Design Associate

Work at Carmel Partners•San Francisco, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Carmel Partners is seeking a Design Associate for its San Francisco office. The role supports interior design execution across the company’s national portfolio, including new development, renovation, and existing assets. Working with internal teams, consultants, procurement partners, and vendors, the Associate coordinates project documentation, schedules, deliverables, and installations. The position manages defined workstreams and smaller-scope initiatives under the direction of the Design team, escalating design, budget, and schedule decisions as appropriate. The Associate coordinates portfolio-wide design initiatives, maintains project and portfolio records, supports reviews of design and construction documentation, tracks approved selections and budgets, and helps coordinate procurement, installations, close-out, and design standards. The role includes periodic visits to active construction sites and installations, national travel as required, and occasional handling of materials and samples weighing up to 50 pounds. The position is based in Carmel Partners’ San Francisco office. The company is currently unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment visa for this role; applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.A. Base compensation is $95,000–$105,000, with a bonus incentive in addition to base salary. Compensation depends on experience, qualifications, and skills.

Requirements

At least 2 years of experience in interior design, architecture, FF&E, procurement, or project coordination.
Working knowledge of interior finishes and products, including flooring, tile, cabinetry, countertops, plumbing fixtures, lighting, furniture, and textiles.
Ability to read and interpret architectural and interior design drawings, specifications, finish schedules, and floor plans.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Teams, and in Bluebeam.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and exceptional attention to detail.
Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple assignments against competing deadlines.
Proactive, solutions-oriented approach, with sound judgment about when to work independently and when to escalate.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including ability to identify potential conflicts and elevate them promptly.
Comfort interacting with senior leadership and collaborating across diverse internal and external teams.
Collaborative, resourceful, and composed under pressure, with a service-oriented approach to design quality and consistency.
Authorization to work in the U.S.A.; the company is unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment visa for this role.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in interior design, architecture, construction, or a related field preferred.
CIDA-accredited program and/or ASID affiliation is a plus.
Multifamily, single-family residential, or hospitality experience preferred.
Familiarity with construction documentation preferred.
Adobe Creative Suite and AutoCAD preferred.
Revit and AI-assisted visualization tools are a plus.

Responsibilities

Coordinate interior design initiatives across the national portfolio under the direction of the Design team.
Maintain project trackers, milestone schedules, action-item logs, approval records, and portfolio-level status reporting.
Coordinate day-to-day project information among internal teams, interior design consultants, architects, contractors, procurement partners, and vendors.
Manage Design team and project meetings, including scheduling, agendas, presentation materials, notes, and follow-up on outstanding deliverables.
Perform initial completeness reviews of drawings, finish schedules, specifications, shop drawings, submittals, and RFIs; route materials for Design team review and elevate discrepancies for resolution.
Prepare and maintain specification sheets, finish schedules, sample sets, unit finish boards, related design documentation, and approved pricing.
Track and document approved selections for residential units, corridors, amenities, model units, and exterior FF&E.
Coordinate smaller-scope amenity refreshes and Asset Management design requests; research options and prepare preliminary recommendations for Design team approval.
Coordinate with vendors to obtain samples, lead times, substitutions, and order-status information.
Track FF&E and finish selections against approved budgets and schedules, identifying cost, availability, and schedule risks early.
Coordinate documentation, shop drawings, and finish and fabric samples related to furniture product development.
Support project installations and styling with procurement partners, vendors, and installation teams to confirm approved design intent is carried through.
Coordinate warranty, repair, replacement, and close-out needs following FF&E installation.
Periodically visit active construction sites and project installations, including elevated areas and uneven ground, wearing required personal protective equipment.
Maintain the Master Unit Finish Schedule, unit finish standards, product and resource libraries, project files, vendor and consultant records, and historical design documentation.
Support documentation and rollout of design standards, preferred specifications, and national sourcing initiatives, and maintain lessons-learned documentation for future standards and processes.
Maintain the Design product room and coordinate sample requests and material distribution to outside consultants and project teams.
Provide coordination and administrative support for Design team travel, installations, presentations, and special projects.
Travel nationally by car or air as required, and occasionally lift or carry materials and samples weighing up to 50 pounds during installations.
Perform other related duties as assigned.