Design Associate

Carmel Partners, one of the nation’s leading specialists in real estate investment management, with expertise in the investment, development and construction of multifamily real estate, is seeking a Design Associate in our San Francisco Office.

The Design Associate supports interior design execution across Carmel Partners national portfolio, including new development, renovation, and existing assets. Partnering with internal teams, consultants, procurement partners, and vendors, the Associate coordinates documentation, schedules, deliverables, and installations, managing defined work streams and smaller-scope initiatives under the direction of the Design team and escalating design, budget, and schedule decisions as appropriate.

A place for you Here at Carmel, we don’t just invest in real estate; we invest in careers. If you don’t meet all of the qualifications listed for this role, we encourage you to monitor our career page for upcoming opportunities. Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented groups often hesitate to apply for roles unless they meet every qualification.

We’re committed to assembling diverse teams with exceptional talent, and we strongly encourage individuals from a wide range of backgrounds to apply. Everyone’s career journey is unique, so let’s explore how you could be a great fit for our team!

What You'll Do Coordinate interior design initiatives across the national portfolio under the direction of the Design team Maintain project trackers, milestone schedules, action-item logs, approval records, and portfolio-level status reporting

Coordinate day-to-day project information among internal teams, interior design consultants, architects, contractors, procurement partners, and vendors

Manage Design team and project meetings, including scheduling, agendas, presentation materials, notes, and follow-up on outstanding deliverables

Perform initial review of drawings, finish schedules, specifications, shop drawings, submittals, and RFIs for completeness; route items for Design team review and elevate discrepancies for resolution

Prepare and maintain specification sheets, finish schedules, sample sets, unit finish boards, and related design documentation, including approved pricing

Track and document approved selections for residential units, corridors, amenities, model units, and exterior FF&ECoordinate smaller scope amenity refreshes and Asset Management design requests; research options and prepare preliminary recommendations for Design team approval

Coordinate with vendors to obtain samples, lead times, substitutions, and order-status information

Track FF&E and finish selections against approved budgets and schedules, identifying cost, availability, and schedule risks early

Coordinate documentation, shop drawings, and finish and fabric samples related to furniture product development

Support project installations and styling alongside procurement partners, vendors, and installation teams to confirm approved design intent is carried through

Coordinate warranty, repair, replacement, and close-out needs following FF&E installation

Periodically visit active construction sites and project installations, including elevated areas and uneven ground, wearing required personal protective equipment

Maintain the Master Unit Finish Schedule, unit finish standards, product and resource libraries, project files, vendor and consultant records, and historical design documentation

Support the documentation and rollout of design standards, preferred specifications, and national sourcing initiatives, and maintain lessons-learned documentation for future standards and processes

Maintain the Design product room and coordinate sample requests and material distribution to outside…