Clarification from the agency

OPEN TO CURRENT PERMANENT VA EMPLOYEES ONLY

• Plans and implements a comprehensive Interior Design Program.
• 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.
• Plans, specifies, writes procurement packages, supervises installation, and acts as the contracting officer's representative for furniture procurements within the facility.
• Works with direct supervisor to coordinate and maintains 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.
• Develops project timelines to ensure orders are placed in accordance with Procurement Action Lead Times (PALT) deadlines to ensure timely delivery without impact to construction deadlines and activation timelines.
• Develops the interior signage and wayfinding plan for the facility to comply with "VA Signage Guide" on the Technical Information Library (TIL).
• Represents the facility at various design trade functions and maintains an effective rapport with design-industry vendors and/or representatives.
• Manages a interior design file system that includes drawings, specifications, budgets, project information, government contracts, request for interior design services, and regulations pertaining to interior design; manage a resource library for furniture, material, finishes and all other design-related items.
• Responds to requests, complaints, etc. related to interior design furniture moves.
• An active participant of all committees that significantly impact the Interior Design Program.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30AM-4:00PM
Telework: Not Suitable
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Interior Designer/PD24024A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/11/2026.
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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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.

Basic Requirements: Must have one of the following:
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:

• 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, etc.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-9 Grade Requirements: Must have one of the following:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 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.
OR, GS-11 Grade Requirements: Must have one of the following:
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: 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, etc.
- 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, etc.
OR, You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Computer Skills
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Organizational Awareness
• Technical Competence

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps) and other organizations. 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 facility/grounds and visitation to construction sites and several off-site facilities. Work may require some lifting (<50 lbs.), 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.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• Other (1)
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing 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
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal permanent agency employees.

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