Staff Interpreter

Position Title: Staff Interpreter

FLSA Status: Exempt, Full Time

Mission 

Our mission is simple. We believe that all individuals deserve a fulfilling employment experience. At MAIG we strive to ensure all persons have an equal opportunity to thrive in the workplace. Our clients are our purpose. With professionalism, ethics and respect we provide necessary support all forms of workplace engagement on a personal level.   

General Purpose of the Position 

Reporting directly to the MAIG Program Manager- ASL Services, the Staff Interpreter is responsible for providing clear and accurate ASL/English interpreting for a variety of clientele, including Federal Government contracts, private business, educational settings, and medical settings.  Assignments vary from on-call assignments, training, platform interpreting, Video Remote Interpreting, and one-on-one/small group meetings.  Additional responsibilities include attending MAIG staff meetings and promotional events and conferences. 

Essential Functions 

1. Performs effective sign language interpreting and translating services for clients in a variety of settings according to accepted American Sign Language/English interpreting procedures. 

2. Act as lead interpreter when teaming with other interpreters providing prep and support to those interpreters, creating documentation for backup or replacement interpreters to review and study in order to deliver seamless services to executive clients. 

3. Consults with clients, MAIG staff and providers to identify potential problems that could inhibit the effective provision of interpreting services including instructional materials or closed-caption equipment. 

4. Demonstrates full compliance with MAIG’s standards and policies and the RID Code of Professional Conduct including maintaining the highest level of confidentiality at all times. 

5. Supports MAIG interpreter screenings and skills assessments as needed. 

6. Create and deliver professional development content and opportunities for the MAIG community to include workshops, seminars, and training, as needed. 

7. Maintains accurate records and contact log for signing services. 

8. Enhances interpreting skills through continued education training. 

Non-Essential/Additional Duties 

1. Performs special assignments, projects, and other duties that align with the mission and vision of the company. 

2. Represents the company as industry and company events, and professional conferences, as needed.

Qualifications   

· Bachelor’s degree and 3+ years professional experience working as a certified sign language interpreter in a variety of professional and business settings. 

· Current RID National Certification including compliance with any national, state, or local licensure and/or certification requirements.  

· Ability to write at 96% accuracy at 180 words per minute. 

· Must have reliable transportation to travel between different work sites. 

· Top-Secret security clearance.  While having an active clearance is not required at the time of hire, staff interpreters must be able to obtain and maintain a national security clearance, sponsored by MAIG, in order to remain qualified for this position at all times. 

· Must be able to be placed on a majority of MAIG customer contracts in the Washington Metro Area. 

· Must possess and maintain national certification. Failure to maintain national certification will result in disqualification for this position. 

Knowledge of: 

· Standard methods of manual communication for the Deaf and hard of hearing, including American Sign Language, Signed English, fingerspelling, and non-manual expression including facial, eye, and body language. 

· The culture and cultural experiences of the American Deaf community. 

· Current developments, trends, and techniques in the field of interpreting for both the Deaf and hard of hearing as utilized by the Deaf community. 

· National Association of the Deaf (NAD)-Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Code of Professional Conduct, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

· Basic recordkeeping to develop materials, procedures, metrics, and presentations. 

· Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Code of Professional Conduct, and adherence to RID CPC at all times. 

· Capabilities of computer systems, equipment, and software used in providing interpreting services for the Deaf. 

Skilled in: 

· Conveying the sophisticated thought, intent, and spirit of a Deaf/hard of hearing or hearing speaker to a target audience with superior accuracy, tact, cultural competency, and linguistic integrity.  

· Interpreting/transliterating expressively and receptively using manual and oral methods of communication for the Deaf and hard of hearing.  

· Various software applications such as MS Office, Slack, SharePoint, Outlook, Asana, various video phones, FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, Webex, and other video teleconference applications, and MAIG’s Request Management System (RMS) Portal.

Ability To:

· Utilize sufficient sign vocabulary to ensure proper interpretation for a variety of subject matters in a full range of linguistic registers, with an emphasis on business formal and high-register, high-context vernacular.  

· Establish and maintain cooperative and effective relationships with Deaf and hard of individuals and others, including those from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic and disability backgrounds.   

· Ability to perform the unique duties of a designated interpreter for executive level clients including becoming an integrated member of the client’s team and assimilating into their work environment. 

· Maintain the confidentiality of information exchanged in an interpreting situation.  

· Communicate effectively by signing, orally, and in writing and communicate subject matter in a clear and accurate manner. 

· Act as advisor to MAIG operations, scheduling, security and other functional areas in support of the MAIG mission and customer success.  

· Conduct work related research and engage in ongoing learning and professional development. 

· Provide mentoring to colleagues, mentees and interns. 

· Work effectively in a team environment; receive support from and provide support to colleagues. 

· Work effectively in fast paced, dynamic environments. 

· Keep detailed and accurate records.  

· Exercise patience, tact, flexibility and sensitivity. 

· Meet schedules and timelines.  

Supervision Exercised 

None 

Physical Demands 

This job operates in a variety of environments, most frequently providing in-person services at various customer locations with occasional virtual or remote work possible, depending on customer requirements.  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

· This role routinely works in a variety of environments.  

· Must be able to sustain repetitive motion of arms, wrists and hands for intervals of time. 

· Must have close- and long-range clarity of vision with or without corrective lenses.   

· This role routinely stands or sits for extended periods of time 

· The role routinely interprets in ASL and spoken English for extended periods of time 

· This position requires frequent verbal and written communication skills 

· Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds.   

Travel Requirements 

Local travel will be necessary to provide in-person interpreting services at various customer locations within the Washington Metro Region, which includes Maryland, District of Columbia, and northern Virginia, with occasional virtual or remote work possible, subject to customer requirements.

Domestic or overseas travel may be necessary, up to 25% of the time and may be by travel by air, car, rail to client sites.   

Disclaimer   

This job description is not a contract -- management reserves the right to change its contents at any time. Mid-Atlantic Interpreting Group complies with the guidelines set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and as amended and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or family responsibility, genetic information, national origin, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability or any other characteristic protected by law. MAIG is an Equal Opportunity Employer.