This position is located in the Engineering Service at VA Birmingham Health Care System - Birmingham VA Medical Center in Birmingham, AL.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** The Interior Designer is responsible for the planning and implementation of a comprehensive Interior Design program and signage program; performing professional architectural/interior design duties relevant to coordinating or monitoring the planning, designing and construction of improvements to hospital facilities; and medical center interior design projects for all Services at the Birmingham VA Medical Center and Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Serving as the interior design coordinator and development on nonrecurring maintenance and construction type projects Determining the requirements of the facility for maintaining adequate interior finishes of facilities and for the improvement of existing facilities for the support of patient care and changing or new medical care programs Creating architectural and furnishing layouts for the facilities and preparing the necessary visual aids such as architectural drawings, sketches, renderings, and color boards in order to adequately design and prepare facilities for the hospital Preparing and maintaining interior design FCP budget and developing cost estimates to cover furnishings required for projects included in budget submission Conducting evaluations of interior design program for compliance with the Department of Veterans Affairs requirements, OSHA standards and TJC standards and regulations regarding provisions for handicapped persons and signage packages in compliance with ADA regulations and construction standards Responsible for complex signage and way finding systems, room numbering systems, exterior signage and Braille requirements Preparing and reviewing actual architectural and interior design contact drawings, and construction specifications for the construction projects including materials, finishes, construction processes and other items Preparing preliminary space plans for proposed projects; utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) to maintain accurate records of projects Performing design review conferences with professional architectures/engineers and service chiefs to discuss design criteria, construction requirements and potential problems Managing a portion of the construction activity at this facility as COR on NRM and Station Level projects Designing all projects within the requirements of all fire and safety codes specifically NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, local building codes and VA VISN and Central Office Developing a master five-year interior design plan for the facilities by coordinating all aspects of the program Performing variety of space planning functions and surveys of buildings to maintain current overall awareness of facilities and general environmental conditions Conferring with client and upper management to discuss services to be provided, process to be followed and the benefits of properly designed space Reviewing construction drawings, including lighting plans, reflected ceiling plans, finish, hardware schedules, telephone and data/electrical specification and plans, furniture specification and plans, architectural detailing, details and millwork, and coordinates color and finishes for all spaces Overseeing procurement of furniture and fixtures using government credit card on orders and acting as agency's representative in resolving interior design disputes between the contractor and the agency Evaluating and determining the disposition of new, excess, replacement and damaged furniture/furnishings throughout the Medical Center Developing and maintaining a comprehensive resource library of interior design literature and samples, and a systematic record of all Interior Design projects Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 07:30 a.m. to 04:00 p.m. or 08:00 a.m. to 04:30 p.m. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Telework (Telework possible for 1-2 days per week): VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

Minimum Requirement: The following are minimum requirements for appointment as an Interior Designer in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which all applicants must met. Specialized Experience (GS-11): You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (i.e., GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience is 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. (CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.) OR, Education (GS-11): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related. Major study must be 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: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) OR, Combination (GS-11): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education as described above. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e., 36 semester hours graduate education) may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11. When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.) (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: CommunicationsCompliance InspectionDesignFinancial ManagementProject Management IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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. Physical Requirements: Regularly conducts onsite inspections of project work sites. Much time is spent walking, sitting, bending, lifting some furniture, standing and stooping. Frequently the employee is required to work on stepladders to measure for window and wall coverings and to install signage. 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/.

Education

IMPORTANT: 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Birmingham VA Medical Center 700 South 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35233 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]