Interior Designer

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System (NMVAHCS) seeks an Interior Designer to lead the organization’s Interior Design program within Facilities Management. This role coordinates with team members, vendors, and stakeholders, acting as the primary liaison for related activities and ensuring alignment with health care environment standards.

The role requires meeting federal qualification standards for the GS-11 level, including specialized experience or education as described by OPM

Qualifications

• Major study in interior design, interior architecture, or interior environmental design, or NCIDQ eligibility.
• 1 year of specialized experience in interior space design, analysis, and coordination with engineering disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Oversee planning, implementation, and ongoing management of the interior design program.
• Coordinate with team members, vendors, and stakeholders; serve as primary contact for related activities.
• Prepare and review drawings, documents, budgets, and project information; manage design file systems; supervise on-site visits.

Skills

Interior design

Education

NCIDQ examination

Graduate education equivalent (Ph.D./LL.M. or higher)

Job description

The New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System (NMVAHCS) is currently seeking an Interior Designer to join the Facilities Management Service, Interior Design Section. This role involves overseeing the planning, implementation, and ongoing management of the organization's Interior Design program. The position requires coordination and collaboration with team members, external vendors, and stakeholders, serving as the primary point of contact and liaison for related activities.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/30/2026. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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 you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year 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: Individual Occupational Requirements 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. (Transcript or proof of passage of NCIDQ examination required) OR, Specialized Experience: 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. GS-11 Grade Level Requirements Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: preparing drawings and documents relative to the design of interior spaces; managing design file systems (e.g. drawings, budgets, specifications, project information, etc); reviewing construction documents; and evaluating bid proposals. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or related LL.M. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond master's or equivalent graduate degree, beyond 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education, or beyond LL.B or J.D., if related (Transcript Required).

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/.