Vietnamese Linguist

Mission Essential; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 27,552,000 - 55,104,000; Full time

Job summary

Mission Essential seeks a Vietnamese linguist to support U.S. Department of Health and Human Services I with language services for unaccompanied minors. ILR 2+ proficiency in English and Vietnamese is required, with the ability to interpret and translate accurately.

The role involves in-person interpretation at ORR sites and remote interpretation by phone or video, with potential 24/7 availability. Some travel to TX may be required to support program operations.

Qualifications

• ILR Level 2+ proficiency in English and the target language (Vietnamese).
• Ability to provide accurate interpretation and translation across settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide in-person, onsite interpretation at ORR programs and locations (where applicable).
• Deliver remote interpretation via telephone or videoconference, including 24/7 availability.
• Interpret and translate between Care Staff, UC/UAM/URM in their preferred language.

Skills

ILR Level 2+ proficiency

Job description

Position:

Vietnamese Linguist

Location:

Various - TX

Language Requirement:

2+ ILR level *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 Mam 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).

About ILR levels:

• 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) wh