Clarification from the agency

T5 (Status Candidate): (i.e. Current permanent employees of the Department of VA including VA Title 38, Title 38 Hybrid, and Canteen employees covered by the interchange agreement; All federal employees serving on a Career/Career-Conditional appointment; Former competitive civil service employees eligible for reinstatement; Veterans eligible under the VEO Act; 30% Disabled Veterans; VRA . Those eligible under the Employment Program for People with Disabilities; Those eligible under CTAP/ICTAP).

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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- Facilities Management Service/PD011640

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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 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, 07/16/2026.

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-09.

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.

Applicants must submit documentation verifying that they meet time-in-grade requirements in accordance with federal regulations. Human Resources will not review or access official personnel records to determine eligibility if supporting documentation is not provided. Failure to submit required documentation will result in an ineligible rating.

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

Occupational Requirements: The Interior Design Series has Individual Occupational Requirements that must be meet. 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.

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.

Basis for Selection: Selections for positions will be based on the objective evaluation of the candidates' total qualifications for the position. "Qualifications" means the combination of experience, training, education, skills, knowledge, abilities, personal characteristics, and merit factors deemed to be pertinent to successful performance.

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 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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.