Contract External Interior Designer Partner, Irvine

Overview

Pacaso is building a trusted network of pre-vetted contract designers to extend our internal design team as acquisition volume grows. This is not a traditional freelance posting. We are looking for experienced residential designers who want an ongoing source of well-defined, repeatable project work within a structured creative framework.

Contract designers work on a project-by-project basis — either per home or on a flexible retainer depending on pipeline needs — and are compensated on a flat project fee tied to FF&E budget scope. Designers who complete a successful pilot engagement are added to the approved Pacaso Design Partner Roster and are prioritized for future assignments.

The Opportunity

Pacaso homes are co-owned luxury residences — designed to feel elevated, personal, and effortlessly livable for multiple owners year-round. Our internal design team leads all creative direction, but with 33 projected acquisitions in 2026 and peak volume reaching 3–5 homes per month in Q3 and Q4, we are building an external partner network to scale alongside us.

As a contract designer, you will execute full FF&E design for individual Pacaso homes — from space planning through final documentation — working within Pacaso's brand standards, vendor frameworks, and production templates. The Senior Manager of Design reviews and approves all work at defined milestones.

Think of this as a hospitality-minded approach to residential design: beautiful spaces that are also durable, broadly appealing within a regional aesthetic, and built to perform across heavy use. If you thrive in structured creative environments and value steady, repeat work over one-off bespoke commissions, this is the right fit.

What You'll Do

Core Design Deliverables (per home)

• Develop space plans using your preferred tool
• Build a Design Schematic in Pacaso's Canva template, presenting concept direction and FF&E selections in a format ready for owner-facing use
• Specify full FF&E using Pacaso's preferred vendor list and sourcing frameworks
• Populate the Spec Book in Google Sheets with complete, accurate product and placement data
• Produce Placement Documents in Canva per Pacaso standards
• Attend all milestone reviews with the Senior Manager of Design: space plan, schematic/FF&E, budget alignment, and final documentation

Project Collaboration

• Receive and work from the Pacaso Design Assignment Packet provided at project kickoff
• Partner with Pacaso's Procurement and Sourcing teams to confirm product availability and budget compliance
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners (Operations, Onboarding, Logistics) to support successful installation
• Travel to onboardings and manage in-person staging and styling as needed (project-dependent)
• Communicate proactively, meet deadlines, and deliver clean documentation at every stage

Design Refresh & Ongoing Work

• Support existing Pacaso homes with replacement FF&E sourcing and periodic design audits
• Contribute to full-home design refreshes as assigned

What We're Looking For

Experience & Credentials

• Bachelor's degree in Interior Design or Architecture (NCIDQ / CID preferred)
• 5+ years of professional experience with a focus on high-end residential and/or hospitality design
• Demonstrated portfolio of luxury residential work with strong regional aesthetic sensibility
• Hospitality, multifamily, or investment residential experience is a strong plus — familiarity with client-directed, operationally conscious design processes
• Active project experience in or near one of our target markets (Kiawah/Charleston, South Florida, Mountain West, SoCal, or Wine Country)

Design & Technical Skills

• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD required; SketchUp Pro and/or Rhino preferred
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat) required
• Comfort working in Google Workspace (Slides, Sheets, Docs, Drive) and Canva — these are Pacaso's primary workflow tools
• Exceptional design presentation skills — your concept decks are polished, client-ready, and clearly communicate a point of view

Working Style & Mindset

• You thrive in structured creative environments and deliver excellent work within defined budgets and vendor frameworks
• You are documentation-oriented, deadline-driven, and easy to collaborate with remotely
• You bring a hospitality sensibility to residential work: spaces that feel personal and elevated without being precious
• You have the bandwidth and business structure to take on contract engagements alongside existing projects
• You operate as a registered business entity and carry professional liability insurance

How the Partnership Works

The Vetting Process

Every designer goes through the same process before being approved for a Pacaso home. This is a six-step process owned by the Senior Manager of Design:

• Portfolio review (internal, no contact required)
• Initial outreach — brief introduction to Pacaso's model and partnership structure
• 30-minute discovery call — assessing communication style, bandwidth, and fit
• Reference check — one to two past clients or collaborators
• Deep dive on one completed project — walk us through budget, vendor choices, documentation, and install
• Paid pilot engagement — one project together before formalizing the relationship

The pilot engagement is the most important step. It's an opportunity for both parties to experience the working relationship before making a longer-term commitment. Pacaso evaluates the work against our standards; you experience our process firsthand.

Once Approved

Approved designers are added to the Pacaso Design Partner Roster — a living document maintained by the Senior Manager of Design. There is no standing retainer or volume commitment. When a project is identified as appropriate for an external partner, we select from the approved roster based on market fit and availability.

Partners are evaluated after each engagement on timeliness, accuracy, budget discipline, ease of collaboration, and install outcomes. Strong performers are prioritized for future work.