Interior Designer - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive Authorized

Description:

As an Interior Designer, incumbent is assigned the multiple, complex, and frequently urgent design projects undertaken by the Capital Improvement Team in Facility Support Service. Incumbent has full responsibility for developing and continuing an interior design program for all areas of El Paso VA Health Care System (EPVHCS). The incumbent works as a technical expert with technical independence under the general supervision of the Supervisory Healthcare Engineer of the Capital Improvement Team.

Requirements:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/09/2026.

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-09. 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.

This position has an Individual Occupation Requirement (IOR). All applicants must meet one of the below:

• 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 . OR
• Experience: 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.

In addition to the above IOR, you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of interior design and space planning; Knowledge of the fundamentals of Commercial/Institutional/Barrier Free Design is required; Knowledge of a variety of methods, techniques, and materials used in architectural and interior design needs for the facility, including construction knowledge; prepares all necessary scaled architectural floor plans, space layouts, reflected ceiling plans, finish plans, working drawings, specifications, detailed drawings for custom work and furniture fabrication; deal effectively with architects/engineers (AE) firms, staff engineers, facility planners, architects, construction contractors, vendors, and healthcare system personnel; evaluates materials and furnishings appropriate to the end use; Develops drawings needed to finalize plans and specifications and proceeds with recommendations for the selection, procurement, and placement of furnishings; prepares floor plans and configures furniture layouts using the latest AutoCAD software, 3D modeling software such as BM, Revit, and/or Google Sketchup; Oral and written communication skills; communicates via architectural drawings, sketches, and renderings, color boards, and PowerPoint presentations in clear, concise, and accurate interpretation of proposals to medical center staff. 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 LL.M, if related. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have any combination of specialized experience and education beyond a Master's degree.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Communication
• Customer Service
• Design
• Mental Visualization
• Creativity and Innovation

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: The incumbent will be conducting inspections and surveys of construction sites with a need for physical agility to access unfinished buildings and wear personal protective equipment (PPE). The incumbent must have ability to work within an environment of conflicting deadlines and shifting priorities. The incumbent may be required to work evenings or weekends, as well as preform infrequent overnight travel to meetings and conferences

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/ .