Nugget Award for “Most Innovative Housing Concept” and the Best of IBS Award for “Best Home Technology.”
As wildfires grow hotter and more frequent, our vision is to give people the tools and strategies to live safely with fire. We’re building a mission-driven team creating real-world solutions in wildfire safety and climate tech.
About This Opportunity
As a Solutions Engineer , you will play a critical role in supporting the Sales, Installation Operations, and Design functions by providing technical expertise focused on permitting and water system feasibility throughout the deal lifecycle. Working closely with the Senior Solutions Engineer, you will be responsible for supporting complex projects, validating water availability & pressure requirements, and helping navigate permitting processes to ensure projects can move forward efficiently.
This role sits at the intersection of engineering, sales, field operations, and product - and it owns something in each of them. Before a project closes, you’re the technical voice that tells a General Contractor or architect whether a system is buildable and what it will take to get there. After a project closes, you are the engineering resource that solves problems no one anticipated. You’ll feed real-world constraints back into product development, help shape how Frontline communicates with water agencies, and build the documentation and training tools that scale the company’s technical knowledge. The right candidate is equally comfortable on a job site, in a client meeting, and at a whiteboard working through a hydraulic problem - and treats complexity as the job, not an obstacle to it.
This is a hybrid, field-facing role requiring both office collaboration and on-site engagement across the Greater Los Angeles region. You will be a key resource for projects that require deeper technical evaluation, particularly related to water supply, hydraulics, aesthetic constraints/consequences, and jurisdictional permitting requirements. You will engage directly with clients, local authorities, and internal teams to ensure that the sprinkler system designs are not only technically sound, but also compliant and feasible within local regulations. This role is essential in helping the company successfully deploy exterior fire sprinkler systems that protect homes and communities from wildfire risk.
Key Responsibilities
Solutions Support
Own the technical evaluation process that enables Sales, Design, and Installation Ops to close deals with confidence
Collaborate with the Senior Solutions Engineer on the most complex projects; independently lead standard and mid-complexity evaluations
Provide practical design guidance on system layout and placement to ensure solutions are feasible, efficient, and implementable in the field
Evaluate project feasibility with a strong focus on water supply, pressure, and permitting requirements
Serve as a technical resource for projects requiring advanced engineering input or regulatory navigation
Translate customer needs into compliant and buildable wildfire sprinkler system solutions
Provide clear guidance and occasional training to Sales and Project Management teams to support understanding of systems design and implementation
Permitting & Regulatory Coordination
Support permitting efforts across jurisdictions in Southern California
Research and interpret local codes, regulations, and permitting requirements related to water systems and fire protection
Interface with local authorities, municipalities, and water districts to facilitate approvals
Prepare and review technical documentation required for permit submissions
Identify potential permitting risks early and propose solutions to keep projects on track
Water Systems & Hydraulic Analysis
Provide subject matter technical expertise in hydraulics, pipe flow, and pressure based systems
Assess water sources, flow rates, and pressure availability for each project
Validate system performance assumptions to ensure effective wildfire protection coverage
Support and refine system designs based on real-world water constraints
Collaborate with design teams to optimize layouts based on hydraulic feasibility and practical field implementation, including water routing and distribution across interior and exterior system designs
Evaluate alternative water supply configurations - including pool sources, wells, and storage solutions - to maintain system effectiveness on projects with limited or anemic municipal water infrastructure
Field & Client Engagement
Travel to job sites across Southern California as needed
Ability to evaluate alternative system configurations that maintain wildfire protection effectiveness while reducing water consumption or municipal dependency - relevant for projects with limited or anemic water infrastructure.
Conduct on-site assessments to evaluate water access, water distribution systems, infrastructure, and system feasibility
Engage directly with clients to explain technical considerations related to water systems, electrical components, and permitting
Act as a technical advisor during critical project stages, especially where approvals or constraints arise
Support installation teams with technical clarification related to water systems and compliance
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with sales, design, and operations teams to ensure smooth project execution
Provide feedback to improve permitting workflows and water system design standards
Help standardize processes for jurisdictional approvals and hydraulic evaluations
Contribute to internal documentation and best practices for recurring permitting scenarios
Qualifications
4-7+ years of experience in hydraulic engineering, mechanical/civil engineering, and plumbing design experience or fire protection systems
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or related field preferred
Experience working with permitting process, municipal codes, or regulatory approvals (CA experience strongly preferred)
Familiarity with irrigation systems, or similar water-based infrastructure is a plus
Strong expertise in water distribution systems, including flow, pressure, and pressure loss considerations across pipe networks
Ability to interpret technical drawings, site plans, and engineering documentation
Strong understanding of hydraulics and real-world system constraints
Basic understanding of alternative power sources and electrical components
Comfortable working in a hybrid role with frequent field visits (2-4 days a week in the field)
Excellent problem solving skills, especially in navigating regulatory and environmental constraints
Strong communication skills with the ability to interface with clients, internal teams, and local authorities
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and timelines
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive Salary Range: $135,000 - $160,000 annually DOE
Mileage reimbursement provided for field travel
Company-provided cell phone and laptop
Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
401(k) retirement plan
Flexible time off + 14 paid holidays (yes, your birthday is one of them!)
Company-provided equipment
Join a high-performing, mission-driven team doing work that truly matters
And much more!
Join Our Mission!
If you're excited about building technology that protects homes and families from wildfire disasters, we want to hear from you! Apply today and become part of a fast-growing team with purpose and innovation at its core.
Diversity and inclusion are essential values at Frontline. We know we'll do our best and most impactful work when we feel represented, and we belong. We encourage talented people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to apply. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.