Associate Residential Interior Designer | Design Build Remodeling

Innovative Home Renovations•Seattle, WA

13d•$31 - $38•Onsite

About The Position

At IHR, our Interior Designers are more than designers. They are thoughtful guides who help homeowners turn the way they want to live into beautiful, functional, and buildable homes. We are looking for an Associate Interior Designer at the beginning of their professional career. This is an opportunity for a motivated emerging designer who has a strong design foundation, a thoughtful portfolio, and a genuine desire to learn how residential remodeling projects move from an early idea through planning, construction, and completion. You may be a recent graduate, an early-career designer, or someone who has gained relevant experience through internships, residential design, architecture, retail design, hospitality design, or a related field. You do not need to have led projects independently. You do need to bring curiosity, organization, care for the client experience, and the drive to develop your craft within a hands-on, collaborative design-build environment. You will work alongside IHR’s Project Coordinator, Drafter, Site Superintendent, suppliers, and trade partners. With structured guidance and increasing responsibility, you will support client-facing design work, create design and documentation materials, help organize selections and decisions, and learn how design intent is carried into the finished home.

Requirements

Foundation in Interior Design. A degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture, or a related field, or equivalent foundational training and a strong portfolio. Recent graduates are encouraged to apply.
Design Potential. A portfolio that demonstrates thoughtful visual judgment, space planning, attention to detail, material awareness, and an ability to communicate design ideas.
Exceptional Client Communication. The ability to listen carefully, build trust, communicate recommendations clearly, and guide clients through design decisions with empathy and professionalism.
Organization. The ability to keep information, files, selections, and follow-up items organized while working across multiple assignments.
Communication. Strong listening, writing, and interpersonal skills, with a professional and service-oriented approach.
Technical Curiosity. An interest in developing proficiency in Chief Architect and other professional design, rendering, drawing, and presentation tools.
Collaboration and Growth Mindset. A willingness to learn from your team, clients, suppliers, and trade partners.
Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture, or a related field preferred; candidates completing a relevant degree may be considered.
Foundational proficiency with at least one professional design, drafting, rendering, or presentation tool; exposure to Chief Architect, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar tools is valuable.
Willingness to learn and become proficient in Chief Architect and IHR’s design and documentation standards.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage follow-up items.
Clear written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Excel, and Teams, or willingness to learn quickly.
Professional appearance and demeanor.

Nice To Haves

NCIDQ certification is valued, but is not required.
Portfolio required; student, internship, professional, or independently developed design work may be included.

Responsibilities

Support Client Understanding and Design Development: Participate in client meetings, site visits, design presentations, and showroom visits with guidance from senior team members. Take clear, organized notes on client preferences, decisions, questions, and next steps. Help research the home’s existing conditions, architectural character, and design opportunities. Assist with concepts, mood boards, material palettes, finish selections, furniture plans, fixture research, and other design materials. Develop your ability to understand how clients want their homes to function and feel.
Create Design and Documentation Materials: Assist in creating space plans, visual presentations, renderings, finish plans, selection schedules, specifications, cabinetry concepts, lighting intent, and other design deliverables. Help maintain accurate, organized project records for selections, product information, drawings, and design decisions. Coordinate with IHR’s Drafter and design team to incorporate feedback and maintain clear design information. Learn IHR’s documentation standards and develop the technical skills needed to communicate design intent clearly.
Help Guide a Positive Client Experience: Prepare materials and information for client meetings so conversations are clear and productive. Communicate professionally and promptly with clients, teammates, suppliers, and partners, with support and review as appropriate. Help clients feel informed by making sure questions, decisions, and follow-up items are captured and addressed. Observe experienced designers as they explain recommendations, navigate tradeoffs, and guide homeowner decisions.
Learn the Design-Build Process: Participate in project meetings and site walkthroughs to learn how drawings, selections, and design decisions affect planning and construction. Assist in tracking open design questions and follow-up items. Learn how existing conditions, material availability, lead times, investment priorities, construction methods, and schedule can influence design decisions. Support the team in responding to design questions during planning and construction under the direction of a Lead or Residential Interior Designer. Build familiarity with the people, roles, and collaboration required to bring a residential remodel to completion.
Grow With IHR: Seek feedback, apply it to your work, and steadily increase your design and technical capability. Bring a reliable, positive, and solution-oriented mindset to daily work. Stay curious about residential design trends, materials, products, technologies, and best practices. Contribute ideas and observations that help improve IHR’s design work, tools, and client experience.

Benefits

Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance (IHR covers 75% of premiums, begins the 1st of the month after 60 days of employment)
Basic Life Insurance (IHR covers 100%)
401(k) retirement plan with Company Match after 90 days: 100% match up to 3%, 50% for up to additional 2%
16 days Paid Time Off (accrues throughout the year, available for use after 90 days)
10 paid holidays (including office closure between Christmas and New Years)
Washington State Paid Sick Leave (1 hour accrued every 40 hours worked)
Continuing education and professional development opportunities
All equipment and software provided
Coffee & snack bar
Collaborative, supportive team environment