Forensic MEP Engineer

HKA is a global leader in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, and expert witness services. We tackle complex challenges with our multi-disciplinary expertise.

As trusted consultants and advisors, we deliver solutions in uncertain and disputed situations, ensuring the best outcomes for clients worldwide. Our experts have testified globally on major cases spanning across a wide range of industries and sectors.

As part of the HKA team you can expect:

• A strong collaborative culture with a mutual pursuit of your success alongside the success of our teams.

• The opportunity to solve problems creatively, contribute to our innovative direction, and be valued as an individual

• The ability to leverage HKA’s strong network and presence in various industries and reputation for exceptional expert witnesses to accelerate career development and connections.

The Opportunity:

HKA is seeking a senior Forensic MEP Engineer to support complex litigation, arbitration, and dispute matters across Canada. This role focuses on forensic investigation and expert opinion related to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing building systems, with a strong emphasis on independent expert report preparation and courtroom testimony.

The successful candidate will bring substantial building systems design and construction experience and will be trusted by clients and counsel to deliver clear, defensible opinions on causation, standard of care, and responsibility in contested legal environments.

Responsibilities

Forensic & Litigation Consulting

•Lead forensic investigations involving failures, deficiencies, and performance disputes associated with building MEP systems.

•Evaluate causation related to HVAC systems, electrical distribution, emergency power, lighting, plumbing, fire protection, and life safety systems.

•Determine responsibility associated with design intent, construction practices, commissioning, operation, and maintenance.

•Prepare independent, litigation-ready expert reports suitable for use in arbitration, mediation, and court proceedings.

•Provide expert witness testimony under oath at deposition, arbitration, and trial, including experience under cross-examination.

•Consult directly with legal counsel, insurers, owners, and developers on dispute strategy, evidentiary issues, and remediation options.

Technical Expertise

•Review and analyze drawings, specifications, calculations, commissioning records, test reports, and maintenance documentation.

•Conduct site inspections, system testing, and performance evaluations.

•Assess compliance with applicable Canadian codes and standards (CSA, National Building Code of Canada, provincial amendments).

•Develop technically sound remediation and repair recommendations.

Experience and Qualifications

•Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Building Systems Engineering; advanced degree preferred.

•Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) license in at least one Canadian province required; eligibility for registration in additional provinces preferred.

•15+ years of progressive MEP engineering experience, including significant involvement in design, construction administration, commissioning, and system troubleshooting.

•Demonstrated experience investigating failures and deficiencies in HVAC, electrical power and distribution, emergency power, plumbing, fire protection, and life safety systems.

•Demonstrated forensic engineering and dispute consulting experience, including preparation of independent expert opinions for contested matters.

•Minimum 1+ year of experience serving as an Expert Witness, with formal experience providing testimony in depositions, arbitration, and/or court proceedings.

•Proven ability to draft clear, defensible expert reports suitable for judicial and arbitral scrutiny.

•Strong client delivery and relationship management experience, including direct interaction with legal counsel, insurers, developers, and asset owners.

•Experience managing multiple concurrent assignments while meeting litigation-driven deadlines.

•Demonstrated contribution to business development activities, including proposal support, maintaining and expanding client relationships, participation in industry events, and identification of follow-on work.

•Excellent written and verbal communication skills appropriate for client presentations, expert testimony, and cross-examination.

•Willingness to travel for site investigations, hearings, and client meetings.

What we offer:

At HKA we recognize that our people are critical to our ongoing success. Our priority is to provide an inclusive and collaborative culture aimed at providing the best opportunities for our people to thrive and develop in their chosen career path.

Our Global Recruitment team is committed to providing an authentic candidate experience for all those who take the time to apply to HKA. We are committed to providing an efficient and insightful recruitment process giving candidates a true reflection of life at HKA. 

Fairness and Equality at HKA:

HKA works hard to provide a welcoming environment for all of our employees. We are committed as a business on the continued improvement of our fairness and equality strategy. Please visit our careers page for further information or feel free to ask our recruitment team for further information.

All HKA employment decisions shall be made in accordance with controlling laws and based on merit.

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