Space Planning/Interior Design Lead

This position is contingent upon IDIQ contract award and subsequent task-order award(s) and requirements. It is intended to support SHELADIA's pursuit of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), 2026 Worldwide A/E Support Services IDIQ. Employment, assignments, travel, and project responsibilities will be based on the awarded contract and applicable task orders.

The program may support planning, design, construction, facility rehabilitation, system replacement, security upgrades, communications facilities, and building maintenance at Foreign Service posts worldwide and OBO offices in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Services may include professional support services, constructability reviews, critical-path schedule and risk analyses, and project-budget analyses.

The Space Planning/Interior Design Lead will direct programming, workplace planning, interior modernization, and facility-upgrade assignments, creating functional, secure, flexible, accessible, and mission-responsive environments for diplomatic personnel and operations.

• Lead space programming, utilization studies, workplace planning, blocking and stacking, test fits, and interior-design assignments.
• Translate mission, staffing, workflow, security, accessibility, technology, and furniture requirements into coordinated space solutions.
• Develop interior concepts, finish standards, furniture requirements, signage, wayfinding, and implementation plans.
• Assess existing spaces and develop modernization, reconfiguration, consolidation, swing-space, and phased-occupancy strategies.
• Coordinate architectural, structural, MEP, fire protection, IT, acoustical, technical-security, and furniture requirements.
• Support occupied-facility renovations while maintaining mission continuity, life safety, security, and ongoing operations.
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops and interviews with OBO clients, facility managers, security personnel, and end users.
• Prepare and review plans, specifications, reports, presentations, cost inputs, schedules, furniture packages, and scopes of work.
• Apply U.S. Government requirements while addressing host-country codes, materials, procurement constraints, and construction practices.
• Provide quality-control reviews, mentor design staff, and support proposals, interviews, and client presentations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in interior design, architecture, space planning, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in space planning, programming, interior design, workplace strategy, or related services.
• NCIDQ certification, architectural registration, or another professional credential appropriate to the discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex programming, space-planning, and interior-modernization assignments.
• Strong knowledge of accessibility, life-safety, workplace, furniture, finish, signage, and wayfinding requirements.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary design, engineering, security, technology, and furniture requirements.
• Proficiency with Revit, AutoCAD, BIM, space-management, visualization, and presentation tools.
• Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder-management, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment in operationally sensitive, diplomatically complex, or high-security environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government personnel security clearance when required by the assigned work.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in interior design, architecture, or a related field.
• Experience with diplomatic, federal, defense, institutional, workplace, mission-critical, or high-security facilities.
• Experience supporting phased renovations in active and occupied international facilities.
• LEED AP, WELL AP, EDAC, or comparable sustainability, wellness, or evidence-based design credential.
• Experience coordinating U.S. standards with host-country laws, codes, authorities, materials, and construction practices.

International and domestic travel is expected and may include short-notice trips to overseas diplomatic facilities and other project locations. Travel requirements may vary based on assigned projects, task orders, and client requirements.

Salary: $105,000–$160,000 per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Sheladia Associates, Inc. has made the best effort to accurately represent the pay range for this position, however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, and any applicable cost of living data relevant to the position/candidate.

Other compensation: opportunities for annual increase and bonus, and other types of bonuses.

Sheladia provides employees with the opportunity to work in a diverse, multi-cultural environment with exposure to and collaboration with multiple disciplines on a variety of projects. You will work in a hands-on, collaborative team environment.

Benefits:

401(k)
401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Employee assistance program
Health Savings Account (HSA; with eligible medical plan enrollment)
Life insurance
Long-term disability
Medical insurance
Paid holidays
Paid time off
Vision insurance

Our office building provides our employees with plenty of free on-site parking, free access to a fitness center, complete with locker rooms, showers and towel service, a yoga studio/meditation room, lovely outdoor seating and dining area, and next to a community park with walking paths and sports fields.

Sheladia Associates, Inc. does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters/recruitment agencies or utilize any such agency or firm for our recruitment/talent acquisition needs. Please do not solicit candidates or services to any Sheladia employees.