Interior Designer

Summary

Incumbent serves as the Interior Designer in the Office of the Chief, Engineering Service and is responsible for the medical center interior design projects for all Services within the Mountain Home VA Healthcare System including the James H. Quillen VAMC, the Knoxville, Morristown, Rogersville, Sevierville, LaFollette, Bristol and Norton Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, and the associated Rural Outreach Clinics in Jonesville, Marion and Vansant.

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Duties

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The incumbent is responsible for the planning and implementation of a comprehensive Interior Design program and signage program.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Serves on special Committee appointed by the Medical Center Director, which include: Space Committee, Ergonomics Committee, and-GEMS Committee.
• Key member of the projects section and serves as Interior Design Coordinator and developer on nonrecurring maintenance and construction type projects.
• Creates architectural and furnishing layouts for the facilities. Prepares the necessary visual aids, such as architectural drawings. sketches, renderings, and color boards in order to adequately design and prepare facilities for the hospital. This includes preparing preliminary plans for nonrecurring and station level construction projects.
• Prepares floor plans, furnishings and accessory selections.
• Independently prepares and maintains interior design FCP budget Develops and cost estimates.
• Conducts evaluations of interior design program for compliance with the Department of Veterans Affairs requirements.
• Responsible for complex signage and way finding systems. room numbering systems, exterior signage and Braille requirements.
• Procure and supervise fabrication and placement of all interior and exterior signs.
• Prepares and reviews construction specifications for the construction projects including materials, finish's, construction processes and other items of technical information necessary for the practical accomplishment of the construction project.
• Prepares preliminary space plans for proposed projects. Utilizes Computer Aided Design (CAD) to maintain accurate records of projects. Prepares requests for additional furnishings with records of delivery location.
• Advises on adequacy and adaptability or space.
• Coordinates furniture procurement through Logistics Service.
• Ensures OSHA standards and Joint Commission standards and regulations regarding provisions for handicapped
  persons and signage packages in compliance with American with Disabilities Act.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:45am, 4:30pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Interior Designer/ PD60125A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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
• The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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, 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, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/30/2026.

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 Requirements: The Interior Design Series has Individual Occupational Requirements that must be met. Failure to document these Individual Occupational Requirements on your resume will result in non-referral to the hiring manager.

You must have one of the following:

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,

Specialized 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:

(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.

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-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: 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.

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a related field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

OR,

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a 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, a copy of your transcript is required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

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: 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:

Additional information

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.

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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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.

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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.

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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.