Interior Designer - Senior

Gensler; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 116,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401k with profit sharing

Bonus opportunities

Job summary

Gensler in San Francisco seeks a Licensed Interior Designer to lead projects across Workplace, Commercial, Sciences, and more. You will guide conceptual design through construction documents, mentor teams, and drive client relationships while aligning design with business strategies.

You bring 10+ years of experience, NCIDQ, and strong Revit/Adobe skills to deliver sustainable, high‑quality environments and contribute to studio growth and market initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Interior Design or Architecture.
• NCIDQ certification required.
• 10+ years of professional interior design experience across corporate workplace interiors, technology, higher education, residential, aviation, sciences, or design strategy.
• Portfolio with at least one sustainability-focused project.
• Strong conceptual thinking with experiential design and spatial storytelling.
• Expert knowledge of FF&E, color/material palettes, furniture systems, and specifications.
• Advanced proficiency in Revit.
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite; familiar with AI-enabled design tools.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Strong leadership, communication, and relationship-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead interior design efforts from conceptual design through construction documentation.
• Develop space planning strategies and planning layouts with stakeholder engagements to confirm design intent.
• Provide design leadership and strategic oversight for project execution.
• Direct the FF&E selection and development with material presentations aligned to resilience goals.
• Serve as the primary design liaison with clients, consultants, and collaborators.
• Build and grow client relationships while supporting business development.
• Collaborate with Design Directors to advance an interdisciplinary design approach.
• Contribute beyond projects to support broader office and regional initiatives.
• Promote design excellence and evolve design processes.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Client relationships

Strategic thinking

Revit proficiency

Adobe Creative Suite

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Interior Design or Architecture

NCIDQ certification

Tools

Revit

AI-enabled design tools

Job description

Description

Your Role

Gensler is seeking an accomplished Licensed Interior Designer to join our San Francisco office, bringing experience across one or more of the following practice areas: Workplace, Commercial, Sciences, Mixed-Use, Aviation, Residential, Design Strategy, and/or Higher Education. This role is ideal for a design leader who combines strong creative vision with strategic thinking and a passion for shaping meaningful, high-performing environments.

The successful candidate will bring demonstrated leadership in guiding teams, inspiring collaboration, and delivering design excellence at every scale. You are a strong conceptual thinker with the ability to translate interior architectural ideas into compelling, well-resolved spaces, while aligning design intent with sound business strategy. You know how to rally teams around a shared vision, elevate design conversations, and balance project-specific goals with the broader culture and needs of the San Francisco office and regional practice.

Beyond project delivery, you are client-focused and relationship-driven, contributing to business development efforts and maintaining trusted partnerships. You lead with a service-oriented mindset and are committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and inspiring studio culture. With a strong professional reputation and presence within the design community, you bring both credibility and curiosity to the work helping to advance design thinking, mentorship, and impact at Gensler.

What You Will Do

• Lead interior design efforts from conceptual design through schematic design, design development, and construction documentation
• Develop space planning strategies, program documents, and planning layouts, and lead stakeholder engagements to confirm design intent
• Provide design leadership and strategic oversight to ensure the successful execution and delivery of projects
• Direct the selection and development of FF&E, color palettes, and material presentations, generating specifications aligned with Gensler’s Resilience goals
• Serve as the primary design liaison with clients, consultants, and collaborators, fostering strong relationships and clear communication
• Build, maintain, and grow client relationships while supporting business development efforts across a broad client base
• Collaborate closely with Design Directors and Regional Design Directors to advance an interdisciplinary design approach across offices and practice areas
• Contribute beyond individual projects to support broader office, regional, and market initiatives
• Promote design excellence by continually elevating the quality of work, delivery methods, and design processes
• Play a key role in the growth and success of the studio in which you support, collaborating with practice leaders to advance design culture and firm recognition
• Act as an influential voice of design within the market by communicating and implementing key strategic initiatives
• Mentor and develop designers by providing creative direction, fostering inclusive leadership, and embedding principles of diversity, inclusion, and universal design in project work

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Interior Design or Architecture
• NCIDQ certification required
• Minimum 10+ years of professional experience as an Interior Designer in any or all of the following sectors: corporate workplace interiors, technology, higher education, residential, aviation, sciences, or design strategy.
• Demonstrated commitment to sustainability and sustainable building practices; portfolio must include at least one project with a sustainability focus
• Strong conceptual thinking skills with expertise in experiential design and spatial storytelling
• Expert knowledge of FF&E, color and material palettes, furniture systems, and specifications
• Skilled in space planning, programming, and translating complex requirements into effective design solutions
• Outstanding graphic and visual presentation skills
• Advanced proficiency in Revit
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and familiar with emerging technologies, including AI-enabled design tools
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities
• Strong leadership, communication, and relationship-management skills
• Knowledge of sustainable and universal design principles; LEED accreditation preferred
• Flexibility to support a dedicated long-term client or manage multiple projects at various stages of development

Salary

• The base salary will be estimated between $116,000 - $155,000, plus bonuses and benefits, and contingent on relevant experience.

Life at Gensler

At Gensler, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From curated art exhibits to internal design competitions and hackathons, to "Well-being Week", our offices reflect our teams’ diverse interests.

We encourage our employees to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401k, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, and twice annual bonus opportunities. Our annual base salary range has been established based on local markets.

As part of the firm’s commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affimative Action employer of choice. All aspects of employment decisions will be based on merit, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of any status protected under federal, state and local law.

Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with federal, state and local law.

See also Know your rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal, right to work and E-verify program, as required by law.

Gensler endeavors to make gensler.com/careers accessible to all applicants. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us.

Regarding Gensler’s approach to recruiting new talent, we will never ask an applicant for sensitive or personal financial information during the recruitment process. We advise all applicants seeking employment with Gensler to review available information on recruitment fraud. Anyone who suspects that they have been contacted by someone falsely representing Gensler should email [e-mail].