Rimkus

Forensic engineering consulting for insurance disputes

Senior Consultant, Fire Investigator

ConsultingConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timePortland, OR, USA$114.5k - $171.7k

About the Job

Requirements

Must have International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) certification or a comparable transcript identifying education that meets industry standards NFPA 921 and 1033, as proof of current education in the investigative field.
Must have National Association of Fire Investigators Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (NAFI-CFEI) certification and the ability to obtain International Association of Arson Investigators Certified Fire Investigator (IAAI-CFI) certification within 18 months.
Must have a minimum of five years of related work experience in fire investigation or a related field.
Must have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Fire Science, Fire Investigation, or Forensic Science, or related experience as a fire investigator, firefighter, or law enforcement officer/investigator.
Must obtain appropriate state licensing for private investigation.
Must have strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Must be able to interact and communicate with internal and external clients at all levels.
Must know computer software applications, including Microsoft Office applications and computer-assisted engineering and design software.
Must be able to read, analyze, and interpret scientific, technical, financial, and legal reports and documents.
Must be able to write clear scopes of work, budget estimates, schedules, findings reports, proposals, correspondence, and other technical documents.
Must be able to respond to inquiries from internal and external clients.
Must be capable of presenting information to management, clients, public groups, and boards of directors.

Responsibilities

Determine the origin and cause of fires and explosions involving structures, equipment, vehicles, heavy equipment, agricultural equipment, and other losses.
Assist in securing fire and explosion scenes to prevent removal or damage of potential evidence.
Conduct on-site, hands-on forensic fire analysis, including scene photography, witness interviews and information gathering, taking possession of items, determining cause and origin, preparing reports, and providing testimony in depositions and trials.
Search for, identify, collect, and label potential evidence from fire scenes, including devices used to set, start, or further the progress of a fire, and protect the chain of custody.
Provide technical and scientific support to clients for subrogation and litigation purposes.
Conduct code-compliance research, including research into electrical, gas, fire, building, and installation code violations.
Facilitate and help present continuing education seminars on fire-related topics.
Prepare detailed written reports that describe findings, observations, analysis, and conclusions or opinions.
Conduct fraud analyses for possible incendiary-related losses.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Travel overnight depending on distance from the home base; travel is usually for day trips.
Work in the field depending on workload and scheduling.

Senior Consultant, Fire Investigator

Rimkus · Portland, United States · Full-time · Posted 2026-11-06

Workplace: on_site

Department: Forensics

Description

Investigates, assesses, and determines the origin and cause of fires and explosions in residences, commercial/industrial buildings, vehicles, heavy equipment, marine equipment, and other property. Analyzes fire/explosion scenes, burn patterns, debris, mechanical components, and electrical systems/components to determine the origin and cause. Conducts fraud analyses for possible incendiary-related losses. Prepares detailed written reports of findings that illustrate the conclusions/opinions, observations, and analysis of the investigation. Works under general supervision, exercising initiative and independent judgment in the performance of assigned tasks.

Salary range - $114,500-$171,700

Requirements

Duties & Responsibilities

Determines the origin and cause of fires and explosions involving structures, equipment, vehicles, heavy equipment, agricultural equipment, and other losses.
Assists in securing the fire/explosion scene to prevent removal or damage of potential evidence.
Conducts on-site, hands-on forensic fire analysis. This includes scene photography, interviewing witnesses and gathering information, taking possession of items, cause and origin determination, report preparation, and providing testimony in deposition and trial.
Searches for, identifies, collects, and labels any potential evidence/items from the fire scene, including devices used to set, start, or further the progress of fire; protects the chain of custody of potential evidence/items.
Provides technical and scientific support to clients for subrogation and litigation purposes.
Conducts code compliance research including electrical, gas, fire, building and installation code violations.
Facilitates and helps present continuing education seminars on fire-related topics.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Skills & Abilities

Must have a high level of analytical skills. Work requires continual attention to detail with the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Must be able to interact and communicate with clients at all levels (e.g. internal and external).
Must have knowledge of a variety of computer software applications including but not limited to, Microsoft Office Applications and computer-assisted engineering and design software.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical reports, journals, financial reports, and legal documents.
Ability to write scopes of work clearly and coherently, budget estimates, schedules, reports of findings, proposals, general correspondence, and other technical documents.
Ability to respond to inquiries from internal and external clients.
Capable of effectively presenting information to top management, clients, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

Required Experience, Education & Certifications

Must have IAAI certification or comparable transcript indentifying education meeting with industry standards NVPA 921 & 1033 (proof that the candidate has maintained current education in the investigative field).
A minimum of NAFI-CFEI with the ability to obtain an IAAI-CFI within 18 months.
5+ years of related work experience in fire investigation or a related field.
AAS in Fire Science, Fire Investigation, Forensic Science or related experience as a fire investigator, firefighter, or law enforcement officer/investigator.
Obtain appropriate state licensing (private investigating licensing).

Physical Demands, Overtime and Travel

Physical Demands – Standard
Overtime – Standard
Travel Requirements –
Overnight travel depending on distance from home base, usually day trips.
In office - optional, not mandatory.
In field - depending on workload and scheduling.

Benefits

Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
Short Term & Long Term Disability
Training & Development
Work From Home

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About the Company

Rimkus

Forensic engineering consulting for insurance disputes

Rimkus provides independent forensic engineering and technical consulting to support insurance claims, legal disputes, and risk management. Its work involves investigating failures and accidents to determine root causes, analyzing data from site visits, lab tests, and simulations, and delivering reports and expert testimony that help insurers, law firms, and corporations resolve claims and litigation. The company differentiates itself through a long track record of objective analysis, an extensive global footprint with over 110 offices, and a growth strategy built on acquisitions and private-equity investment that expanded service lines and geographic reach. Rimkus’ goal is to be a leading, globally connected provider of technically rigorous, objective engineering analysis for insurance, legal, and corporate clients, growing through strategic acquisitions to widen capabilities and reach.

Company size: 501-1,000
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Houston, TX
Founded: 1983

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