Senior Interior Designer, California K-12 Interiors Leader

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.

We have an opening for a Senior Interior Designer to lead our California Education Interior Design Practice. This role can be based in our Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego or Sacramento offices and will include collaboration on education projects in the 6 offices across California, including travel to those offices.

Position Summary

As a dynamic and strategic Senior Interior Designer you will lead both design excellence and business growth in our K12 and Higher Education practices. This is a high-impact leadership role, responsible for driving creative vision and project execution as well as building client relationships.

As a key leader in our Interiors practice, you will oversee a dedicated team of interior designers focused on education, guiding project delivery from concept through construction while fostering an environment of collaboration, growth, and innovation. You’ll work closely with market sector leaders and business development teams to pursue new opportunities, build visibility in the region, and ensure that DLR Group remains a trusted partner and thought leader in the industry. As part of our 100% employee-owned firm, you will also have a voice in shaping our culture and business strategy.

What you will do

• Lead, mentor and grow a high-performing interior design team of 8-12, creating a culture of design excellence, accountability, and innovation.

• Direct all phases of design, from early concept development through documentation and construction administration.

• Actively participate in client engagement, industry networking, and relationship building to drive new business opportunities.

• Collaborate with marketing, business development, and sector leadership on project pursuits and participate in client interviews to win work.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, guiding strategy, design, and execution with clarity and confidence.

• Shape and reinforce DLR Group’s integrated design approach through cross-disciplinary collaboration.

• Oversee the technical quality and constructability of design documents, and ensure alignment with budgets, schedules, and sustainability goals.

• Inspire and coach junior and intermediate designers, actively supporting professional development and project leadership growth.

• Maintain an active presence in the local design community, representing DLR Group at events, conferences, and professional organizations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design

• 10+ years of interior design experience with a focus on education projects

• Professional licensure (required); LEED AP or sustainability-related credential preferred

• Demonstrated leadership in both team development and project execution

• Proficiency in Revit and knowledge of standard A/E/C software tools

• Excellent verbal, written, and graphic communication skills

• Active involvement in design industry organizations and a strong local network

*TO BE CONSIDERED, PLEASE SUBMIT CURRENT PORTFOLIO/WORK SAMPLES IN PDF FORMAT*

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Our comprehensive Benefits at DLR Group include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401(k) plan, employee stock ownership, and bonus opportunities. Compensation considerations are based on location, experience, and skills. The suggested pay range for this position is:

Pay Range
$130,000—$160,000 USD

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new builds, renovations, and adaptive reuse projects.

We are 100% employee-owned: every employee is literally invested in our clients’ success. At the core of our firm are interdisciplinary teams engaged in every step of project lifecycles. Our teams champion true collaboration, open information sharing, shared risk and reward, value-based decision making, and proficient use of technology to deliver exceptional design. We are pursuing the goals of the 2030 Challenge, the ME2040, and the SE2050, and are an initial signatory of the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.

Through our values – commitment, creativity, environmental stewardship, fun, integrity, ownership, sharing, teamwork – we elevate the human experience through design, together.

DLR Group follows a four-day in-office work model, with employees having the flexibility to work somewhere other than the office on Fridays.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled employer.