Language Specialist

The qualifications for this position must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on 10/04/2024. Time in Grade does not apply to Delegated Examining Announcements, any reference to Time in Grade in the questionnaire will not apply to the rating and ranking of applicants. Basic Requirements: All applicants must meet the following basic requirements: (Must be supported in Transcripts from accredited institution, Resume or Applicable Certificate) Undergraduate/Graduate level education: Major study — the appropriate foreign language from an English speaking college or university, English from a college or university in the other country, or translating or interpreting where English and the foreign language were prerequisites. or Experience in translating, interpreting, or other work requiring the use of English and the other language; or a combination of work (that required English and the other language) and training at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Service Institute, or comparable training. (Examples of work in the required language that may have provided the required abilities: translator; interpreter; librarian or information specialist required to make abstracts, screen, index, and scan material; intelligence; writer or editor; international organizational work, such as the Peace Corps, World Bank, United Nations, business, or other organizations; or professor, teacher, or instructor work at the high school or college level that required use of the foreign language). Selective Placement Factor: You must have demonstrated advanced specialized experience in providing complex and consecutive interpretations in English and the Foreign Language (Arabic, Spanish, Vietnamese, or French) and vice-versa. This experience must be documented in your resume. You must possess a certification in interpretation and/or translation issued by a professional organization or government entity (i.e., educational institution, American Translators Association, U.S. Federal or State Courts, etc.), or testing equivalent to an Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) score of at least 3 in interpretation or translation GS-09: You qualify at the GS-09 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the following duties: Interpreting in legal settings in at least one foreign language. Researching and analyzing terminology to interpret accurately and fluently. Rendering sight translation of basic documents.OR You may substitute a Master’s degree or two (2) full years of graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or a J.D. or L.L.B. degree for experience required at the GS-09 grade level. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise two years of graduate education. If that information is not available, use 36 semester or 54 quarter hours. GS-11: You qualify at the GS-11 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the following duties: Interpreting and translating legal and technical documents in at least one foreign language. Researching terminology to interpret and/or translate accurately and fluently. Researching, analyzing and summarizing technical and non-technical documents.OR You may substitute a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent degree) or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in any field, or L.L.M. if related for experience at the GS-11 grade level or such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Check with your school to determine how many credit hours comprise three years of graduate study. If that information is not available, use 54 semester or 81 quarter hours. GS-12: You qualify at the GS-12 level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience, which is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the federal government, that equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must have experience performing the following duties: Interpreting and translating subject matter related to immigration, asylum laws and regulations in addition to medical, legal, financial, intelligence, scientific and military content. Reviewing translated documents into and from the source language to ensure technical and grammatical accuracy. Performing advanced research on terminology and the aforementioned subject matter. Providing interpretation advice to determine correct protocol and resolving difficult communication problems. Please read the following important information to ensure you submit everything we need to consider your application: It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your responses and appropriate documentation prior to 10/04/2024. Your resume will be used to determine your qualifications for the position advertised in this announcement. Therefore, your resume must highlight your most relevant, significant experience related to the requirements found in the qualification section of this announcement, as well as any applicable education. USCIS will only review the first 5 pages of your resume to determine your initial eligibility/qualifications for a position. As such, please be sure to include content to support your eligibility/qualifications for this position within the first 5 pages. Please note that your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since human resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Your application will be rated and ranked based on your responses to the online questions. Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job) Duties (be specific in describing your duties) Employer’s name and address Supervisor name and phone number Start and end dates including month, day and year (e.g. June 18 2007 to April 05 2008) Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you’ve held a federal position. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Salary Determining length of General/Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide the above information may result in a finding of ineligible. Note: Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Federal Experience: If you are using current or prior federal experience as a basis for qualifying for this position, the grade levels and length of employment (mm/dd/year) at each grade level must be listed in your work history. This information will be further validated if selected for this position. National Service Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
This position is located in External Affairs Directorate, Office of Access and Information Services, Language Services Section. As a Language Specialist, you will provide interpretation and translation services during immigration benefit interviews with USCIS, translate public information materials related to immigration benefits, and other language services in support of the Department Homeland Security (DHS) mission.