Principal Interior Designer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Principal Interior Designer roles qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation requiring a bachelor's degree in interior design or architecture. Employers file a Labor Condition Application with DOL before sponsoring, and the annual H-1B cap and lottery apply. No lottery applies to H-1B1 visa or E-3 visa if you hold Chilean, Singaporean, or Australian citizenship.
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WHO WE ARE
Equinox is a category of one, setting the global standard for luxury health, wellness, and hospitality. Our spaces are intentionally elevated, our standards uncompromising, and our expectations high. We attract people who take pride in excellence, care deeply about quality, and want to be part of something that feels different the moment you walk through the door.
We are builders, operators, and innovators who believe great environments and meaningful human connection change lives. Diversity, belonging, and ownership aren’t slogans here, they’re how we work. At Equinox, colleagues don’t just support the business; they shape the future of wellness. Because for us, it’s not fitness. It’s life.
WHAT WE DO
We create premium, immersive experiences where performance, hospitality, design, and human connection converge—and every detail matters. This is not a traditional fitness environment. It is a place where high standards, accountability, and pride in craft define the work.
Fueled by an entrepreneurial mindset, we trust our people with real responsibility and real impact. Growth is earned through action, learning is hands‑on, and careers are built by those who want to operate at the highest level. At Equinox, we don’t just offer opportunities—we offer long‑term pathways for people who want to do meaningful work in an environment that expects more and delivers more.
Job Description
The Senior Interior Designer will assist the SVP of Design in new clubs, expansion, and renovation projects while managing their own projects. The responsibilities and duties of this position described here are representative of those an employee must perform:
Responsibilities
- Lead new club, renovation and special projects with selection, development and management of interior design and FF&E.
- Manage deliverables for weekly design presentation meetings to leadership.
- Frequent collaboration with internal Architecture & Planning team and cross functional departments such as Marketing, Creative, Procurement and Facilities.
- Lead design projects and co-ordination of outside Architect and Design consultants.
- Travel with the opening team for new clubs and presale offices.
- Source pricing, lead time and stock availability of FF&E items and finish materials.
- Create and manage finish schedules throughout the duration of projects.
- Organize and track FF&E budgets, for new clubs and renovation projects.
- Design and fabricate mood/materials boards for clubs and presale offices.
- Manage internal materials library with updates from vendor representatives.
- Create multimedia Indesign presentations, spreadsheets in Excel, and text documents in Word.
- Create floor plans, interior elevations, and cabinetry details in AutoCAD.
- Manage and implement standard interior signage package. (Send out to vendors for bid, review quote, locate signage appropriately and coordinate installation with construction.)
- Put together Flame Report for the Fire Department in new club districts: Order Flame Certificate from vendors, Complete forms for finishes, and order finishes.
- Process invoices for FF&E and coordinate all shipments, deliveries and installation.
- Become familiar with Equinox spatial requirements and standards.
- Photography and minor graphic design: Photograph clubs, create mood and finishes board, create renderings, and edit images. Professional photography is not required.
- Compile and organize high quality images of finishes for new clubs, for rendering purposes.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture or Interior Design.
- 8+ years professional experience with architecture or design firm, ideally in hospitality or high end residential field.
- Highly proficient at AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketchup and rendering knowledge with strong graphic and digital presentation skills.
- Strong leadership skills, detail-oriented, organized and enjoys problem solving.
- Has a passion for all things design related and ability to take initiative.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Knowledge of ADA compliance, sustainability and LEED certification a plus.
Pay Transparency: Min $95k - Max $105k
Additional Information
AS A MEMBER OF THE EQUINOX TEAM YOU WILL RECEIVE:
- We offer competitive salary, benefits, and industry leading commission opportunities for club employees.
- Complimentary Club membership.
- Perks and incentives with our products and services including Personal Training, Pilates, Spa and Shop.
