Principal Fire Systems Specialist

Build our future together: At Regeneron, we use science and innovation to develop life-changing medicines for people with serious diseases. We are seeking a Principal Fire Systems & Life Safety Specialist to lead the strategy, standards, operability, maintenance, and continuous improvement of protective systems across the IOPS (Industrial Operations and Product Supply) enterprise. The Specialist develops and executes enterprise standards, evaluates and implements new technologies, and ensures systems remain reliable, compliant, and effective throughout their lifecycle. This role will lead complex cross-functional initiatives, resolve critical operational issues, and drive proactive efforts to identify and mitigate systemic risks before they impact business operations. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to a fast-growing, science-driven organization making a meaningful difference to patients worldwide. When & where: • Location: Rensselaer, New York, United States • Work model: Onsite Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Discover your role: • Strategy and standards: Lead enterprise-wide fire and life safety standardization and improvement across pharmaceutical manufacturing, ensuring GMP and hazardous area compliance. Develop standards for system design, documentation, and lifecycle management. • Technology and upgrades: Partner with Security Operations, Facilities Maintenance, and Facilities Engineering to implement new fire protection technologies and evolving NFPA standards. Lead long-term system upgrades and NFPA compliance programs. • Leadership: Lead and influence cross-functional teams (internal staff, contractors, consultants, staff augmentation, temporary workers). Provide direct supervision of staff as assigned. • Vendor management: Oversee third-party fire protection contractors and consultants through full project lifecycles, including procurement, budgets, purchase orders, and performance evaluations. • Audits and risk: Conduct fire system audits, life safety risk assessments, and operational reviews using formal frameworks (FMEA, HAZOP). • Compliance: Ensure alignment with pharmaceutical/GMP requirements, including Class 1, Division 1 hazardous areas, and coordinate with local fire code officials and the AHJ. Review, approve, and maintain commissioning reports, configuration baselines, inspection records, and compliance documentation. • Emergency readiness: Support crisis management and emergency response, building sustainable models for fire preparedness, incident response, and business continuity. • Continuous improvement: Identify root causes of recurring issues, implement preventive programs, and develop performance and reliability metrics. This role requires: • Bachelor’s degree in fire protection, mechanical, or electrical engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent education and experience), plus 8+ years (Principal) or 10+ years (Staff) of fire systems experience in pharmaceutical or manufacturing environments • Demonstrated experience in pharmaceutical/manufacturing environments with familiarity with GMP facilities, regulated operations, and hazardous area classifications (Class 1, Division 1) • Hands-on experience with addressable fire alarm systems, clean agent suppression, Honeywell platforms, and wet/dry suppression systems; experience supporting or leading standards development and technical evaluations • Track record working with the AHJ on plan reviews, inspections, and permitting; experience managing equipment procurement and vendor trade-off analyses • Proven leadership of complex cross-functional initiatives, with the ability to influence stakeholders, work through ambiguity, and develop long-term roadmaps aligned to business objectives • Strong negotiation and