Interpreter- Swahili

The Work

The Swahili Interpreter will provide high-quality, in-person interpretation services for courts across the State of Arizona. The primary objective of this position is to support access to justice by enabling clear, accurate communication for individuals with limited English proficiency who are involved in legal proceedings.

This is an as-needed, on-site position. Interpreters will be notified of potential assignments approximately 24–48 hours in advance of scheduled court events or related legal proceedings where Swahili language support is required.

This position aligns with Cayuse’s core values of Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Adaptability, and Integrity by fostering technical solutions that meet customer needs, promoting teamwork, and prioritizing quality in deliverables.

• Provide in-person, consecutive and/or simultaneous Swahili–English interpretation for Arizona courts and related justice system entities.
• Interpret accurately, completely, and impartially in a variety of legal settings, which may include, but are not limited to:
  • Court hearings (civil, criminal, family, juvenile, etc.)
  • Pretrial conferences and hearings
  • Probation hearings and meetings
  • Sentencing hearings
  • Jail and detention center visits
  • Forensic interviews
  • Other legal or court-related proceedings as requested by the courts
• Adhere strictly to ethical standards and professional codes of conduct for court interpreters, including confidentiality, impartiality, and professionalism.
• Prepare for assignments by reviewing case-related materials when provided, ensuring familiarity with terminology relevant to the proceeding.
• Maintain clear, professional communication with Cayuse coordinators and court personnel regarding assignment logistics, arrival times, and status updates.
• Accurately convey complex legal terminology, procedural language, and specialized vocabulary to ensure full comprehension by non-English-speaking participants.
• Comply with all applicable Arizona court policies, rules, and guidelines pertaining to interpreter services.
• Other duties as assigned.

Here’s What You Need

• Bachelor’s degree (BA) or higher in a relevant field such as Linguistics, Translation/Interpretation, Foreign Languages, Legal Studies, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience providing language services, with a strong preference for:
  • Court or judiciary interpreting roles.
  • Legal services interpretation (e.g., law offices, legal aid organizations, public defender or prosecutor offices).
• Prior on-site interpretation experience in high-stakes, confidential, and sensitive environments.
• Native or near-native proficiency in Swahili and English, with strong command of legal terminology in both languages.
• Court certification in the State of Arizona as an Interpreter, and/or one or more of the following:
  • Court Professional Certificate Program (CPC) completed.
  • Legal services training: at least 45 hours of formal legal services training completed.
  • Successful completion of NAJIT interpreter examination (National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators).
  • Successful completion of the Federal Court Interpreting Exam (FCICE).
  • Demonstrated qualification through seminar or conference testing relevant to legal or judiciary interpreting.
  • Membership or qualification with the International Association of Conference Interpreters or comparable professional conference interpretation organization.

• Must be able to pass a background check. May require additional background checks as required by projects and/or clients at any time during employment.

Minimum Skills:

• Must possess problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written
• Ability to respond effectively to customers with a sense of urgency.
• Proficient in Microsoft and Adobe toolsets, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Acrobat, etc.
• Highly motivated with the ability to handle and manage multiple tasks at any one time.
• Ability to forge new relationships, individual and teaming in nature.
• Must be a Self-starter, that can work independently and as part of a team.

Reports to: Deputy Program Manager

Working Conditions

• Professional environment.
• Must be able to be on-call. Interpreter will be notified within  48 hours of potential jobs.
• Must be able to travel to different locations to interpret in-person.
• Must be physically and mentally able to perform duties extended periods of time.
• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed to meet the demands of this position.
• Must be able to establish a productive and professional workspace.
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time looking at computer screen.
• May be asked to work a flexible schedule which may include holidays.
• May be asked to travel for business or professional development purposes.
• May be asked to work hours outside of normal business hours.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Cayuse is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, skills, and abilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with any applicable federal, state, or local law.