Design Consultant Jobs in Illinois

Design Consultant jobs in Illinois are concentrated in commercial interiors, retail environments, branded workplace design, and residential high-rise development, with hiring activity ranging from junior associates to senior project leads. Chicago anchors the market as one of the most active design hiring metros in the Midwest, with Rockford and Naperville also generating consistent openings. Well-established firms with deep Illinois roots, including Gensler, CannonDesign, and Herman Miller dealerships operating across the state, regularly bring on design consultants. Space planning, sustainable design, and client-facing project management are the most in-demand specialties right now. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles22
Top employerAce Hardware
Top cityChicago, IL
Cities hiring16
Work type70% On-site
Top credentialHigh school diploma or GED

Showing 5 of 22+ Design Consultant jobs

Arhaus
Sales Associate / Design Consultant - Full Time
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Arhaus
Added 3d ago
Sales Associate / Design Consultant - Full Time
Arhaus
Oak Brook, Illinois
Business Operations
Customer Service
Customer Success
1,001-5,000

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Drapery Connection
Sales Design Consultant
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Drapery Connection
Added 3d ago
Sales Design Consultant
Drapery Connection
Schaumburg, Illinois
Business Operations
Customer Service
Customer Success
$70k - $90k/yr
11-50

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C
Design Consultant- Outside Sales
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C
Added 1w ago
Design Consultant- Outside Sales
Chicagoland Home Products
Melrose Park, Illinois
IT Support
Project Management
Technical Program Management
$50k - $150k/yr
Hybrid

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I
Inside Sales & Design Consultant
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I
Added 1w ago
Inside Sales & Design Consultant
Iskalis American Floor Show
Evanston, Illinois
Business Strategy
Consulting & Professional Services
Growth Marketing
$65k - $85k/yr
On-Site

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C
Sales and Design Consultant
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C
Added 2w ago
Sales and Design Consultant
California Closets CCO
Chicago, Illinois
Account Management
Customer Service
Customer Support
Hybrid

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See All 22 Design Consultant Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Design Consultant Jobs by City in Illinois

Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Chicago
4 jobs
Oak Brook
2 jobs
Burr Ridge
2 jobs
Fairview Heights
2 jobs
Evanston
1 job
Oak Park
1 job
Wilmette
1 job
Winnetka
1 job
Deerfield
1 job

Design Consultant Job Market in Illinois

A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware2 open roles
Mueller Furniture
Mueller Furniture2 open roles
Penny Mustard Furnishings
Penny Mustard Furnishings2 open roles

What Illinois Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in design consultant jobs across Illinois.

  • Bachelor's degree in interior design, architecture, or a closely related design field
  • NCIDQ certification preferred or active progress toward licensure in Illinois
  • Three or more years of experience with commercial, retail, or workplace design projects
  • Proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, or SketchUp alongside Adobe Creative Suite
  • Demonstrated ability to manage client relationships and lead design presentations independently
  • Familiarity with Illinois building codes, ADA standards, and local permitting processes

Design Consultant Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a design consultant in Illinois?

Most Illinois employers expect a bachelor's degree in interior design or a related field, and many require or strongly prefer candidates working toward NCIDQ certification, which is the pathway to becoming a Licensed Interior Designer in Illinois through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Starting in a junior designer or design assistant role at a Chicago-area commercial firm, then accumulating the work experience hours required for the NCIDQ exam, is the most common path to a consultant-level position in the state.

Which companies hire design consultants in Illinois?

Companies currently hiring design consultants in Illinois include Ace Hardware, Mueller Furniture, and Penny Mustard Furnishings, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Illinois's dense concentration of corporate headquarters and commercial real estate development in the Chicago metro keeps demand for design consultants particularly consistent year-round.

Which Illinois cities have the most design consultant jobs?

Chicago, Oak Brook, and Burr Ridge account for the most design consultant openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates due to its concentration of architecture and interiors firms, corporate campuses, and hospitality developers, while Naperville and Rockford generate openings through regional commercial construction, healthcare facility projects, and mid-size businesses that retain in-house or contract design consultants.

Are there remote design consultant jobs in Illinois?

Yes, but they are less common than in purely digital fields because design consultants often need to visit sites, meet clients in person, and review physical materials. About 30% of design consultant openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with the remote-eligible work typically concentrated in early-phase space planning, concept development, and client presentations that can be conducted over video.

How can I get hired as a design consultant in Illinois with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry point is applying for a design assistant or junior designer role at a Chicago-area commercial interiors firm or architecture practice, many of which offer structured mentorship for candidates fresh out of accredited programs. Firms such as Gensler and CannonDesign, both active in Illinois, hire at the associate level and provide the supervised project hours needed toward NCIDQ eligibility. Building a portfolio with school projects, internship work, or speculative retail and workplace concepts, and earning CIDA-accredited program credentials, gives candidates without paid experience a meaningful edge.

Where can I find and apply to design consultant jobs in Illinois?

You can find and apply to design consultant jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings across commercial, residential, and specialty design firms. Find the roles that fit your experience and specialty and apply directly from the listing.

See All 22 Design Consultant Jobs in Illinois

Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Design Consultant Jobs