Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Interior Designer

Department of Commerce
Office of the Secretary
Office of Facilities and Environmental Quality (OFEQ)

Summary

This vacancy is for a Interior Designer in the Office of Facilities and Environmental Quality within the Department of Commerce.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 06/30/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$85,447 - $133,142 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 3
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
OS-OFEQ-ST-26-12978135
Control number
873980000

Duties

Help

As a Interior Designer, you will perform the following duties:

  • Establish requirements, draft floor plans, determine cost estimates, project schedules, and acquisition of furnishings. Prepare visual aids, including architectural drawings, sketches, renderings, color boards, and physical models for the presentation of projects.
  • Conduct on-site space utilization surveys and implement actions to ensure the full and efficient use of the Department of Commerce assigned space in the Herbert C. Hoover Building (HCHB) and per the space database.
  • Prepare procurement packages and act as the contracting officer's representative for all furniture procurements within the facility. Maintaining computer-aided facilities management software database and generating reports. Responsible for all aspects of the space and inventory database including data collection and management.
  • Manage renovation and furniture requests and provide technical advice to customers. Serve as the project manager for interior office refurbishments and reconfigurations.
  • Responds to requests, complaints, etc. regarding interior design and furniture moves. Present information to customers and work directly with the supervisor to discuss services and processes with upper management.


This position is also advertised under OS-OFEQ-DE-26-12978134, which is open to Delegated Examining eligible applicants. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Interior Designer ZA-1008-3, FPL 3 (or equivalent) positions within the Department of Commerce in the same geographical location or local commuting area with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
  • A probationary or trial period may be required.
  • Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/).
  • If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
  • All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No
  • Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No
  • Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: Will Not be paid
  • License required: No
  • Drug Test Required: No
  • Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=Occupational-Series

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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, religious; 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.

This position is being filled under the Department Of Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career path and pay band.

The ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12 grade levels. To qualify at the ZA-3 level your resume must demonstrate:


SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 (or equivalent pay band) level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:

  • Identifying, researching, and creatively solving problems pertaining to the function and quality of the interior environment.
  • 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.
  • Assisting with and/or 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-

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION
: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related to 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 passage of the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination.

NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application. 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 OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 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 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. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

Education

There is no positive education requirement for this position.

See Qualifications Above.

NOTE:
If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated for equivalency to that acquired at U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of coursework and degree. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing, along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

Additional information

The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that do not fall under competitive examining procedures; however, they may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

  1. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
  2. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)
  3. Military Spouse Non-Competitive Hiring Authority
  4. Veterans Recruitment Act (VRA)
  5. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
  6. 30% or more disabled veterans
  7. Persons with disabilities

ICTAP and CTAP Eligibles: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

Military Spouse: The spouse of a member of the armed forces seeking eligibility under the non-competitive hiring authority of certain military spouse MUST submit various required documentation by the closing date of the announcement in accordance with one of the three below eligibilities:

  • Spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty,
  • Spouse of service member who incurred a 100% disability, or
  • Un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while performing active duty.

Please review the "Required Documents" Section for specific documents pertaining to each of the above eligibilities that MUST be included with your application, if you are applying as a Military Spouse.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Reasonable Accommodations (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. 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.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., two-page resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, the result of the USA Hire assessment and Structured Resume Review required for this position.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume). Applicants passing the structured resume review will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

For Certain Military Spouses: All applicants who meet the qualification requirements and military spouse noncompetitive eligibility requirements (see "Additional Information" section above") will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration on a separate referral list. While veterans' preference is not a consideration when filling positions under the military spouse non-competitive hiring authority, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214, stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).

If you are invited for an interview, you will be asked to bring a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

The assessments will evaluate you on the following general/technical competencies required to perform the job; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, Decision Making, and Reasoning, Interior Design

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume/application. If any are included, you will be deemed INELIGIBLE for consideration.
  • Classified or government-sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
To preview the questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12978135

Office of the Secretary

The Office of the Secretary is the general management arm of the department and provides the principal support to the Secretary in formulating policy and in providing advice to the President. It provides program leadership for the department's functions and exercises general supervision over the operating units. It also directly carries out program functions as may be assigned by the Secretary and provides - as determined to be more economical or efficient - administrative and other support services for designated operating units.

The Office of the Secretary consists of the Secretary, certain secretarial officers, designated staff immediately serving those officials and a number of offices which serve department-wide functions or perform program functions directly on behalf of the Secretary.

Agency contact information

Shawn Blain
Email
sblain1@doc.gov
Address
Office of Facilities and Environmental Quality
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Office of the Secretary, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.commerce.gov/

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.