Interior Designer

Summary The Interior Designer is responsible for planning, implementation and operational management of a complete Interior Design program. This position is located at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Utilize Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Drafting Software to maintain accurate records of project in all stages. Use knowledge of interior design, building systems and construction methods, esthetics, psychology, environmental concerns, budget and cost, logistics, safety/ergonomics, and historic preservation to create designs and furnish buildings and medical facilities. Prepare architectural drawings, renderings, color boards and PowerPoint presentations to effectively communicate design plans to medical staff. Prepare preliminary space plans for proposed projects, including detailed specifications to evaluate alternatives. Utilize computer equipment with a wide variety of software to input and retrieve data as required, produce letters, memorandums, and to prepare a variety of specific working documents and forms such as spreadsheet, database, word processing, desktop publishing, graphics, and other similar products. Maintain an interior design file system that includes drawings, specifications, budgets, project information, government contracts, requests for interior design services, and regulations pertaining to interior design. Maintain a resource library of catalogs for furniture, window treatments, wall coverings, patient-cubicle curtains, floor coverings, wall art, and all other design-related items. Perform the duties of the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and maintain all contract administration files in accordance with VA policies and procedures. Coordinate facility paint, flooring and ceiling/lighting schedule with appropriate construction crews. Originate orders for furnishings, window treatments, floor coverings, wall art, ambient lighting, and all other interior design-related accoutrements. Specify color and finish selections to ensure that maintenance, condition of existing areas, end user needs, and compliance with the overall design objective are met. Ensure new signage/directional graphics meet the requirements of Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and effectively informs/directs patients, visitors, and staff. Maintain recurring funds and budgeting projects that may involve millions of dollars in non-recurring funds. Develop cost estimates to cover furnishings required for projects included in budget submissions. Work with supervisor to prepare 5-year interior design plan, 5-year Strategic Plan, including the operating budget. Serve as an active member of all committees that impact the Interior Design program. Respond to requests, complaints, etc., related to interior design functions. Perform other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: Work can vary from seated at a desk in front of a computer to extensive walking throughout the facility/grounds (interior and exterior) and visitation to construction sites and several off-site facilities. Work may require some lifting (<50lbs.), light furniture moving/rearranging, carrying heavy and bulky catalogs/artwork/samples etc. and travel/driving as needed to showrooms, furniture dealers and satellite facilities. Dexterity is required related to duties performed in drafting, sketching and writing. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Requires at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is 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. Note: Resume must clearly support the duties and experience required for this position. We will not make assumptions regarding experience. -OR- SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major study in 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 that was supplemented by passage of the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination. (Transcripts Required and/or proof of NCIDQ examination passage required) -OR- COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above to meet the total qualification requirements. (Transcripts 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/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation.