Senior Interior Designer, Higher Education

We have an opening for a Senior Interior Designer, Higher Education. This role could be based in the following cities:

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Charlotte
• Dallas
• Houston
• Los Angeles
• Other locations may be considered

About Higher Education at DLR Group:

DLR Group's Higher Education practice fully embraces our responsibility to society by designing spaces that emphasize academic learning and social development. We are transforming the educational landscape, working with our clients to set new horizons for learning and living that enrich school communities, the spaces they strive to provide, and what they can achieve. Our team draws from evidence-based design to work with shareholders to affect student and teacher engagement, ensuring that learning is enhanced through design. We also understand the rapid pace of technological, social, and cultural change; our teams work with schools to navigate these challenges.

Position Summary

As Senior Interior Designer, you will be working as a part of our integrated design team and are responsible for collaborating on the design of projects from pre-design and programming through construction administration on projects ranging in size and complexity. This role is often responsible for leading project design efforts, client interactions, and presentations. As a Senior Interior Designer, you will mentor younger staff and foster a work environment that emphasizes mutual respect, integration, learning, communication, and collaboration.

If you are a collaborative thought leader with a strategic mindset this might be the position for you. DLR Group is 100% employee owned and as such you'll enjoy the opportunity to have ownership in the Firm. We rely on all our employee-owners to apply their financial acumen to grow the Firm profitably. Regional travel may be required as needed.

What you will do:

• Lead conceptual design, program development, and space planning within projects, utilizing expertise to guide the design process when appropriate
• Demonstrate a refined design approach that integrates functionality, programmatic alignment, and spatial performance, addressing all aspects of three-dimensional space
• Oversee and ensure quality in construction documents and design details for constructability, mentoring and developing junior staff in the process
• Ensure design intent is realized through careful selection of materials, FF&E, and products that align with sustainable commitments, while reviewing graphic presentations to effectively communicate design vision
• Attend site visits and construction administration meetings regularly, sharing lessons learned to support coordination within the integrated team
• Provide mentorship and leadership, proactively contributing to project success and fostering team growth
• Guide and mentor teams to produce high-quality deliverables, serving as a thought leader within your discipline and/or primary sector
• Champion design excellence and innovation within the integrated team
• Execute quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) to maintain design integrity throughout all project phases
• Communicate design intent and thought leadership clearly and consistently with project managers and the Integrated Design Team at each project phase
• Lead presentations and manage client expectations to build and maintain strong client relationships
• Ensure project schedules, delivery timelines, and profitability are met, balancing design priorities with project budgets
• This position assumes 60% of time spent leading clients and project teams,40% of time on business development efforts within the workplace market sector.

Required Qualifications:

• Undergraduate Degree in Interior Design Required
• Minimum of 10+ years of professional experience
• Professional licensure required; LEED AP or other green certifications preferred
• Proficient in Revit and familiar with Bluebeam; strong proficiency in standard A/E/I/P software
• Demonstrated leadership in applying design techniques, tools, and sustainable principles to create precise technical plans, drawings, reports, and models
• Strong attention to detail with a proactive approach to process improvement, problem-solving, and high-quality decision-making
• Excellent written, verbal, and graphic communication skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively
• Actively participates in professional organizations, presents at industry conferences, and contributes to business development and marketing by pursuing client leads and opportunities

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional NCIDQ Certification
• Industry involvement in relevant market sector organizations