This job description is intended to describe the general requirements for the position. It is not a complete statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Other duties not listed here may be assigned as necessary to ensure the proper operations of the department.
Equinox is an equal opportunity employer. For more information regarding our career opportunities, please visit one of our clubs or our website at https://careers.equinox.com/
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Must have a legal right to work in the United States.
Company Description
WHO WE ARE
Equinox is a category of one, setting the global standard for luxury health, wellness, and hospitality. Our spaces are intentionally elevated, our standards uncompromising, and our expectations high. We attract people who take pride in excellence, care deeply about quality, and want to be part of something that feels different the moment you walk through the door.
We are builders, operators, and innovators who believe great environments and meaningful human connection change lives. Diversity, belonging, and ownership aren’t slogans here, they’re how we work. At Equinox, colleagues don’t just support the business; they shape the future of wellness. Because for us, it’s not fitness. It’s life.
WHAT WE DO
We create premium, immersive experiences where performance, hospitality, design, and human connection converge—and every detail matters. This is not a traditional fitness environment. It is a place where high standards, accountability, and pride in craft define the work.
Fueled by an entrepreneurial mindset, we trust our people with real responsibility and real impact. Growth is earned through action, learning is hands‑on, and careers are built by those who want to operate at the highest level. At Equinox, we don’t just offer opportunities—we offer long‑term pathways for people who want to do meaningful work in an environment that expects more and delivers more.
Job Description
The Senior Interior Designer will assist the SVP of Design in new clubs, expansion, and renovation projects while managing their own projects. The responsibilities and duties of this position described here are representative of those an employee must perform:
Responsibilities
- Lead new club, renovation and special projects with selection, development and management of interior design and FF&E.
- Manage deliverables for weekly design presentation meetings to leadership.
- Frequent collaboration with internal Architecture & Planning team and cross functional departments such as Marketing, Creative, Procurement and Facilities.
- Lead design projects and co-ordination of outside Architect and Design consultants.
- Travel with the opening team for new clubs and presale offices.
- Source pricing, lead time and stock availability of FF&E items and finish materials.
- Create and manage finish schedules throughout the duration of projects.
- Organize and track FF&E budgets, for new clubs and renovation projects.
- Design and fabricate mood/materials boards for clubs and presale offices.
- Manage internal materials library with updates from vendor representatives.
- Create multimedia Indesign presentations, spreadsheets in Excel, and text documents in Word.
- Create floor plans, interior elevations, and cabinetry details in AutoCAD.
- Manage and implement standard interior signage package. (Send out to vendors for bid, review quote, locate signage appropriately and coordinate installation with construction.)
- Put together Flame Report for the Fire Department in new club districts: Order Flame Certificate from vendors, Complete forms for finishes, and order finishes.
- Process invoices for FF&E and coordinate all shipments, deliveries and installation.
- Become familiar with Equinox spatial requirements and standards.
- Photography and minor graphic design: Photograph clubs, create mood and finishes board, create renderings, and edit images. Professional photography is not required.
- Compile and organize high quality images of finishes for new clubs, for rendering purposes.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture or Interior Design.
- 8+ years professional experience with architecture or design firm, ideally in hospitality or high end residential field.
- Highly proficient at AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketchup and rendering knowledge with strong graphic and digital presentation skills.
- Strong leadership skills, detail-oriented, organized and enjoys problem solving.
- Has a passion for all things design related and ability to take initiative.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Knowledge of ADA compliance, sustainability and LEED certification a plus.
Pay Transparency: Min $95k - Max $105k
Additional Information
AS A MEMBER OF THE EQUINOX TEAM YOU WILL RECEIVE:
- We offer competitive salary, benefits, and industry leading commission opportunities for club employees.
- Complimentary Club membership.
- Perks and incentives with our products and services including Personal Training, Pilates, Spa and Shop.
This job description is intended to describe the general requirements for the position. It is not a complete statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Other duties not listed here may be assigned as necessary to ensure the proper operations of the department.
