Job Description

Reaction to Fire Testing – Independent Contractor

Location: Remote (UK-based) with UK and potential international travel
Contract Type: Contractor / Independent – outside IR35

About the Role

UKAS is the United Kingdom's National Accreditation Body. We are expanding our network of independent Technical Assessors and Experts with specialist knowledge in fire testing to support our accreditation activities. This is a flexible, contract-based opportunity for individuals with strong practical experience of laboratory-based fire testing, working as part of a UKAS assessment team to evaluate the competence of testing organisations.

The role is remote, with travel required for on-site assessments as needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct technical evaluations of organisations carrying out fire testing
• Review reaction to fire test methods, specimen preparation, equipment, instrumentation and environmental controls
• Assess the application of relevant standards and classification frameworks, including ISO/IEC 17025 and BS EN 13501-1
• Evaluate how testing parameters, tolerances and laboratory decisions may affect the validity of results, classification outcomes and technical conclusions
• Provide technical feedback on laboratory practice, competence, impartiality and consistency of reporting
• Produce clear reports and communicate findings effectively as part of a UKAS assessment team

What We’re Looking For

This role is focused on practical, laboratory-based reaction-to-fire testing and is not intended for individuals whose primary experience is in fire risk assessment, fire engineering design, fire safety consultancy, regulation, or compliance alone.

We are looking for individuals who can demonstrate:

• Substantial, hands-on experience in reaction to fire testing within a laboratory environment, with the ability to evidence technical capability through real-world examples
• Demonstrable experience of personally carrying out, supervising or technically overseeing reaction to fire tests from test planning through to interpretation and final reporting
• A strong practical understanding of reaction to fire test methods, including specimen preparation, test set-up, execution, monitoring, result interpretation and classification
• Awareness of how testing decisions, tolerances, product mounting, substrate choices and test conditions can affect result validity, classification and commercial outcomes
• Familiarity with the measurements, controls and equipment relevant to reaction to fire testing, such as temperature, heat release, smoke production, ignition behaviour and associated laboratory controls
• Knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and its practical application within testing laboratories would be advantageous

Typical Backgrounds

This role is ideal for professionals such as Fire Test Engineers, Senior Fire Test Technicians, Technical Officers, Technical Managers, or Laboratory Managers who have extensive hands-on experience in reaction-to-fire testing in a laboratory setting. Candidates should have direct responsibility for planning, conducting, or supervising tests, as well as interpreting results, classifying data, and preparing technical reports.

Experience should be hands-on and laboratory-focused, involving direct technical execution or supervision of testing rather than regulatory, advisory, or desk-based tasks, with a solid understanding of test methods, laboratory controls, equipment performance, and testing decisions.

Conflict of Interest

All applicants will be required to complete a conflict-of-interest declaration as part of the selection process. This ensures impartiality and maintains the integrity of UKAS assessments.

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