Portuguese Linguist (on-site)

The Mission Essential Group, LLC; Planeport (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Mission Essential Group, LLC in Harlingen, TX is seeking a Portuguese Linguist to provide interpretation and translation at ILR Level 2+ for U.S. government language services supporting unaccompanied minors.

The role includes onsite and remote interpretation, translation, and liaison work between Care Staff and UC/UAM/URM, with confidentiality and cultural sensitivity at the core. Occasional travel may be required.

Qualifications

• ILR Level 2+ proficiency in English and target language (reading, writing, listening, speaking) required.
• Tier 2 background check completed; no security clearance needed.
• Demonstrated discretion and professional judgment in linguistics.

Responsibilities

• Provide in-person, onsite interpretation at ORR programs and service locations (preferred).
• Deliver remote interpretation via telephone, videoconference, or other virtual means, including 24/7 availability.
• Facilitate communication of deadlines, instructions, questions between Care Staff and UC/UAM/URM in their native or preferred language.
• Assist UC/UAM/URM in expressing concerns when not fluent in English or staff language.
• Demonstrate professional judgment to mitigate language barriers and ensure effective communication.
• Support orientation of UC/UAM/URM to community resources through interpretation and translation.
• Translate documents between English and the preferred language, and occasionally from other sources.
• Help Care Staff build rapport and understand cultural context; act as a cultural bridge.

Skills

ILR Level 2+ English

ILR Level 2+ Portuguese

Interpretation & translation

Job description

Position: Portuguese Linguist

Location: Harlingen, TX

Language Requirement: 2+ ILR level

Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000

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 Portuguese 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.