Arabic Cultural Advisor

Atlas Advisors; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 150,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Atlas Advisors, LLC seeks experienced Cultural Advisors to support the U.S. Air Force at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The role includes interpretation, translation, and coordination across multiple functional areas to strengthen communication between U.S.

personnel and host nation partners. The Site Lead option involves supervising the Cultural Advisor team, scheduling, onboarding, and reporting to Government leadership.

Qualifications

• Active DoD Secret Security Clearance.
• ILR Level 3+ in Arabic and English.
• US Passport and U.S. Driver's License.
• Ability to obtain host nation visas.
• Experience in interpretation, translation, and cultural advisory.
• Strong knowledge of Emirati and Gulf culture.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to work independently within a team.
• Site Lead candidates must have 1 year supervisory experience.
• 2+ years in cross-cultural training or liaison roles.

Responsibilities

• Advise personnel on Emirati culture, customs, laws, and regional considerations.
• Provide interpretation, translation, and transcription in Arabic and English.
• Build relationships with host nation organizations and coordinate activities.
• Support leader engagements, visits, meetings, and multinational coordination.
• Coordinate administrative needs across contracting, logistics, engineering, medical, and public affairs.

Skills

Security clearance

Arabic-English ILR3+

US passport

Interpreting/translation

Cultural knowledge

Communication skills

Independence

Teamwork

Job description

United Arab Emirates | Posted on 07/14/2026

Atlas Advisors, LLC is seeking experienced Cultural Advisors to support the U.S. Air Force at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. Cultural Advisors serve as trusted advisors, interpreters, and liaison professionals who facilitate communication and strengthen relationships between U.S. personnel and host nation military, government, and civilian organizations.

This position combines cultural expertise, professional interpretation and translation, and relationship building to support daily operations across multiple functional areas, including leadership engagement, logistics, contracting, engineering, medical, public affairs, and host nation coordination.

One selected candidate will also serve as the Cultural Advisor Site Lead, providing day-to-day supervision and coordination of the Cultural Advisor team. The Site Lead is one of the Cultural Advisor positions, not a separate position. Candidates interested in the Site Lead role must meet all Cultural Advisor qualifications listed below, in addition to the Site Lead qualifications.

**This position is contingent on contract award**

Key Responsibilities

• Advise U.S. military personnel on Emirati culture, customs, traditions, laws, and regional considerations.
• Provide professional interpretation, translation, and transcription services in Modern Standard Arabic and English.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with host nation military, government, and civilian organizations.
• Support key leader engagements, official visits, meetings, and multinational coordination activities.
• Assist with administrative coordination across functions, including contracting, logistics, engineering, medical, public affairs, and host-nation coordination.
• Prepare reports, translated documents, correspondence, and cultural advisory products.
• Respond to mission requirements, emergent situations, and after-hours support as required.

Additional Site Lead Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate the daily activities of the Cultural Advisor team.
• Manage personnel scheduling, workload distribution, and mission coverage.
• Coordinate onboarding, training, and administrative requirements for Cultural Advisors.
• Prepare recurring activity reports, progress updates, and status reports for Government leadership.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between the Government and the Cultural Advisor team.
• Ensure consistent communication, collaboration, and quality of support across all assigned Cultural Advisors.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Active DoD Secret Security Clearance.
• ILR Level 3+ proficiency (or equivalent) in both Modern Standard Arabic and English.
• Valid U.S. Passport & U.S. Driver's License.
• Ability to obtain required host nation visas and driving privileges.
• Demonstrated experience providing interpretation, translation, cultural advisory, liaison, or host nation engagement support.
• Strong knowledge of Emirati, Gulf Region, and broader Middle Eastern culture, customs, traditions, and regional practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while supporting a collaborative team environment.

Candidates interested in serving as the Site Lead must meet all of the qualifications listed above. In addition, Site Lead candidates must possess:

• At least one (1) year of supervisory experience in a professional office environment.
• At least two (2) years of cumulative experience in one or more of the following:
• Providing cross-cultural training or briefings within an operational military environment.
• Serving as a cultural advisor supporting military operations.
• Serving as a liaison or mediator between the U.S. Government or Department of Defense and a foreign government or military.
• Providing interpretation that includes both language translation and cultural context in support of U.S. Government or Department of Defense operations

Desired Qualifications:

• Previous experience supporting the U.S. Department of Defense or other U.S. Government organizations.
• Experience working with the United Arab Emirates or other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.
• Experience supporting multinational military operations or international partnerships.
• Familiarity with military staff processes and host nation engagement.
• Experience coordinating with foreign government agencies or military organizations.

This is a full-time, on-site position located at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. The position is performed in a dynamic operational environment and may require after-hours, weekend, holiday, or emergency support based on mission requirements. Candidates must demonstrate professionalism, discretion, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work effectively with U.S. military personnel and host nation partners.

Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

About Us

Atlas Advisors, LLC (ATLAS) is a HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that consistently delivers innovative solutions to address the complex challenges of our global clientele through a focused variety of niche consulting and specialized personnel services.