Senior Consultant - Physical Security Designer

Location: San Francisco, California, United States, Los Angeles, California, United States, Chicago, Illinois, United States, Houston, Texas, United States, New York, New York, United States, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Department: Security, Built Environment & Infrastructure

Workplace: hybrid

Description

This role may be based in New York City, Washington DC, Chicago, Houston, the San Francisco Bay Area, or Los Angeles.

Control Risks is seeking a Physical Security Designer to support the growth of its Built Environment & Infrastructure design practice in North America.

The role will prepare and review design drawings, technical documentation, specifications, schedules, reports, and related files for electronic and non-electronic physical protection systems. This includes support to facility upgrades, new construction projects, and multidisciplinary design and delivery processes.

The successful candidate will bring practical knowledge of security design, construction documentation, building and life safety codes, industry standards, and related guidelines, working as part of the US-based Americas BE&I team and wider Control Risks network.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare security design documents, including existing conditions reports, design programming materials, basis of design narratives, equipment specifications, equipment schedules, 30/60/100 percent drawings, and as-built drawing reviews.
• Produce, review, and coordinate drawings and technical files for electronic physical protection systems, including access control, intrusion detection, video surveillance, duress, emergency communications, intercom, and related systems.
• Support design work for non-electronic physical protection measures, including perimeter protection, CPTED, security operations considerations, protective barriers, and related facility hardening measures.
• Teach, mentor, and support non-designer security and risk management professionals so they can contribute effectively to design programming and security design requirements development.
• Support quality reviews of internal and subcontractor design documents, including drawing sets, specifications, schedules, design narratives, and technical submittals.
• Perform site surveys, existing conditions reviews, installation inspections, and physical security assessments in support of project delivery and broader risk assessment work across Control Risks markets.
• Translate assessment findings, threat and vulnerability considerations, operational requirements, and client priorities into practical security design requirements and coordinated deliverables.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, project managers, owners, operators, security integrators, and other design team members to support proportionate, code-aware, and technically sound security solutions.
• Contribute to proposals, scopes of work, level-of-effort estimates, and project budgets where design assumptions, deliverables, and required inputs must be clearly defined.

Requirements

Knowledge and experience

• 5+ years of relevant experience in design, construction, electronics engineering, security delivery, and/or physical protection systems design.
• Significant experience designing electronic security systems such as access control, intrusion detection, video surveillance, duress, emergency communications, intercom, visitor management, and related systems.
• Working knowledge of non-electronic physical protection systems and design approaches, including perimeter fencing, CPTED, vehicle barriers, hostile vehicle mitigation, protective design, and facility hardening measures.
• Experience interpreting and applying U.S. and North American building codes, life safety codes, accessibility requirements, security standards, design standards, and industry guidelines within design projects and design document reviews.
• Knowledge of design and construction management processes and phases, including concept, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, construction administration, and as-built review activities.

Qualifications and specialist skills

• Bachelor's degree in architecture or engineering, including civil, structural, electronics, electrical, or a related engineering discipline; alternatively, a bachelor's degree in a security-related field with relevant electronics engineering and/or physical protection systems design experience, or a high school diploma with 7+ years of relevant physical protection systems design experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency with two or more relevant design and delivery tools, such as AutoCAD LT for 2D security layouts, Revit or other BIM tools, Bluebeam, SketchUp, Visio, MS Project, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Relevant professional registration or certification is preferred, such as CET, CEET, CEST, EIT, PE, SE, PSP, CSPM, CPP, CPTED Practitioner, or another security, engineering, design, or project management credential.
• Ability to produce accurate, concise, client-ready reports, design narratives, drawing comments, specifications, schedules, meeting outputs, and proposal content.
• Familiarity with design document file systems, document control practices, knowledge management protocols, and coordinated multidisciplinary project workflows.
• Native-level fluency in English is required; proficiency in other languages, specifically Spanish, Portuguese, or French, is advantageous.
• Ability to travel as required to support site surveys, assessments, design meetings, installation reviews, and project delivery. Valid U.S. driver's license and valid passport are required.

Competencies

• Technical design capability, analytical thinking, attention to detail, sound professional judgement, commercial awareness, and the ability to connect risk insight with practical design outcomes.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly to technical, non-technical, and senior-level audiences.
• Strong client focus, collaboration, adaptability, mentoring capability, and a solution-oriented approach within a globally connected and inclusive team environment.

Behaviors

• All employees are expected to display behaviors reflective of our company values: Integrity and Ethics, Collaboration and Teamwork, Commitment to People and Professionalism and Excellence.

The base salary range for this position is $115,000-$130,000 per year. Exact compensation offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Control Risks is committed to a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.

Control Risks participates in the E-Verify program to confirm employment authorization of all newly hired employees. The E-Verify process is completed during new hire onboarding and completion of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, at the start of employment. E-Verify is not used as a tool to pre-screen candidates. For more information on E-Verify, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Benefits

• Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarized in the full job offer.
• Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasize the value of in-person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.
• Medical Benefits, Prescription Benefits, FSA, Dental Benefits, Vision Benefits, Life and AD&D, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Disability Benefits, Voluntary Benefits, 401 (K) Retirement, Nationwide Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program.
• As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us and are fully committed to equal treatment, free from discrimination, of all candidates throughout our recruitment process.