Medical Interpreter and Translator Coordinator

County of Santa Clara; California (MO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Santa Clara seeks a qualified Medical Interpreter/Translator to develop and oversee language services across Santa Clara Valley Healthcare’s hospitals and clinics.

The role requires at least two years of medical interpreting/translation, certification, and ability to travel between sites. Fluency in non-English languages and cross-cultural communication are highly valued in delivering patient-centered care.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience.
• Two years of full-time medical interpreting or translation experience.
• Medical interpreter/translator certification required.
• Ability to travel to alternate locations.
• Disaster Service Worker designation may be required.

Responsibilities

• Plans, organizes, and coordinates language services programs and staff.
• Determines objectives and priorities for language services.
• Implements, monitors, and evaluates programs to meet regulations.
• Interprets and translates for patients and families, ensuring access to care.
• Maintains records and prepares reports related to language services.

Skills

Interpreting

Translation

Bilingual

Job description

DescriptionUnder direction, to develop, coordinate, and oversee the daily delivery of specialized programs and program staff, activities, and services for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.

DescriptionUnder direction, to develop, coordinate, and oversee the daily delivery of specialized programs and program staff, activities, and services for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.

The Power of WE: Together, we can make a greater impact. Bringing better care and expanding healthcare services across the community.

Santa Clara Valley Healthcare (SCVH) is the second largest public health care system in California and includes three acute care hospitals, 14 clinics and 60+ specialty and sub-specialty services. Our mission is to provide high-quality, accessible healthcare and excellent service to everyone in Santa Clara County.

Because we serve patients throughout multiple hospitals and clinics, you may have to work at different sites. We will meet any obligations we may have when this occurs.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center - SCVMC is a full-service tertiary acute care teaching hospital with 699 licensed beds providing a wide range of specialized services, including Rehabilitation, Burn, Trauma, and NICU. SCVMC was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #6 Rehabilitation Hospital in the nation and #1 in the West and designated as a 2024 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care, Heart Failure, Stroke, Hip Fracture, and Pneumonia.

O'Connor Hospital - O'Connor Hospital (OCH) is a 358 licensed bed acute care facility offering a full range of inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and specialty programs to residents of Santa Clara County. It was founded in 1889 as one of the first hospitals in the county. OCH has grown significantly over the past five years in both its inpatient volume and its Emergency Department visits. Along with these volume increases other ancillary and clinical departments like imaging, lab, pharmacy, and respiratory have seen growth as well.

St. Louise Regional Hospital - Since 1989, St. Louise Regional Hospital (SLRH) has been caring for the residents in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, offering a wide range of inpatient and outpatient medical specialties. SLRH has 93 beds, is a Designated Primary Stroke Center, and is the only acute care hospital in the area. Located in Gilroy, SLRH maintains a CALSTAR 2 emergency helicopter base on the premises.

Regional Medical Center - Regional Medical Center (RMC) is a 258-bed hospital that is the main emergency healthcare provider for East San José, treating a wide range of critical and life-threatening conditions for more than 60 years. Since the SCVH integration of RMC effective 4/1/25, RMC has expanded the critical services including Level II trauma, Thrombectomy capable Stroke Center and STEMI care, and has been seeing an increased number of emergency visits and inpatient volume.

Learn more about Santa Clara Valley Healthcare: https://www.scvh.org/home and follow us on:

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Typical TasksThe following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

• Plans, organizes, and coordinates one or more programs of the Language Services Department;
• Determines objectives in light of established goals, develops strategies to achieve objectives, and establishes priorities;
• Implements, monitors and evaluates the assigned program to meet regulatory requirements;
• Implements policies, plans, and procedures, defines personnel and other resource needs, and allocates them as required to carry out the functions and to reach the objectives of the program;
• Interviews, selects, and hires staff;
• Develops and implements training for staff members;
• Evaluates and reviews work performance and provides counseling and corrective action to subordinate personnel;
• Attends meetings, participates and/or leads committees and task forces and prepares and presents written and oral reports related to department programs;
• Determines budgetary requirements of assigned programs and makes budget recommendations;
• Collects, maintains and analyzes data of programs, activities and operational expenses to measure the effectiveness;
• Maintains accurate data, records and files of departmental programs and activities;
• Assist in the development and implementation of service agreements and contracts;
• Functions as liaison and cultural consultant between health care team/physician and patient;
• Advises patients, clients and/or families about available health care and hospital services and resources;
• Explains and interprets patient's rights and responsibilities;
• Provides language interpretation and translation during the patient's course of medical assessment and non-medical services to patients and/or clients and their families;
• Assists patients and/or clients by interpreting and clarifying hospital procedures and forms;
• Assist in the preparation of brochures, memos, other literature, and audio-visual materials;
• Interfaces with Inpatient Departments, Outpatient Departments, and other medical and non-medical County departments;
• May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker (DSW), as required*;
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Employment StandardsSufficient education, training and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks, plus the possession and direct application of the following knowledges and abilities.

Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities are obtained through training and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree. Relevant analytical, administrative, lead, supervisory, or management experience that includes interpreting rules and regulations, gathering data and formulating recommendations, and report writing can substitute for education on a year-for-year basis; and Two (2) years of full-time medical interpreting or translation experience in a health care setting, one of which must have been in a lead and/or supervisory capacity. The lead and/or supervisory experience may be inclusive of the medical interpreting experience or separate. Fluency in a third language is desirable, but not required.

Special Requirements

• Possess and maintain in good standing, a Medical Interpreter and/ or Translator Certification from a recognized agency specializing in medical interpretation. Must possess and maintain certification, in good standing, for the duration of employment in this classification.
• Ability to travel to alternate locations in the course of work. If driving, possession of a valid California driver’s license prior to appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County driver authorization.
• *As a condition of employment, pursuant to California Government Code Sections 3100-3109 and Local Ordinance, all County of Santa Clara employees are designated Disaster Service Workers (DSWs), including extra help. A DSW is required to complete all assigned DSW-related training, and in the event of an emergency, return to work as ordered.

Knowledge Of

• Principles of program coordination;
• Policy and procedure development techniques;
• Principles of supervision, training, and employee development;
• Basic statistical and research methods;
• Basic Medicare and Medi-Cal regulations;
• Basic recordkeeping methods;
• Techniques of problem solving and decision making;
• Principles of Contract Management, and budgeting;
• Interpretation and translation of non-English languages, including intracultural literary levels, principal idioms and slang;
• General medical terminology in English and a second language;
• Basic hospital organization;
• Laws and regulations regarding patient care;
• Modern hospital methods, forms and equipment;
• Joint Commission Requirements including but not limited to sensitivity to cultural diversity, patient care, and patient rights;
• Legal ramifications of interpretation and translation in a healthcare setting;
• Customer service principles;
• Ethnic customs, culture and religious attitudes particular to non-English speaking ethnic groups;
• English usage, style, grammar, punctuation, and spelling;
• Common computer systems and applications.

Ability To

• Develop and write short and long-term program goals;
• Develop and provide cross-cultural training programs;
• Supervise and prepare various non-English language brochures and memorandum relating to hospital policies and procedures, and other health related literature;
• Make immediate, informed and independent decisions as to referral of patient's needs and problems;
• Coordinate and supervise a translation or interpretation program;
• Develop and implement policies and procedures;
• Speak, read and write in English and a second language fluently;
• Interact with a wide range of multi-cultural and non-English speaking patients;
• Translate detailed medical and legal information of written materials and documents;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, people of diverse backgrounds and cultures;
• Function as a liaison and cultural consultant between the health care team/physician and patient;
• Work under emergency or stressful situations;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, at all levels, including colleagues, the public, and representatives of other agencies.

Physical Requirements

• Sit, or stand for extended periods of time while focusing on detailed written text;
• Travel to various facilities and interpret for different assignments.