Clarification from the agency

CTAP, ICTAP, all U.S. Citizens and Nationals

This Language Specialist provides expert Spanish and English interpretation and translation for legal proceedings, ensuring precise, nuanced, and court-ready communications. Utilizes advanced research, legal knowledge, and translation technology to maintain accuracy, impartiality, and completeness.

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing Language Specialist support in the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California, located in San Diego, California, focusing in the areas of advanced Spanish language proficiency, legal interpreting and translation, preparation of court-ready documents, and serving as a certified technical expert in Federal court interpretation.

Typical work assignments will include:

• Delivering simultaneous and consecutive interpretation between Spanish and English for court proceedings, interviews, and variety of legal activities, ensuring precise and complete accuracy.
• Translating legal, technical, and complex documents while preserving meaning, tone, and cultural context.
• Transcribing and translating audio/video recordings from law enforcement and court-related sources.
• Researching terminology and subject matter to ensure precise and consistent language use.
• Testifying as an expert witness on translation and transcription accuracy in Federal court.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National to apply for this position.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/).
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• A probationary period may be required.
• A pre-employment drug test will be required.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
• Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents).
• You must meet all qualifications requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying:

To qualify at the GS-12 level, you must possess:

Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) performing (5) of the (6) duties listed below:

• Interpreting at legal conferences involving attorneys, defendants, and/or witnesses where agreements are negotiated
• Preparing Spanish-speaking witnesses for trial.
• Producing certified transcriptions/translations and translations of court documents, law enforcement reports, and related materials.
• Testifying in federal court to defend certified transcriptions or translations presented as evidence.
• Providing sight translations for attorneys.
• Delivering Spanish to English and English to Spanish interpretations required in criminal and civil proceedings.

Selective Placement Factor (SPF): A selective placement factor is determined to be essential for successful performance in this position. Those candidates who do not meet the following selective placement factor will be rated "not qualified" for the position.

• Must be a Federally Certified Court Interpreter by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in the Spanish language. You must include a copy of your certification with your application package.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and a Structured Subject Matter Expert Review of your resume to verify the experience you claim in the questionnaire is documented in your resume. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Oral Communication
• Technical Competence

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience.SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., Links embedded in your resume will not be opened.)

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures and placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified.

Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;

Highly Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job;

Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

Names of all candidates in the best qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration (unless a sufficient number of qualified veterans are found - in which only those names will be initially certified). Candidates within the best qualified category who are eligible for veteran preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12904472

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

Required: Your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire.

Required: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (for full consideration you must include day/month/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time) (cover letter optional).). 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. Limit your resume to two pages. Only resumes 2 pages in length will be accepted to determine eligibility and qualifications. For more information, view the following link: USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements

Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.)

Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation. See Required Veterans' Preference Documentation below. Please note, if you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application, check the appropriate box in the assessment questionnaire to indicate your preference, and submit the required documentation as specified below.

Required Veterans' Preference Documentation: In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates:1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.

In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

• Position title;
• Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
• Agency; and
• Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to 04/01/2026.

Next steps