Mandarin Interpreter

Arkad; Jakarta Pusat; On-site; IDR 279,000,000 - 390,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Reference letter

Hands-on project experience

Direct interaction with leadership

Job summary

Arkad is seeking a Mandarin Interpreter to bridge communication between our project team and Chinese engineers on-site during construction of our first production facility. This 6-month contract requires real-time consecutive interpretation in Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia and comfortable working in PPE on a live site.

The successful candidate will build a bilingual glossary, support safety communications, and coordinate with vendors, contractors, and Arkad’s team.

Qualifications

• Minimum D3 / S1 from any major — Chinese Language & Literature or Engineering preferred
• HSK 5 or above or equivalent fluency

Responsibilities

• Provide consecutive interpretation between Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia for engineers, project team, and contractors on site.
• Interpret during daily coordination, weekly progress, and technical meetings.
• Translate working documents between Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia, and English; build bilingual glossary.
• Relay safety inductions, toolbox talks, and permit-to-work briefings in Mandarin; ensure safety rules understood.

Skills

Mandarin proficiency

Bahasa Indonesia

Live consecutive interpretation

On-site construction experience

Fast learner

Education

D3/S1 in Chinese Language or Engineering

HSK 5 or above

Tools

WeChat

WhatsApp

Job description

Arkad is a growing alternative hydrocarbon feedstocks and circular materials company. We produce Tire Pyrolysis Oil (TPO) and Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) from end-of-life tires (ELT) through a thermochemical recycling process, supplying global energy and industrial customers.

As Arkad builds its first production facility, we are looking for a Mandarin Interpreter (6-month contract) to bridge communication between our project team and the Chinese engineers who will supervise the construction of our plant equipment on site.

Our Culture

We believe in ownership, accountability, and drive in getting things done. At Arkad, people are trusted to run their areas, make decisions, and be responsible for outcomes—not just processes. We operate in industrial markets, supplying products to global energy and chemical customers. Our feedstocks happen to be waste, which makes the business inherently more sustainable—but we compete on quality, reliability, and execution. As Arkad scales, we expect our people to scale with it.

Role Summary

The Mandarin Interpreter is the communication bridge between Arkad’s engineering and project team, our local contractors, and the Chinese supervising engineers from our technology vendor during the construction and installation of plant equipment. You will interpret between Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia in real time — on the construction site, in technical meetings, and in day-to-day coordination — so that instructions, questions, and decisions are understood accurately by both sides.

This is a full-time, site-based, project-based contract role. You will spend your time in the field alongside engineers, not behind a desk. An engineering background is not required, but precision is: on a construction site, a mistranslated instruction can quickly become a quality or safety problem. You will be expected to learn the technical vocabulary fast, work independently from day one, and ask rather than guess.

6-month fixed-term contract, full-time on site. Extension is possible depending on project needs.

Main Responsibilities

On-Site Interpretation

• Provide consecutive interpretation between Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia for the vendor’s supervising engineers, Arkad’s project team, and contractors during equipment construction and installation
• Accompany the supervising engineers on site walks, inspections, and installation checks
• Relay technical instructions, clarifications, and corrections accurately and completely — without adding, omitting, or softening

Meetings & Coordination

• Interpret in daily coordination meetings, weekly progress meetings, and technical discussions
• Record key decisions and action items, and prepare short bilingual meeting summaries
• Follow up on open questions between Arkad’s team and the vendor’s engineers

Document Translation

• Translate working documents — drawing notes, installation instructions, checklists, punch lists, and correspondence — between Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia or English
• Build and maintain a bilingual glossary of the technical terms used on the project
• Flag ambiguous or unclear terms to the engineering team instead of guessing

Safety Communication

• Interpret safety inductions, toolbox meetings, and permit-to-work briefings for the vendor’s engineers
• Make sure site safety rules and emergency procedures are clearly understood by the Mandarin-speaking team
• Follow all site HSE requirements at all times, including the use of PPE
• Help the vendor’s engineers with day-to-day communication on site and with Arkad’s administration team
• Support coordination of schedules, site access, and other practical matters related to their work
• Act as a cultural bridge that helps both teams work together smoothly

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

• Minimum D3 / S1 from any major — Chinese Language & Literature or Engineering preferred
• HSK 5 or above, or equivalent proven fluency (for example, a native or heritage speaker, or having studied or lived in a Mandarin-speaking country)

Core Competencies

• Fluent spoken and written Mandarin (Simplified Chinese) and Bahasa Indonesia
• Able to interpret consecutively in live conversation, accurately and at a natural pace
• Comfortable with basic office tools — documents, spreadsheets, and messaging apps such as WeChat and WhatsApp
• At least 1 year of interpreting or translation experience — full-time, freelance, or project-based
• Experience interpreting in industrial, construction, manufacturing, or engineering settings is a strong plus
• Comfortable working on an active construction site — outdoors, in PPE, field-based and not desk-based
• Precise and honest — asks when unsure rather than guessing
• Fast learner who picks up technical terms quickly
• Confident speaking up among senior engineers and contractors
• Reliable and punctual, available full-time for the full 6-month contract and flexible with site working hours
• Discreet with confidential technical and commercial information
• Culturally aware and easy to work with

Preferred

• Engineering or technical educational background (mechanical, chemical, electrical, or civil)
• Familiarity with industrial, construction, or manufacturing terminology in Mandarin
• Working proficiency in English, especially for reading technical documents
• Domiciled in, or able to commute daily to, the Bekasi / North Jakarta area
• Available to start immediately

What We Offer

• A 6-month fixed-term contract with competitive monthly compensation
• Hands-on involvement in the construction of a brand-new industrial plant, working directly alongside international engineers
• Real project experience and technical Mandarin vocabulary that are hard to gain in a classroom
• Direct interaction with Arkad’s engineering and senior leadership team
• A reference letter upon successful completion of the contract