Pashto Linguist

Leidos Inc; Vienna (VA); On-site; USD 73,450 - 132,775; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellness programs

Income protection

Paid leave and retirement

Job summary

Leidos Inc. seeks a Pashto Linguist to support National Security Programs. Responsibilities include translation, interpretation, transcription, and summarization of complex materials to aid mission-critical activities.

Qualified candidates hold a Bachelor’s (4–8 years) or Master’s (2–6 years) in relevant fields, fluency in Pashto and English, and a TS/SCI clearance with polygraph. Occasional travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 4–8 years of prior relevant experience or Master’s with 2–6 years of prior relevant experience.
• Language: Pashto fluent and English fluent.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional language-related experience in translation, interpretation, and transcription.
• Must complete Leidos-administered language proficiency test or equivalent at Primary level or higher within six months.

Responsibilities

• Translate written materials accurately in electronic and hard-copy formats while conveying nuanced meaning and context.
• Provide consecutive interpretation and occasional simultaneous interpretation; understand Korean dialects.
• Review audio and internet-based materials; transcribe with high fidelity and produce English-language reports.
• Identify and summarize key facts; extract critical information from large datasets; use reference materials effectively.

Skills

Pashto fluency

English fluency

Translation experience

MS Office

Internet research

LMM familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree (4–8 years)

Master’s degree (2–6 years)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Internet research tools

CAT tools

Language Learning Model awareness

Job description

Leidos is seeking highly qualified and experienced Pashto Linguist to support our National Security Programs. This role requires advanced linguistic capabilities and cultural knowledge to support a wide range of mission‑critical activities.

Primary Responsibilities

• Translation
  • Accurately translate written materials in both electronic and hard‑copy formats.
  • Convey not only factual content but also nuanced meaning and implied context.
  • Capture geopolitical, regional, ethnic, and cultural references effectively.
  • Use terminology and expression consistent with subject matter norms in the target language.
• Interpretation
  • Provide accurate consecutive interpretation; occasional simultaneous interpretation may be required.
  • Demonstrate understanding of one or more Korean regional dialects.
• Transcription
  • Review audio and internet‑based materials.
  • Transcribe with high levels of accuracy and fidelity to the original content.
  • Produce clear, well‑written English‑language reports.
• Gisting and Summarization
  • Identify and summarize key facts and abstract concepts accurately.
  • Prioritize and extract critical information from large datasets.
  • Use reference materials effectively to support quality output.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and internet research tools.
• Experience with Human Language Technology, Computer‑Assisted Translation tools, Language Learning Model is highly desired.

Qualifications

• Language Required: Pashto (fluent) and English (fluent).
• Education: Bachelor’s degree with 4–8 years of prior relevant experience or Master’s with 2–6 years of prior relevant experience (additional years may be considered in lieu of a degree).
• Experience: Minimum of 4 years of relevant professional language‑related experience in translation, interpretation, and transcription.
• Must successfully complete a Leidos‑administered language proficiency test or equivalent at the Primary level or higher within six months of hire.

Security Clearance

TS/SCI clearance with polygraph is required to begin work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting contingency operations as a deployed linguist.
• Candidates must pass language proficiency testing.
• Familiarity with the U.S. Intelligence Community, military operations, or law enforcement environments.
• Additional language proficiency strongly preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written formats in English and target language.

Additional Information

• Occasional travel OCONUS may be required.

Pay and Benefits

Pay range $73,450.00 - $132,775.00. Compensation packages include health and wellness programs, income protection, paid leave and retirement.

Commitment to Non‑Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.