Interior Designer

Full Job Description

The position of Interior Designer is responsible for planning and implementation of a complete interior design program for the Ralph H.

Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina.

Design services are also provided for 5 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) located in North Charleston, Goose Creek, Beaufort, Myrtle Beach, and Savannah, along with various lease spaces in the Charleston and Conway areas.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/06/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-12 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one year of time-in-grade, as required by the announcement.

In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year of time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Experience General Experience (for GS-12 positions): Experience that provided a basic knowledge and understanding of interior design and the design process.

Experience may have been gained in work such as an interior design assistant or technician, architectural drafting, space planning, furniture/furnishings design, or other positions that require the practical application of design principles in a structured design process.

The work of craftspeople or hobbyists in the following fields does not qualify: painting, fiber art, weaving, woodworking, carpet installation, etc.

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-12): Experience that required the performance of work concerned with the design and alteration of interior spaces to meet functional and aesthetic needs such as: Identifying, researching, and creatively solving problems pertaining to the function and quality of the interior environment.

Performing services relative to interior spaces, including programming, design analysis, space planning and aesthetics, using specialized knowledge of interior construction, building systems and components, building codes, equipment, materials, and furnishings.

Preparing drawings and documents relative to the design of interior spaces in order to enhance and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Coordinating and integrating the mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering disciplines within the interior context.

Managing projects, developing cost estimates, evaluating bid proposals, reviewing construction documents, participating in on-site construction visits, conducting pre- and post-occupancy evaluations, developing standards for efficient space management, etc.

OR, Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- interior design or other field that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in interior design, interior architecture, or interior environmental design; or passage of the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and Management Budget Administration Client Orientation Education and Training Oral Communication Project Management Quality Assurance Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Work can normally be done while seated, such as at a drawing board or computer keyboard. Frequent walking is required during field surveys and installation of project work.

Work Environment: The work is typically performed in an adequately lit and climate-controlled office and requires normal safety precautions, particularly while at construction areas.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Major Duties:

Manages and performs the Interior Design program/functions covering in excess of 600,000 square feet of floor space.

Works closely with Safety, Infection Control, and any other regulatory entity that is deemed necessary for a project.

Handles all administrative work related to the Interior Design program, several engineering issues, and administrative work related to the Office of Space Management and Facilities Management Service (FMS).

This ranges from data entry of purchase orders to spreadsheets. Participates in meetings as a representative for both Interior Design and FMS/Engineering Management.

Designs building interior design environments to promote employee productivity, health, and welfare, and/or the health and welfare of the public.

Manages projects and serves as Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR).??????? Creates designs and furnishes buildings and medical facilities. Specifies finish/material schedules.

Develops and directs planning and scheduling for short and long-range interior improvement projects for the facility using the five-year facility plan and other programs to project future needs.

Prepares the necessary visual aids such as architectural drawings, sketches, renderings, color boards, and physical models for presentation of projects to appropriate officials.

Responsible for the total design of a building or medical facility.

Utilizes AUTOCAO (Computer Aided Design) for the room layout and proposed reconfigurations of various work areas within the Medical Center. Prepares floor plans, furnishings, and accessory selections.

Completes work before, during, and after when interior design needs are developed. Evaluates interior design program to ensure requirements and standards of the agency are followed.

Included are regulations regarding handicapped persons, facility requirements, etc. Advises management officials of program defects and required actions??????? in order to comply.

Makes recommendations for corrections of defects identified. ???????

Responsible for complex signage and wayfinding systems, building and room numbering systems, exterior signage and monument design, temporary signage systems, and Braille requirements.

Procures and supervises fabrication and placement of all interior and exterior signs. Advises on ergonomic issues/employee accommodation products, agency responsibilities, etc.

Holds conference and interviews with clients, management, and office personnel to define the scope of work; analyzes work functions and requirements; gathers data relating to details of furniture, equipment, utilities, and other special needs.

Develops block allocations of assigned space which incorporate functional adjacencies and prepares plans showing detailed layouts of furniture and partitions for the entire project.

After client approval, and following all established CAD standards and procedures, prepare a scaled layouts and detailed drawings delineating furniture, partitions, carpet, utilities, security requirements, and drawings for custom items as required, provides CAD drawings, color boards, and material samples.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00 am - 3:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: May be Authorized Telework: This position may be authorized for Ad-hoc telework.

Ad-hoc telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Position Description/PD#: Interior Designer/PD007070 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized