Medical Interpreter

The University of New Mexico; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 26,174 - 34,123; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Tuition remission

Dependent education

Job summary

The University of New Mexico is hiring a Medical Interpreter to support Spanish-speaking patients visiting the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. In this role, you will provide accurate interpretation services, ensuring effective communication between patients and healthcare providers.

The position requires a high school diploma or GED, at least 2 years of related experience, and an Interpreter/Translator Certificate. The pay ranges from $19.00 to $24.77 per hour and includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• At least 2 years of experience related to duties and responsibilities.
• Certification from an approved Interpreter/Translator training program.

Responsibilities

• Provide accurate interpretation for Spanish-speaking patients.
• Collaborate with healthcare providers for effective communication.

Skills

Spanish speaking

Interpretation skills

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

Interpreter/Translator Certificate

Job description

Medical Interpreter

The UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center has an extremely large population of Spanish speaking only patients that daily visit our clinic as a new or existing patient. It is a regulatory requirement that we provide interpreter services for this clientele either via Video Interpreter Program or have onsite interpreters-family/friends are not relied upon to provide this service. This ensures that accurate interpretation and translation of critical medical information is given in direct service to Physicians and/or other health care providers who are seeing patients who cannot speak or understand English, when specifically required by the Provider. This position collaborates with all aspects of the clinical enterprise.

The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in a 500-mile radius. Its 136 board‑certified oncology specialty physicians include cancer surgeons in every specialty (abdominal, thoracic, bone and soft tissue, neurosurgery, genitourinary, gynecology, and head and neck cancers), adult and pediatric hematologists/medical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists, and radiation oncologists. They, along with more than 600 other cancer healthcare professionals (nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, navigators, psychologists and social workers), provide treatment to 65% of New Mexico’s cancer patients from all across the state. And they partner with community health systems statewide to provide cancer care closer to home. In 2024 they treated more than 15,000 patients in almost 105,000 ambulatory clinic visits in addition to in‑patient hospitalizations at UNM Hospital. A total of 2,075 patients participated in cancer clinical trials to study new cancer treatments that include tests of novel cancer prevention strategies and cancer genome sequencing. The more than 123 cancer research scientists affiliated with the UNM Cancer Center were awarded $38.3 million in federal and private grants and contracts for cancer research projects. Since 2015, the physicians, scientists and staff have provided education and training experiences to more than 750 high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellowship students in cancer research and cancer health care delivery.

Website: unmhealth.org/cancer

See the Position Description for additional information.

Conditions of Employment

• Must successfully pass the UNMH Interpreter/Translator Medical Qualification Test
• Successful candidate must submit to post‑offer, pre‑employment physical examination and medical history check.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or GED; at least 2 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified. Certification/Licensure Interpreter/Translator Certificate and/or Certificate of Competency from an approved Interpreter/Translator training program.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

Spanish speaking- “Bridging the Gap” certification

Additional Requirements

Finalists should be prepared to provide official educational transcripts if selected for hire.

Applicants must provide names of 3 professional references that the hiring official can contact.

Location

Health Sciences Center (HSC) - Albuquerque, NM

Patient & Family Support Services (099U2)

Employment Details

Staff, Regular – Full‑Time, Non‑Exempt

Pay: $19.00 - $24.77

Benefits

This is a benefits eligible position. The University of New Mexico provides a comprehensive package of benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. In addition, UNM offers educational benefits through the tuition remission and dependent education programs. See the Benefits home page for more information.

ERB Statement

As a condition of employment, eligible employees working greater than .25 FTE as determined by the New Mexico Education Retirement Act must make mandatory retirement contributions. For more information, review the Benefits Eligibility at a Glance grid.

Background Check

Yes

Eligibility and Legal

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre‑employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.