Associate (Interior Designer)

Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is an award-winning, fully integrated architecture and interior design practice with offices in Austin and Houston.

Our work is rooted in hospitality and placemaking and includes diverse projects that range from large mixed-use developments, adaptive reuse projects, public realm design, architectural branding, single family homes, hotels, restaurants, workspaces, and bespoke furniture design. We work throughout Texas and across the country in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Denver.

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced Interior Designer to join our Austin office as an Associate. This position is ideal for a designer who enjoys both leading projects and staying closely connected to the work itself. Associates at MHOA are trusted project leaders who guide clients, manage teams, and drive project outcomes.

They are also experienced practitioners who contribute meaningfully to design direction, documentation, technical problem-solving, and project delivery throughout the life of a project.

The ideal candidate brings a strong portfolio of built work, experience leading interior design projects from concept through completion, and the confidence to navigate client relationships, team coordination, and project challenges with minimal oversight.

They are equally comfortable presenting to a client, mentoring a designer, reviewing drawing sets, or stepping into the work directly to help solve a problem, advance a design idea, or keep a project moving.

This is a hybrid position based in Austin, TX, requiring a minimum of three days per week working in person from our Austin office.

Responsibilities Include

• Leading interior design projects from concept through construction while remaining actively engaged in the design process
• Balancing design excellence, client expectations, project schedules, and budgets to achieve successful project outcomes
• Overseeing teams of designers and cross‑disciplinary consultants
• Providing design direction, feedback, and mentorship to project teams while remaining connected to the day-to-day work
• Leading complex, high‑visibility interior projects with minimal oversight, contributing directly to design development, documentation, detailing, and project problem-solving as needed
• Representing our office to clients and within the market
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships while acting as the primary point of contact, guiding clients through vision, scope, budget and schedule
• Coordinating the cross‑disciplinary integration of architectural, engineering and specialty consultants, ensuring compliance with codes and standards, and overseeing the technical quality of design deliverables
• Helping to shape the office’s interior design portfolio and contributing to office-wide initiatives

Job Requirements

• 8+ years of professional interior design experience, including previous experience in leadership roles, as well as managing multiple projects and teams
• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture from a CIDA-accredited university (Master’s degree or NCIDQ certification is not required, but preferred)
• Ability to commute to our Austin, TX office a minimum of three days a week
• Proven ability to lead projects and teams across all phases of design
• Demonstrated experience serving as both a design leader and client lead on interior design projects
• Strong understanding of building codes, health and safety regulations, and environmental sustainability, and the ability to integrate them into design solutions
• Proficiency in Revit, Sketch Up, the Adobe Creative Suite, and AutoCAD
• Strong communication, presentation, and leadership skills
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects concurrently across various scales, typology, and phase of design
• Positive attitude and willingness to work within a team

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

This position is primarily performed in an office environment, with periodic travel to project sites, construction sites, client meetings, vendor showrooms, and other project-related locations.

To perform the essential functions of this position, an employee must be able to:

• Remain stationary and work at a computer workstation for extended periods throughout the workday
• Frequently operate a computer and other standard office equipment.
• Communicate effectively with clients, consultants, contractors, vendors, and team members in person, by phone, and electronically
• Travel to project sites, client meetings, construction sites, and vendor locations as needed
• Move throughout active construction sites, existing buildings, project sites, and showroom environments, which may include walking, standing, climbing stairs, bending, reaching, and navigating uneven surfaces
• Observe and assess project conditions, construction progress, design details, and installed work
• Occasionally transport project materials, samples, presentation materials, or equipment weighing up to 25 pounds
• Visually review drawings, specifications, project documentation, and digital design tools for extended periods

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.