The Senior Physical Security Design Engineer is a senior technical role within the Smart Buildings team, responsible for the delivery of high-quality physical security designs across mission-critical, data centre and complex infrastructure projects.
Working alongside the Physical Security Technical Design Lead and multidisciplinary engineering teams, you will take ownership of the technical development of security designs from concept through detailed design, ensuring solutions are compliant, coordinated and aligned with client requirements, industry standards and operational objectives.
The successful candidate will act as a technical authority for physical security systems, supporting project delivery through design development, technical reviews, coordination with other engineering disciplines and mentoring of junior engineers. This role requires extensive experience in designing integrated physical security systems within complex-built environments, particularly data centres and other critical infrastructure.
Lead the technical design and coordination of integrated physical security systems including CCTV, Access Control, Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems (PIDS), Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Intercom and Security Management Systems.
Produce and review security design documentation including design reports, technical specifications, equipment schedules, calculations, schematics, layouts and detailed construction drawings.
Develop security strategies and engineering solutions that satisfy client operational requirements while complying with relevant standards, legislation and project objectives.
Coordinate physical security designs with ICT, Electrical, Mechanical, Architectural, Civil and Structural disciplines to ensure fully integrated design solutions.
Participate in technical workshops with clients, operators, architects, contractors and specialist vendors to develop and validate security design requirements.
Undertake technical assessments including Threat, Vulnerability and Risk Assessments (TVRA), security zoning studies, design risk assessments and engineering option appraisals.
Review vendor proposals, technical submissions and contractor deliverables to ensure compliance with project specifications and design intent.
Prepare equipment schedules, cable schedules, device layouts and system architecture diagrams suitable for construction and procurement.
Ensure designs comply with relevant British, European and International Standards together with applicable client design standards and regulatory requirements.
Undertake design coordination reviews using BIM/Revit, Bluebeam and other digital engineering tools.
Carry out design QA/QC reviews and technical assurance activities in accordance with the company's Quality Management System.
Support commissioning planning, witness testing and technical issue resolution during construction and project delivery.
Provide technical mentoring and guidance to graduate and junior engineers, supporting continuous professional development within the team.
Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, industry trends and best practice in physical security design, particularly within hyperscale and colocation data centre environments.
Support continuous improvement initiatives through the development of design standards, templates, technical guidance documents and lessons learned.
Qualifications & Experience
Degree in Electronic, Electrical, Building Services, Security Engineering or a related discipline.
Experience designing physical security systems for data centres, critical infrastructure or other high-security facilities.
Proven delivery of RIBA Stages 2–5 (or equivalent) physical security designs.
Experience producing specifications, reports, schematics, layouts and coordinated design documentation.
Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Knowledge of BIM workflows and proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam and Microsoft Office.
Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver high-quality work to programme.
Strong knowledge of integrated security systems, including:
CCTV
Electronic Access Control
Perimeter & Intrusion Detection Systems
Intercom Systems
Security Management Systems (SMS/PSIM)
Technical Expertise
Understanding of physical security design for mission-critical facilities.
Knowledge of relevant EN, ISO, BS and IEC standards.
Familiarity with security risk management, Defence in Depth and layered security principles.
Understanding of IP networking, security system resilience, cybersecurity interfaces and structured cabling.
Professional Skills
Strong technical writing, analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to translate client requirements into practical engineering solutions.
Excellent communication, stakeholder management and multidisciplinary coordination skills.
Highly organised, detail-oriented and capable of managing competing priorities.
Personal Attributes
Committed to engineering quality and continuous improvement.
Collaborative, proactive and accountable.
Commercially aware with the ability to mentor junior engineers and perform effectively under pressure.
Desirable
Experience on hyperscale or colocation data centre projects.
Knowledge of Autodesk Revit, BIM 360/ACC and digital engineering platforms.
Professional membership or certification (e.g. PSP, ASIS, CPNI, CPP, Security Institute, BICSI).
Chartered Engineer or working towards chartership.
Experience with Smart Buildings, Digital Twin or operational technology integration.
Why Join us?
At Ethos, we’re dedicated to fostering an environment that encourages both technical excellence and personal wellbeing
We offer:
Flexible Fridays and a 9-day fortnight working schedule — enjoy every second Friday off to maintain work–life balance.
A culture that values flexibility, learning, and teamwork, with clear progression pathways and support toward professional accreditation
Opportunities to work alongside some of the most experienced engineers in the industry, within a forward-thinking, technology-driven consultancy.
Benefits:
Flexible working times
25 Days holidays
Pension Scheme
Working travel out-of-pocket expenses
Travel tax scheme or bike-to-work scheme
Regular training/mentoring / further college support
Support for Chartership
Subsidised Health Insurance Allowance
A Professional Subscription Fee paid by the company
Paid Statutory Leaves
Healthcare check-ups and flu vaccinations
Gym / Fitness membership
Heavily subsidised social committee (5 a side, golf society, climbing club and regular social events)
Ethos is a team of collaborative and creative consultant engineers & professionals, leading data centre and energy infrastructure projects globally.
Our Charter:
We believe in strong human relationships
We believe clear leadership lights the path
We believe sustainability is non-negotiable
We believe a can-do mindset can move mountains
We believe in a relentless focus on delivery
Our Tagline:
Performance Made Possible
Ethos Engineering (2005) deliver high-performance mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineering solutions across Ireland and EMEA. Our expertise spans data centres, commercial, offices, and high-tech environments, with services in design & project management, sustainability, smart buildings, and M&E systems for building services.
At Ethos, our EPIC-F values—Excellence, People, Innovation, Clients, and Financial Strength—drive everything we do. We provide bespoke solutions that not only meet regulatory standards but also deliver long-term value through innovation and sustainability.
Our Design & Project Management service offers full oversight from concept to completion, coordinating all project disciplines including mechanical, electrical, civil, and architectural design. With a focus on scope, time, cost, quality, and risk management, we ensure optimal productivity and value engineering throughout the process, tailored to the client needs.
Our Sustainability Services empower clients to meet stringent environmental standards. From energy modelling and whole-life carbon assessments to net zero carbon roadmaps and ESG frameworks, we help reduce carbon emissions and ensure compliance with global sustainability benchmarks like LEED, BREEAM, and GHG reporting. Focusing on your long-term sustainability goals.
Our Digital/Smart Buildings team transforms spaces into intelligent ecosystems. Focusing on sustainability, user experience, productivity, physical security, and efficiency, we integrate digital technologies like IoT, digital twins, and advanced analytics to optimise building performance. We ensure buildings interact seamlessly with people and systems, delivering exceptional results now and in the future.
Ethos’ expansion across EMEA, has been enabled by our ability to create spaces that bring buildings to life. Our methodology involves designing buildings that not only perform today but ones that contribute to the sustainable, green, and circular economy of tomorrow.
