Interpreter

Job Type: Location Type: Not Specified

 

Summary

The position is in the non-European Branch, Interpreting Division of the Office of Language Services of the Department of State. The Division traditionally handles the interpreting assignments in the Federal Government, including service for the President, cabinet members, and congressional leaders.

Duties

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• 1. Provides simultaneous and consecutive interpreting services between English, Japanese, and formal and informal settings in support of foreign affairs programs and diplomatic activities.
• 2. Provides interpreting services in diplomatic settings, serving as an interpreter for the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State and other U.S. Government officials.
• 3. Handles complex logistics to perform liaison and coordinating work with officers of the government and private organizations for various engagements such as conferences and negotiation sessions.
• 4. Plans the assignment of contract interpreters to various projects and executes attendant follow-up reviews and paperwork. Assists with translating or reviewing of translations, depending on the needs of the Office.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• This position requires the applicant to pass a Language Proficiency Test.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience in translating, interpreting, or other work requiring the use of English and the other language; or a combination of work (that required English and the other language) and training at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Service Institute, or comparable training.

IN ADDITION, this position requires the following additional specialized experience:

• Experience with simultaneous and consecutive interpreting at the conference level from Japanese into English and from English into Japanese at the senior level of the U.S. Government.
• Experience interpreting in meetings at the conference level on behalf of senior members of governments, including one-on-ones, bilateral meetings and press events.
• Experience with the contemporary politics, economy, international relations, and the other country or countries in which Japanese are spoken.

THE FOLLOWING SELECTIVE FACTOR IS REQUIRED:

Must have experience in interpretation of Japanese into English and English into Japanese.

The following are examples of work in the required language that may have provided the required abilities: translator; interpreter; librarian or information specialist required to make abstracts, screen, index, and scan material; intelligence; writer or editor; international organizational work, such as the Peace Corps, World Bank, United Nations, business, or other organizations; or professor, teacher, or instructor work at the high school or college level that required use of the foreign language.

**ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE TESTED BY THE AGENCY FOR PROFICIENCY ON A PASS/FAIL BASIS PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT.**

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

• For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.
• If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.