SummaryThe position is located in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration, Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Western North Carolina VA Health Care System Office of the Executive Director, Strategic Planning & Development Section. The incumbent is responsible for Medical Center interior design projects at all Medical Center locations including the main facility in Asheville as well as three community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC's).
DutiesHelp
Duties may include but are not limited to:- Provides complete, from concept to installation, interior design services for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) and satellite facilities.
- Provides plans, consultation, advice, specifications, and designs for virtually all spaces involved in new construction and/or renovation.
- Develops and maintains a schedule of short and long range interior-improvement projects for the entire medical facility through the 5-year interior design plan and other programs to identify existing and future project needs. This includes preparation of the operating budget, floor plans, finish specifications, finish schedules, presentation boards, and accurate cost-estimates.
- Maintains interior/exterior signage and directional graphics to comply with "Signage Systems Standards Manual", M-00-2.
- Maintains 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.
- Responds to requests, complaints, etc. related to interior design functions. Advises the supervisor of suitable responses to deficiencies in design functions where applicable.
- Reviews Architect/Engineer submittals for compliance with VA regulations and facility design criteria.
- Originates orders for furnishings, window treatments, patient cubicle curtains, floor coverings, wall art, ambient lighting, and all other interior design-related accoutrements. Selects items based upon: patient, visitor, and staff needs; VA and facility standards, General Services Administration (GSA) contract sources; and available resources.
- Effectively utilizes an annual interior design budget in recurring funds and budgeting projects that may involve millions of dollars in non-recurring funds. This includes verifying receipt of orders and coordinating installation.
- Incumbent represents this VAMC complex at various design-trade functions and maintains an effective rapport with design-industry vendors and/or representatives. Contact is maintained with designers at VA facilities and other government agencies to exchange pertinent professional information regarding existing and future projects.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Ad-HocVirtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Interior Designer
/PD044220
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
RequirementsHelp
Conditions of employment- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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)
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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 period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
QualificationsTo 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-9. 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.
Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series, and it is something that can't be waived. The education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. All applicants must meet the requirements below.
EducationUndergraduate 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. (
Transcript Required) ORSpecialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): 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.
Grade Determination: In addition to the individual Occupational Requirements listed above, you must meet one of the following for the GS-11 Interior Design Occupation.
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-9 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 interior design and architecture experience demonstrating knowledge of fundamental principles in Medical and Commercial/Institutional/Barrier Free Design. Knowledge of scaled floor plans, and symbols used therein, for both interpreting and for producing accurate drawings/estimates. Knowledge of current product and installation costs to provide accurate budgetary estimates. knowledge of interior design materials and their utility, durability and practicality for a given application. Knowledge of the physical properties of interior design materials to include but are not limited to: paint, wall covering, lighting, plastics, ceiling and ceramic tile, wood, brick, drywall, and fabrics (including drapery, upholstery, carpet, linen) is necessary to the success of any installation in terms of fiber contents, construction, dye, maintenance, durability, flammability, and appropriateness. Knowledge and skill in the use of 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. Knowledge and skill in applying analytical techniques and evaluation criteria to the measurement and improvement of program effectiveness, work processes, and/or organizational productivity.
OR, - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have have successfully completed 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. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)
OR, - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, you must attach a copy of your transcripts.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
- Analytical Reasoning
- Design
- Planning and Evaluating
- Project Management
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: Work can vary from seated at a desk in front of a computer to extensive walking throughout the Medical Center (interior and exterior) and visitation to construction sites. Work may require some lifting (
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/.
EducationA 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 informationReceiving 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.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
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.
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.
BenefitsHelp
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.
