What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Interior Design Lead position at Schenkel Shultz?
Company Description
Based in Winter Park, Schenkel Shultz has been a cornerstone of the Central Florida community for over 40 years, inspiring through impactful design. Our architecture and interior design firm is recognized for its commitment to design excellence and creating tailored solutions that address clients' unique needs. Specializing in aviation, education, public safety, civic, cultural, and commercial markets, we aim to craft innovative spaces that foster community and connection.
Role Overview
We are seeking a Senior Interior Design Lead to serve as a cornerstone of our studio — a creative force, collaborative mentor, and skilled practitioner who elevates every project they touch. This is not a siloed interior design role. You will be embedded within a fully integrated, multidisciplinary studio where interior design is a defining offering, not an afterthought.
Primary Responsibilities:
Design Leadership & Execution Lead the full interior design process across all phases — from conceptual development through construction documentation — including FF&E specification, package development, and budget review. You will bring a sophisticated, forward-thinking design sensibility to every project, translating deeply rooted concepts into compelling, cohesive spatial narratives in close collaboration with our Design Partner, Ekta Desai.
Studio Resource & Mentorship Your expertise extends beyond your own project assignments. The studio looks to you as a go-to resource for interior design guidance across all active work — answering questions, shaping decisions, and elevating the quality of projects even when you're not directly leading them. You will actively inspire the broader team around the value and potential of interior design as a differentiator for clients and pursuits.
Integrated Practice Our studio operates as one team. During periods when dedicated interior design scope is limited, you will contribute to architectural design and production work — drafting, rendering, and documentation — with the same energy and ownership you bring to your core discipline. A "jump in" mindset is essential here.
Construction Administration You will support construction administration activities including RFI responses, submittal reviews, and periodic site observations, ensuring design intent is carried through to completion.
Sustainable Design Stewardship Sustainability is integral to our design philosophy, not a checkbox. You will embed stewardship principles into your interior design approach and contribute to the studio's broader commitment to design excellence through responsible, integrated decision-making.
Team & Schedule Management You will help manage the interior design team's workload, project schedules, and resources — balancing your own deliverables while keeping the team on track and accountable.
Qualifications:
Experience & Practice
- Demonstrated expertise in interior design as an integrated component of architectural practice
- Proven ability to concept, present, and execute sophisticated design solutions across diverse building types
Technical Skills
- Revit proficiency required (modeling, documentation, and rendering)
- SketchUp required for design exploration and ideation
- Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)
Leadership & Interpersonal Skills
- Exceptional collaboration skills across all levels of a studio environment
- Strong verbal and written communication — able to articulate and defend design decisions with clarity and confidence
- High emotional intelligence with the ability to navigate diverse personalities and working styles
- Rigorous organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously — for yourself and the ID team
- A positive, energetic, and creative presence that raises the energy of those around you
- The right person for this role is as comfortable in a design review as they are in a production sprint — someone who leads with creativity, shows up with rigor, and genuinely believes that great interior design makes architecture better.
- We offer competitive compensation, healthcare packages, benefits and remote-work (1x a week).