Mixteco Bajo Linguist

Mission Essential; Covina (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flight provided

Rental car provided

Some meals included

Job summary

Mission Essential seeks linguists to support HHS I programs, providing interpretation and translation in Kaqchikel at ILR Level 2+ or higher. Travel and onsite support are accommodated, with remote interpreting available as needed.

Linguists will facilitate communication among care staff, unaccompanied children and URMs, ensuring comprehension and cultural context in sensitive settings.

Qualifications

• ILR Level 2+ proficiency in English and Kaqchikel.
• Experience as linguist in refugee or care settings preferred.
• Ability to provide interpretation and translation with accuracy and discretion.

Responsibilities

• Provide in-person interpretation at ORR sites when onsite.
• Deliver remote interpretation via telephone or videoconference as needed.
• Facilitate communication between care staff and UC/UAM/URM.
• Assist UC/UAM/URM in expressing concerns when English is not fluent.
• Translate documents between English and target language as required.
• Support orientation to community resources through interpretation.

Skills

Kaqchikel language

ILR 2+ proficiency

Interpretation & translation

Job description

*If you are not local we will provide a flight and rental car. Some meals and incidentals are also available.

Position Description

We are excited to announce new opportunities supporting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services I (HHS I) in providing critical language services to unaccompanied minors in refugee programs. We are seeking linguists who speak Kaqchikel at an Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) Level 2 + or higher.

About ILR levels

The Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale is the U.S. government standard for measuring language proficiency. It ranges from Level 0 (No Proficiency) to Level 5 (Native or Bilingual Proficiency).

• ILR Level 2+ (“Professional Working Proficiency”) indicates that a linguist can speak, understand, read, and write the language with sufficient accuracy and fluency to participate effectively in most conversations on practical, social, and some professional topics.

Position Overview

Linguists will provide accurate, impartial, and confidential interpretation and translation services at ILR Level 2+ proficiency or higher to support communication between Care Staff, unaccompanied children (UC), unaccompanied minors (UAM), and unaccompanied refugee minors (URM). Linguists serve as Communication Liaisons to ensure all parties can fully understand one another in a variety of settings.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide in-person, onsite interpretation at Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) programs and service locations (preferred).
• Deliver remote interpretation services via telephone, videoconference, or other virtual means as needed, including availability for 24/7 requests.
• Facilitate communication of important deadlines, instructions, questions, and other information between Care Staff and UC/UAM/URM in their native or preferred language.
• Assist UC/UAM/URM in expressing concerns, questions, or needs when they are not fluent or comfortable communicating in English or the language spoken by Care Staff.
• Demonstrate a high-level of professional judgment, based on the candidate’s own experience and language proficiency, to mitigate language barriers and ensure effective communication between Care Staff and a UC, UAM or URM.
• Support the orientation of UC/UAM/URM to available community resources through interpretation and translation.
• Translate documents from English to the preferred language and vice versa, and occasionally from other source languages, as required.
• Help Care Staff build rapport and understand the cultural context of the populations served; while linguists are not substitutes for case managers or clinicians, they play a vital role in establishing a cultural bridge and alleviating stress for the children.

Requirements

• ILR Level 2+ proficiency in both English (listening and speaking) and the target language (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) whether obtained through either a specialized academic degree or a combination of experience/education.
• Successful completion of a Tier 2 background check; no security clearance required.
• Consistent exercise of discretion and judgment and advanced knowledge in the field of linguistics.
• The linguist is expected to apply advanced language skills, cultural expertise, and professional judgment to facilitate communication in sensitive and complex situations.
• The work requires autonomy, decision‑making, and a high degree of responsibility in managing language services to meet the needs of ORR programs and the vulnerable populations served.

Desired Skills

• Prior experience as a linguist in foster care, social services, or medical care environments.