Designer

About Us

Model Home Interiors (MHI), now part of Empire Office, is a leading design and installation firm creating fully furnished environments for lifestyle real estate, including multifamily housing, student residences, senior living communities, and model homes. Together, we are the nation's trusted one-stop partner for residential and lifestyle real estate FF&E. We help builders and developers stand out by ensuring no two communities ever feel the same, whether aligning with existing design schemes or co-creating custom, differentiated looks. Backed by Empire's 79+ years of expertise across commercial, residential, and hospitality projects, MHI delivers distinctive spaces that inspire buyers, attract residents, and accelerate sales. Joining MHI means being part of a collaborative team within Empire, where creativity, design thinking, and problem-solving make a real impact on how people live.

Overview

Empire Office is currently seeking a Designer in our North Carolina office to join our team. This position will hold responsibilities to provide Design services to dealership customers including programming, space planning, development of topicals, color boards, and digital presentations.

Key Responsibilities

• Create drawings and specifications in CET (ex: Topicals, Furniture plans, 3D Renderings)
• Revise drawings and specs when required
• Prepare installation drawings and supporting documents
• Consistent updates to Director of Design
• Work closely with dealership sales and sales admins to ensure accurate plans and specifications
• Assist with Finish selection and create digital sample boards
• Spec Check other team members work as needed
• Meet with clients, in person or virtually, to understand the clients' objectives, desires, and design within their allocated budget
• Identify areas that need field verification and coordinate actual dimensions with final plan
• Inventory existing product; incorporate in furniture plans and specifications
• Maintenance of internal reporting systems (i.e. time sheets, tracking design time, project files)
• Follow Empire Office Design department guidelines and standards for deliverables and filing of projects.
• Adhere to deadlines of key deliverables
• Attend Industry events as necessary
• Continuing education related to product updates and industry trends

Skills & Qualifications

• At least 5 years of dealership experience in commercial contract furniture industry preferred
• Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design, Architecture or related field
• Proficient in CET, AutoCAD, and Microsoft Office Suite
• Knowledge of contract furniture lines
• Working knowledge of applicable building codes, ADA regulations, National Electrical Code; National Fire Code, etc.
• Experience with Steelcase products a plus
• Must be comfortable visiting job sites to take basic field dimensions and furniture inventory
• Excellent creative thinking, problem solving skills, and attention to detail
• Proven organizational and follow-through skills
• Strong time management skills and ability to multi-task within a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with clients, manufacturers reps, and team members
• Strong presentation skills and must be comfortable attending meetings and interacting with customers, designers, architects, and contractors
• Works well in a team environment, and ability to work longer hours as needed to support team and meet customer expectations