Junior-Intermediate Residential Interior Designer San Diego, CA

Job Description

Company: Matrix Design Studio

Location: San Diego, CA (hybrid; local site visits)

Workplace Type: On-site / Hybrid Remote

Employment Type: Freelance with path to full-time, salaried position

Seniority Level: Junior to Mid (1–4 years)

About Matrix Design Studio

Matrix Design Studio is a boutique family-owned architecture and interior design studio crafting luxury custom homes across Southern California and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our guiding idea is simple:
our projects reflect how our clients want to live —spaces shaped by lifestyle, craft, and enduring detail. We’ve been building that vision since 2001, and we remain active in the AIA community with a nationally published portfolio. MATRIX DESIGN STUDIO

The Role

We’re hiring a Junior–Intermediate Interior Designer who is a current student, recent grad (BFA/MID), or early-career designer with polished studio fundamentals. You’ll work directly with the firm owner and principal architect from concept through construction—refining narratives, curating materials, documenting details, and representing design intent in the field.

What You’ll Do

• Co-develop design concepts and translate them through SD → DD → CD with clear drawings, specs, and schedules.
• FF&E and finish selections; build palettes and presentation boards (digital + physical) that communicate with clarity and restraint.
• Draft/model primarily in AutoCAD and Sketch Up (Rhino welcome); prepare client visuals (Enscape/Lumion) and presentation decks (Adobe).
• Participate in site measures, mockups, submittal/RFI reviews, and punch lists; capture field notes and update sets.
• Liaise with vendors/fabricators (stone, millwork, metal, soft goods); manage the sample library and approvals.
• Contribute to studio standards: file hygiene, sheet set consistency, and internal QA checklists.
• Integrate AI capacity into office and design workflows.

What You’ll Bring

• BFA, MID or equivalent training with strong grounding in interior design practice and professional standards.
• 1–4 years of relevant experience (internships + junior roles count) in residential interiors or custom architecture.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Adobe; working knowledge of Sketch Up; exposure to Rhino/Enscape/Lumion a plus.
• A portfolio that demonstrates space planning, material intelligence, and residential detailing.
• Confident, thoughtful communication with clients, consultants, and craftspeople.

How We’ll Work Together

You’ll collaborate with the principal architect—pin-ups, detail reviews, and site walks—so you see how design decisions play out in the field and learn to defend intent while staying collaborative.

Compensation & Path to Growth

• Freelance / Contract Basis: $25–$33/hour DOE (10–25 hours per week typical).
• Path to salaried position within 3–6 months based on performance, collaboration, and studio fit.
• Salaried conversion includes PTO, paid holidays, mentorship, and a professional development stipend.
• Hybrid structure (studio + field); mileage reimbursed when applicable.

We begin each collaboration as a freelance engagement so both you and MDS can ensure a strong creative and cultural fit. This role is designed with a clear path to a salaried position—rewarding initiative, craftsmanship, and collaboration.

Apply

Submit a single PDF (resume, portfolio/link, brief note on a designer or architect and their work) via Linked In Easy Apply and email with subject “Interior Designer (Jr–Mid)”.