Bringing the spaces of a home or office building to life takes talent and skill, and interior designers are pros at creating comfortable, beautiful, functional, and safe environments in spaces of all sizes and kinds.
Interior designers work to determine space requirements and select which furnishings, lighting, layout, materials, and colors will work best to make the space all that it can be for their client’s needs and style. Interior designers may have clients who range from private individuals to companies moving into new office spaces.
Interior designers collaborate with architects, engineers, and others in their work, reviewing blueprints, building codes, and inspection regulations, as well as universal accessibility standards.
Sample job description #1
We are seeking mid-level interior designers with 8-12 years of experience to work with our team in pushing our interiors practice forward in both our Portland and Bend offices. Ideal candidates will have a background in multi-family housing and interest in diverse project types. They will have an enthusiasm for contributing to all aspects of the work – specifically the ability to translate design into compelling ideas and document them, through a collaborative process with clients, consultants, and team members.
Base qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Architecture
- Excellent design and technical skills
- Fluency in Revit, SketchUp, and InDesign
- Strong written and visual communication skills
- Ability to independently manage priorities and workflow, while seeking input as needed.
Desired qualifications
- NCIDQ certification holder
- Sustainable design credential(s) such as LEED, WELL, LFA, etc.
- Knowledge of, or interest in learning about, Critical Race Theory or other anti-racist/equity frameworks
- Proficiency in healthy materials criteria, evaluation, and specification
- Experience using Enscape with Revit
- Knowledge of health, safety, and, accessibility codes
Responsibilities
- Establish conceptual framework for projects
- Generate design studies based on conceptual and functional criteria
- Contribute to collaborative and conceptual design dialogue
- Create compelling and informative presentations
- Present design developments to clients
- Research and specify healthy materials appropriate for project
- Develop and manage space plans and client programs
- Produce construction documents
- Collaborate with consultants and integrate their work into the design
- Creation of furniture plans, specifications, and bid documents
Sample job description #2
ABC Company is looking for a full time Interior Designer. The designer will work with both Account Execs and clients to design, specify, and order commercial furniture projects of varying sizes.
Candidates must have the ability to work on multiple projects in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment and possess good written and verbal communication skills. A Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in Interior Design is required, and prior experience within the office furniture industry is preferred.
Duties
- Develop floor plans, interior renderings, and furniture quotes
- Conducts and organizes product research and special pricing programs
- Maintains effective communication with project team members
- Assist with furniture selection, interior finishes, wall treatment, and flooring
- Assists with construction/installation documentation
- Maintain ABC Company design library
- Attend site visits including field measurements and customer presentations
- Provide showroom sales coverage – help customers choose furniture aligned with design goals and budgets
Desired skills and experience
- Familiarity with systems furniture, both seating and freestanding in the office environment
- Strong technical skills in space planning and specification software, Giza/2020 proficiency strongly preferred
- Creative problem solver
- Excellent organizational and communication skills
- Attention to detail
- BA in interior design
Sample job description #3
The Interior Designer will be working with the Director of Design and the Construction Team to progress our remodel and new store strategy. The ideal candidate will have strong communication and presentation skills that will allow that person to effectively collaborate with multiple departments within ABC Company, including but not limited to Merchandising, Marketing, and Store Operations.
It will be a highly motivated, energetic, and passionate individual that will take our design team to the next level and help us evolve our brand image in store and support the growth of our business. We hope you are that person!
Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with the Design team on Store design projects from conception to build
- Attending meetings and conducting virtual or in person site visits
- Space planning & drawing
- Preparing presentations (mood boards, digital layouts, samples, etc.)
- Using our design software and other tools
- Maintains and improves upon standards
Qualifications:
- 3 years of relevant experience preferred but not required
- Kitchen and Bath Experience is a plus.
- Proficiency in drafting and design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk CAD, Revit, or Sketchup
- Ability to hand draft or sketch ideas
- Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and time management skills
- Self-motivated and high level of accountability to coordinate multiple projects; develop and adhere to schedules, prioritize workload, and work in a fast paced, challenging, and continually evolving environment
- Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, as well as convey a positive upbeat personal and professional attitude
- Requires up to 10- 15% Travel
Average salary and compensation
The average salary for an interior designer is $61,450 in the United States. Position salary will vary based on experience, education, company size, industry, and market.
| Location | Salary Low | Salary High |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, Arizona | $61,100 | $82,700 |
| Los Angeles, California | $68,950 | $93,300 |
| Denver, Colorado | $57,450 | $77,750 |
| Washington, DC | $70,000 | $94,700 |
| Miami, Florida | $57,200 | $77,400 |
| Orlando, Florida | $52,750 | $71,350 |
| Tampa, Florida | $53,300 | $72,100 |
| Atlanta, Georgia | $55,900 | $75,600 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $64,250 | $86,900 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | $69,450 | $94,000 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota | $55,350 | $74,900 |
| New York City, New York | $73,150 | $98,950 |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $59,550 | $80,550 |
| Dallas, Texas | $58,000 | $78,450 |
| Houston, Texas | $57,450 | $77,750 |
| Seattle, Washington | $66,850 | $90,450 |
| National Average | $52,250 | $70,650 |
Sample interview questions
- What drives your design decisions?
- What motivates you at work?
- Do you consider aestheticism or functionality to be more important in design?
- Where do you see your career heading in the next five years?
- What section of your portfolio are you most proud of?
- What do you like about interior design?
- What do you not like about interior design?
- Has a client ever been dissatisfied with your work?
- What interior design course was most difficult for you and why?
- We are looking for someone who is detail-oriented. Tell me about a time that you caught a mistake.
- Tell me about a time where your actions didn’t line up with your core values.
- What is your ideal workspace environment?
- How do you prioritize tasks for a renovation project?
- When designing a room, what is the most important factor to you?
- What wood do you prefer for designing?
- How do you keep up with industry changes?
- Describe a time you received criticism from your supervisor. How did you respond to it?
- What do you know about sustainable design?
