Space Planning/Interior Design Lead

Sheladia Associates, Inc; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 105,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Medical insurance

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Job summary

SHELADIA Associates in the Washington, DC area is seeking a Space Planning/Interior Design Lead to direct programming, workplace planning, interior modernization, and facility-upgrade assignments for diplomatic personnel and operations.

The role requires translating mission, staffing, security, technology, and furniture requirements into coordinated space solutions, developing concepts and implementation plans, and coordinating with architecture, MEP, IT, and security teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in interior design, architecture, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive space-planning and interior design experience.
• NCIDQ certification or architectural registration preferred.
• Experience leading complex programming and modernization assignments.
• Strong knowledge of accessibility, life-safety, and workplace standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead space programming, workplace planning, and interior-design assignments.
• Translate requirements into coordinated space solutions for mission-critical facilities.
• Develop interior concepts, finish standards, and furniture requirements.
• Assess spaces and develop modernization, reconfiguration, and swing-space strategies.
• Coordinate architecture, MEP, IT, and security requirements.
• Support renovations while maintaining mission continuity and safety.
• Facilitate workshops with clients and stakeholders.
• Prepare plans, specs, reports, and cost inputs.

Skills

Revit

AutoCAD

BIM

Space planning

Interior design

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Wayfinding

Education

Bachelor's degree in interior design or architecture

Master's degree in interior design or architecture

NCIDQ certification or architectural registration

Tools

Revit

AutoCAD

Visualization tools

Presentation software

Job description

SHELADIA Associates is a multi-disciplinary international professional consulting firm with demonstrated experience in the successful management and implementation of development projects worldwide. SHELADIA believes practicality and sustainability in development projects require flexible resource management, active participation of all stakeholders, and a shared goal of strengthening institutions and operational systems to optimize available resources.

Equal Opportunity and Aff...

Job Description

This position is contingent upon IDIQ contract award and subsequent task-order award(s) and requirements. It is intended to support SHELADIA's pursuit of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), 2026 Worldwide A/E Support Services IDIQ. Employment, assignments, travel, and project responsibilities will be based on the awarded contract and applicable task orders.

The program may support planning, design, construction, facility rehabilitation, system replacement, security upgrades, communications facilities, and building maintenance at Foreign Service posts worldwide and OBO offices in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Services may include professional support services, constructability reviews, critical-path schedule and risk analyses, and project-budget analyses.

The Space Planning/Interior Design Lead will direct programming, workplace planning, interior modernization, and facility-upgrade assignments, creating functional, secure, flexible, accessible, and mission-responsive environments for diplomatic personnel and operations.

• Lead space programming, utilization studies, workplace planning, blocking and stacking, test fits, and interior-design assignments.
• Translate mission, staffing, workflow, security, accessibility, technology, and furniture requirements into coordinated space solutions.
• Develop interior concepts, finish standards, furniture requirements, signage, wayfinding, and implementation plans.
• Assess existing spaces and develop modernization, reconfiguration, consolidation, swing-space, and phased-occupancy strategies.
• Coordinate architectural, structural, MEP, fire protection, IT, acoustical, technical-security, and furniture requirements.
• Support occupied-facility renovations while maintaining mission continuity, life safety, security, and ongoing operations.
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops and interviews with OBO clients, facility managers, security personnel, and end users.
• Prepare and review plans, specifications, reports, presentations, cost inputs, schedules, furniture packages, and scopes of work.
• Apply U.S. Government requirements while addressing host-country codes, materials, procurement constraints, and construction practices.
• Provide quality-control reviews, mentor design staff, and support proposals, interviews, and client presentations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in interior design, architecture, space planning, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in space planning, programming, interior design, workplace strategy, or related services.
• NCIDQ certification, architectural registration, or another professional credential appropriate to the discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex programming, space-planning, and interior-modernization assignments.
• Strong knowledge of accessibility, life-safety, workplace, furniture, finish, signage, and wayfinding requirements.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary design, engineering, security, technology, and furniture requirements.
• Proficiency with Revit, AutoCAD, BIM, space-management, visualization, and presentation tools.
• Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment in operationally sensitive, diplomatically complex, or high-security environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government personnel security clearance when required by the assigned work.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in interior design, architecture, or a related field.
• Experience with diplomatic, federal, defense, institutional, workplace, mission-critical, or high-security facilities.
• Experience supporting phased renovations in active and occupied international facilities.
• LEED AP, WELL AP, EDAC, or comparable sustainability, wellness, or evidence-based design credential.
• Experience coordinating U.S. standards with host-country laws, codes, authorities, materials, and construction practices.

Additional Information

International and domestic travel is expected and may include short-notice trips to overseas diplomatic facilities and other project locations. Travel requirements may vary based on assigned projects, task orders, and client requirements.

Salary: $105,000-$160,000 per year, commensurate withexperience and qualifications.

Sheladia Associates, Inc. has made the best effort to accurately represent the pay range for this position, however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, and any applicable cost of living data relevant to the position/candidate.

Other compensation: opportunities for annual increase and bonus, and other types of bonuses.

Sheladia provides employees with the opportunity to work in a diverse, multi-cultural environment with exposure to and collaboration with multiple disciplines on a variety of projects. You will work in a hands-on, collaborative team environment.

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health Savings Account (HSA; with eligible medical plan enrollment)
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability
• Medical insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Sheladia Associates, Inc. does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters/recruitment agencies or utilize any such agency or firm for our recruitment/talent acquisition needs. Please do not solicit candidates or services to any Sheladia employees.