Quality & Material SME Interior Design

Parsons Corporation

What You'll Be Doing:

1. Strategic Material Selection Design Stage

The SME shall play a proactive and decisive role in selecting the right materials during concept and detailed design, not merely reviewing submissions.

Key Duties:

• Lead technical evaluation of all interior material proposals before final design freeze.
• Establish Interior Material Selection Criteria Framework, including:
  • Durability under local environmental conditions
  • UV resistance and weathering (where applicable)
  • Fire rating and smoke development compliance
  • Acoustic performance
  • Slip resistance
  • Structural compatibility
  • Sustainability and embodied carbon
  • Maintenance cycle and lifecycle cost
• Conduct comparative material analysis (Value Engineering without quality compromise).
• Approve benchmark materials prior to specification finalization.
• Validate:
  • Marble/stone selection suitability (porosity, structural stability, staining risk)
  • Veneer and engineered wood quality (warping resistance, humidity behavior)
  • Fabric fire classification and durability
  • Adhesives and substrate compatibility
  • Specialized finishes (metal, decorative panels, acoustic treatments)
• Ensure material selection aligns with:
  • Employer s Requirements
  • Brand standards (if hospitality or luxury)
  • Sustainability strategy
  • Target operational model

2. Enhanced Design Engagement & Governance

The SME must be embedded within the design coordination process.

Expanded Design Engagement Role:

• Participate in:
  • Design charrettes
  • Technical workshops
  • Material board reviews
  • Mock-up definition meetings
  • BIM coordination sessions
• Review and technically validate:
  • Finish schedules
  • Detailed joinery drawings
  • Wall build-ups
  • Interface details (MEP to architectural)
• Define material interface control requirements between:
  • Architecture
  • Interior Design
  • MEP
  • Fire & Life Safety
  • Fa ade (where relevant)
• Develop material risk register for interior works.
• Identify long-lead or high-risk materials early.
• Recommend mock-ups and prototypes during design phase.
• Ensure constructability considerations are embedded into design.

3. Pre-Construction & Procurement Phase

• Review and technically assess:
  • Material submittals (MIR)
  • Shop drawings
  • Mock-ups
  • Sample approvals
• Validate compliance against approved design benchmarks.
• Define Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) criteria for bespoke materials.
• Support vendor technical evaluation and material sourcing strategy.
• Develop Interior Inspection & Test Plan (ITP) framework.

4. Construction Phase Continuity

• Ensure preservation of design intent during execution.
• Participate in:
  • First-of-kind inspections
  • Benchmark installations
  • Factory inspections (local & international)
• Review and close:
  • NCRs related to interior finishes
  • Technical deviation requests
• Verify installation compliance against approved mock-ups.
• Provide technical resolution on site-related material failures or substitutions.

5. Quality Governance & Risk Management

• Define interior material quality KPIs.
• Develop quality control benchmarks for all Work Packages.
• Coordinate with:
  • QA/QC Engineers
  • QA/QC SMEs (Civil, MEP, Architectural)
  • Third-party independent verification
• Conduct focused quality audits on interior materials.
• Implement preventive quality strategy rather than reactive inspection.

6. Lifecycle & Operational Performance Oversight

• Validate long-term performance of materials in high-traffic areas.
• Review maintenance manuals for material-specific compliance.
• Ensure warranty alignment with performance expectations.
• Assess cleaning methods compatibility.
• Evaluate lifecycle replacement strategy for critical finishes.

Authority Level

• Technical approval authority on interior material benchmarks.
• Authority to reject non-compliant material proposals.
• Authority to mandate mock-ups prior to production.
• Authority to escalate material risk to Engineering Leadership.
• Authority to recommend suspension of defective interior works.