Interior Designer

Summary This position is located within the Engineering Service at the VA Healthcare System of the Ozarks (VHSO) in Fayetteville, AR. The Interior Designer plans and implements a comprehensive Interior Design Program which includes providing complete, from concept to installation, interior design services for the organization to include satellite facilities. Learn more about this agency Duties ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** The major duties include but are not limited to: Performs and manages work related to the design of interior environments to promote employee productivity, health, and welfare, and/or the health and welfare of the public; Provides technical expertise to coworkers and contractors and routinely coordinates with engineers, architects, and other designers to ensure compliance with VA regulations and facility design criteria; Acts as a technical representative for design and finish specifications matters and manages the facility furniture program; Influences design of new construction from conception through activation by an in-depth knowledge of use requirements and availability of resources to fulfill these Requirements; Ensures that appropriately designed finish plans are formulated and comply with commercial building codes, safety and environmental guidelines and the VA master specification for all renovation and new construction projects; Plans, specifics, writes procurement packages, supervises installation, and acts as the contracting officer's representative for all furniture procurements within the facility; Works with direct supervisor to create a 5-year furniture replacement program for the facility; Provides plans, consultation, advice, specifications, and designs for virtually all spaces involved in new construction and/or renovation; reviews Architect/Engineer submittals for compliance with VA regulations and facility design criteria; Works with direct supervisor to coordinate and maintain a schedule of short and long range interior improvement projects for the facility through the 5-year interior design plan and other programs to identify existing and future project needs; Works with direct supervisor to determine priorities and utilize an annual interior design budget in recurring funds and budgeting projects that may involve millions of dollars in nonrecurring funds; Prepares and enters about 225 to 250 purchase card orders each year in four fund control points: Medical Interior Design, Admin Interior Design, Facility Interior Design, and Medical scrubs; Develops the interior/exterior signage and wayfinding plan for the facility; Represents the facility at various design-trade functions and maintains an effective rapport with design-industry vendors and/or representatives; Coordinates furniture moves within the facility and off-site locations; Participates in planning and coordinating moves with move team, utility shutdowns, phases, and other requirements for construction projects; and Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 7:00am to 3:30pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. 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 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 To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must meet one of the following requirements: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Interior Designer, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. 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: (1) Identifying, researching, and creatively solving problems pertaining to the function and quality of the interior environment; (2) 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; (3) 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; (4) Coordinating and integrating the mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering disciplines within the interior context; (5) 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. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. 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 passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination. This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Interior Designer position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. If attempting to qualify based on passage of the NCIDQ exam, you must also submit a copy of your certification with your application. Certification cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet the total requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Interior Designer position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Driver's License Requirement (Screen-out): This position requires driving a government vehicle to perform the duties of the position, therefore, a current, valid state driver's license is required. Note: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current and valid state-issued driver's license. 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 offsite 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 showroom, furniture dealers and satellite facilities. Dexterity is required related to duties performed in drafting, sketching, and writing. Generally, works in an office environment but must conduct site visits throughout all areas of the organizational complex and satellite facilities. Inspects work sites during demolition and construction encountering noise, fumes, dust, and debris. Precautionary measures should be taken in potentially infectious and construction areas. Required to use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment as required by OSHA and project conditions. 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. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.