Interior Designer

Summary

Interior Designer is responsible for the planning and implementation of a complete interior design program for the Engineering Service, VAMC Lexington, Kentucky. The scope of the existing areas under the care and responsibility of the incumbent is over 1.465 million gross square feet on 150 acres at two division, Leestown and Cooper Divisions and (4) Community Based Out-reach Clinics (CBOC's). The Interior Design would be a direct report to the Office of the Chief, Engineering Service.

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Duties

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Primary Duties include, but not limited to:

• Consults, advises, plans and designs all spaces in new and or renovated construction areas.
• Develops and directs planning and scheduling of short and long-range interior improvement projects for the medical center using the facility's construction and backfill plans along with other programs that determine the future needs.
• Uses sound judgment, tact and diplomacy to resolve problems and must be able to motivate, influence, justify and defend matters and disputes with persons who may be unfamiliar with the scope of their work.
• Develops and maintains a comprehensive resource library of interior design literature.
• Prepares equipment and furniture listings for all assigned major renovation and new construction projects and also facility management required by the Medical Center.
• Analyzes and develops cost estimates to cover furnishings and construction for all required projects and future needs of the facility for replacements.
• Maintains good working relationships with commercial vendors, contractors and VA staff working on renovation and new construction projects.
• Evaluates total program to assure compliance with department of VA requirements, Joint Commission standards, regulations regarding provisions for handicapped persons and Privacy Act requirements and makes recommendations for corrects if defects are identified.
• Influences design from conception through to activation by in-depth knowledge of user requirements and availability of furnishings to satisfy those needs.
• Services as Contracting Officer Representative (COR) analyzing and developing cost estimates to cover furnishings and construction required for projects.
• Budgets projects utilizing yearly budgeted funds and non-recurring funds assuring all receipts for orders are verified and installation is supervised.
• Due to rapid changes in the field of design and changes mandated by VA policies, must be aware of the multiple facets of the interior design industry and what innovative products are available.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday: 8:00am-4:30pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Interior Designer / PD011640

Requirements

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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 ( 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 or trial 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, 09/24/2026.

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.

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:
• 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.

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

• Attention to Detail
• Creative Thinking
• Customer Service
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Decision Making
• Financial Management
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Strategic Thinking
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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 work is partially sedentary, although some physical effort may be required when moving furniture or pulling modular product for installation. The work involves regular walking, bending, climbing and occasionally crawling in or around the facility and construction sites. Work hours can vary from the normal schedule depending upon the circumstances surrounding project performance or building management system operation which can entail night, weekend, and/or extended daily work hours.

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

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.

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.

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.