Equinox is an equal opportunity employer. For more information regarding our career opportunities, please visit one of our clubs or our website at https://careers.equinox.com/
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Must have a legal right to work in the United States.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Principal Interior Designer
Verify your degree meets specialty occupation
Your bachelor's degree must be in interior design, architecture, or a directly related field. A general fine arts degree without design coursework often triggers an RFE. Pull the O*NET profile for Principal Interior Designer to document how your coursework aligns with the role's core tasks.
Build a portfolio that shows strategic scope
Principal-level roles require evidence of project leadership, not just drafting skills. Compile documentation of projects where you directed design decisions, managed consultants, or owned client relationships. Employers filing H-1B petitions need this to justify the specialty occupation and seniority level.
Target firms with active LCA filing histories
Architecture and interior design studios that regularly sponsor visas have established HR processes for handling the LCA and I-129. Use Migrate Mate to find Principal Interior Designer roles at employers with verified sponsorship histories, so you're not educating a firm on the process from scratch.
Get your prevailing wage tier confirmed early
DOL assigns prevailing wage levels based on job duties and geography. For a principal-level role, you should be at wage Level III or IV. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the prevailing wage for your target metro before you receive an offer, so you can flag if an employer's offer falls short of what the LCA will require.
Understand how PERM affects your green card timeline
If your sponsoring employer offers EB-2 or EB-3 green card sponsorship, they'll need to run a PERM labor certification through DOL before filing the immigrant petition. For Principal Interior Designer roles, PERM ads must list degree requirements that match the actual job duties, which affects how the job description is drafted.
Clarify whether the employer will cover filing fees
USCIS filing fees for the H-1B petition are the employer's legal obligation and can't be charged back to you in a way that would reduce your wage below the prevailing wage. Confirm in writing before you sign an offer whether the employer is covering petition costs or expects cost-sharing for premium processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Principal Interior Designer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, provided the employer's job description requires at minimum a bachelor's degree in interior design, architecture, or a closely related field. The word 'principal' matters here: if the posting accepts any bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in lieu of a specific design degree, USCIS may issue an RFE challenging the specialty occupation classification. A tightly scoped job description tied to design theory and project delivery strengthens the petition.
Will a three-year bachelor's degree in interior design from outside the U.S. qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
It can, but it requires a credential evaluation. USCIS accepts foreign three-year bachelor's degrees as equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree when a qualified credential evaluation agency determines equivalency. Some evaluators count a three-year degree plus relevant postgraduate study or significant professional experience as the equivalent. Your employer's immigration attorney will typically coordinate this evaluation as part of the petition.
Which visa types can a Principal Interior Designer use to work in the U.S.?
The H-1B visa is the most common path and applies to nationals of any country, though it's subject to an annual cap and lottery. Australian citizens can apply for the E-3 visa, which has its own cap that has never been exhausted and requires no lottery. Chilean and Singaporean nationals can use the H-1B1 visa. All three classify interior design as a specialty occupation and require employer sponsorship and an LCA.
How do I find employers who actively sponsor Principal Interior Designer roles?
Browse Migrate Mate to find Principal Interior Designer positions at employers with verified sponsorship histories. Many architecture and interior design firms sponsor intermittently, so targeting those with a track record of LCA filings for design roles saves significant time. Focusing on firms with dedicated HR teams or in-house immigration counsel also reduces the risk of an employer backing out mid-process.
Can a Principal Interior Designer self-petition for a green card without employer sponsorship?
In limited circumstances, yes. The EB-1A extraordinary ability category allows self-petition if you can demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim in interior design through awards, publications, jury service, or significant client recognition. The EB-2 National Interest Waiver is a harder fit for design roles but possible if your work demonstrably benefits the U.S. in areas like sustainable design or affordable housing. Both categories bypass PERM labor certification.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Principal Interior Designer jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.