Senior Interpreter/Translator - Ancillary - PAT III

Description

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Incumbent serves as Senior Interpreter and Translator for the Tippecanoe County Court System, responsible for translating and interpreting written and spoken communications between English and Spanish speaking people before the courts and in- and out-of court settings.

DUTIES:

• Communicates with a variety of court related personnel, providing oral translation from English to Spanish/Spanish to English for defendants/witnesses in criminal courts, litigants/witnesses in family and civil courts, attorney-client meetings, depositions, witness preparation sessions, and interviews with court support personnel, including Adult and Juvenile Probation, Defense Attorneys at County Jail, Initial Hearings at Jail, CPS and Community Corrections.
• Translates legal documents from English to Spanish/Spanish to English, including reading charges and police reports, preparing documents for hearings, completing paperwork for defendants after hearings, and preparing documents for future hearings.
• Assists walk-in public unable to communicate with courthouse staff and attorneys, providing information and administrative assistance, including translating documents from the Courts, Prosecutor's office, Public Defender's office and Probation.
• Assists public with preparing legal documents, including filling out paperwork necessary to press charges, filing papers for Small Claims, Divorce, Child Support and other court related matters.
• Supervises assigned interpreters, including periodically analyzing workloads and human resource needs, interviewing candidates and making hiring decisions, training interpreters, orienting new interpreters regarding policies/procedures, planning and delegating work assignments, evaluating performance results, reviewing position responsibilities and compensation on a regular basis and recommending changes when warranted.
• Maintains current knowledge regarding legal, medical, civil and technical vocabulary. Periodically attends job-related seminars.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Requirements

I. JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Baccalaureate Degree in Spanish or training from an institution specializing in training Interpreters and Translators, or equivalent combination of education and previous experience. Related certification by accredited state and/or federal agencies.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Ability to meet all hiring requirements, including passage of a written exam and oral testing on terminology and Simultaneous and Consecutive Interpreting Techniques.
• Working knowledge of English and Spanish Simultaneous Interpreting Techniques, Consecutive Interpreting Techniques, and Translation Techniques.
• Working knowledge of standard court policies and procedures and related terminology, and ability to apply such knowledge to a variety of interrelated processes, tasks and operations.
• Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and ability to prepare legal documents as required.
• Ability to properly operate a variety of standard office equipment, including computer and simultaneous interpreting equipment.
• Ability to supervise assigned staff, including periodically analyzing workloads and human resource needs, interviewing candidates and making hiring decisions, training interpreters, orienting new interpreters regarding policies/procedures, planning and delegating work assignments, evaluating performance results, reviewing position responsibilities and compensation on a regular basis and recommending changes when warranted.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions and ability to compile data and prepare related reports as necessary.
• Ability to work alone with minimum supervision and with others in a team environment and ability to work under time pressure and on several tasks at the same time.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County departments, court staff, attorneys and public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities and disabilities.
• Ability to comply with all employer and department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace and personal conduct.
• Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of department information and records according to state requirements.
• Ability to occasionally work extended and/or evening hours and travel out of town for interpreting purposes, but not overnight.
• Ability to serve on-call on a rotation basis.

II. DIFFICULTY OF WORK:

Incumbent performs interpreting/translating duties according to well-established policies and procedures, with priorities determined by court schedule and service needs of the public.  

Incumbent has almost total autonomy in the job. Work is reviewed for adherence to original context, technical accuracy, and adherence to Code of Ethics.

III. RESPONSIBILITY:

Incumbent ensures proper implementation of translating/interpreting techniques and makes decisions based on correct choices of words, in order to convey the right message from the source to the target language.

Decisions are regularly made in the absence of policy; subject only to guidance from court personnel.

Errors in incumbent's work are usually prevented through legally defined procedures, and are readily detected through notification from other department/agencies or the public. Undetected errors may result in inconvenience to other departments/agencies or the public.

IV. PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, other County departments, attorneys, court staff, and the public for the purpose of exchanging information, explaining and interpreting policies and procedures, and instructing others.

Incumbent reports directly to Superior and Circuit Court Judges.

V. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Incumbent performs duties in a courtroom and jail/confinement environments involving sitting and/or walking at will and hearing sounds/communication.

Incumbent occasionally works extended and/or evening hours and travels out of town for interpreting purposes, but not overnight.

Incumbent regularly serves on-call on a rotation basis.