Freelance Polish Interpreter and Translator

SILA Linguists; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible freelance work

Remote and on-site assignments

Fair pay for expertise

Professional development

Supportive operations team

Varied work across sectors

Job summary

SILA Linguists is seeking a freelance Polish interpreter and translator to support Polish speakers across healthcare, legal, employment and public service settings in the UK.

Assignments can be remote by video or telephone, or on-site, with a mix across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You will translate, interpret and transcribe as needed, following professional codes, with confidentiality and DBS as required.

Qualifications

• Native or near-native fluency in Polish and English, spoken and written.
• A recognised interpreting or translation qualification, such as the DPSI or DPI, or equivalent experience.
• Familiarity with Polish legal terms and their UK equivalents.
• A current DBS check, or willingness to obtain one.
• The right to work in the UK for on-site assignments.
• A dependable internet connection and a confidential space for remote interpreting.

Responsibilities

• Interpret consecutively in police, court and tribunal settings, following client rules.
• Translate Polish civil documents for official UK use.
• Interpret accurately and impartially, keeping information confidential.
• Research subject-specific vocabulary before assignments, especially medical and legal bookings.
• Translate and proofread documents carefully, query unclear source text.
• Transcribe and translate audio/video recordings where skills exist.

Skills

Polish-English bilingual

Interpreting experience

Legal terminology

Education

DPSI/DPI qualification

Job description

Join SILA Linguists® as a freelance Polish interpreter and translator. You will support Polish speakers in healthcare, legal, employment and public service settings, working by video, by telephone or in person.

Polish is widely spoken in communities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and assignments arise in every part of the UK. Most clients need standard Polish. Interpreters who follow regional speech from Silesia, Podhale or the eastern borderlands offer a better service, as do those who know how UK-born children of Polish families mix the two languages.

Typical work includes GP and hospital appointments, maternity care, employment tribunals, police interviews, family court hearings and council housing or benefits meetings. Translation requests often involve birth and marriage certificates, school records, employment contracts and medical reports for people settled in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Interpret consecutively in police, court and tribunal settings, following the rules set by each client.
• Translate Polish civil status documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, for official use in the UK.
• Interpret accurately and impartially, following the professional code of conduct and keeping all information confidential.
• Research subject-specific vocabulary before assignments, particularly for medical and legal bookings.
• Translate and proofread documents carefully, querying unclear source text rather than guessing.
• Transcribe and translate audio and video recordings, such as interviews and calls, if you have the skills for transcription work.

Requirements

• Native or near-native fluency in Polish and English, spoken and written.
• A recognised interpreting or translation qualification, such as the DPSI or DPI, or equivalent experience. Membership of CIOL, ITI or NRPSI is welcome but not required.
• Familiarity with Polish legal and administrative terms (for example, akt urodzenia, PESEL, ZUS) and their nearest UK equivalents.
• A current DBS check, or willingness to obtain one, for assignments that require it.
• The right to work in the UK for on-site UK assignments.
• A dependable internet connection and a confidential space for remote interpreting.

What we offer

• Flexible freelance work that fits around your schedule.
• A mix of remote (video and telephone) and on-site assignments.
• Fair pay for your expertise and time.
• Professional development to keep your skills current.
• A supportive operations team to help with bookings and questions.
• Varied work across sectors, from healthcare and law to government and business.

Polish work with SILA Linguists®

SILA Linguists® is a language services company providing interpreting, translation and transcription across the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond, in more than 350 languages and dialects. As a Polish linguist with us, you can take on the full range of work we offer in Polish:

• Polish interpreting of every type: face-to-face, telephone (OPI) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, video (VRI) through the SILA Linguists® app or the client's platform, consecutive, simultaneous, conference and remote simultaneous (RSI), community and escort interpreting.
• Polish translation of documents into and out of English, from letters, medical reports and school records to contracts, research and websites.
• Certified Polish translation with a signed statement of accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as courts, the Home Office, universities and employers.
• Polish transcription of audio and video recordings, with time stamps, translation of the transcript and subtitling.

Our vetted, trained and qualified linguists work in legal, police and court settings, immigration and asylum matters, NHS and private healthcare, social care, schools and universities, charities and business. Every assignment is covered by confidentiality agreements and UK GDPR.