Sign Language Interpreter

Summary

WHAT IS TAXPAYER SERVICES?

A description of the business units can be found at:

• Position(s) are to be filled in the following area(s):
  • TS SC - Accounts Management - Site Coordinator
• Consider each location carefully when applying. If you are selected for a location, that location will become your official post of duty.

REVIEW THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS

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Duties

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The following are the duties of this position at the full working level. If this vacancy includes more than one grade and you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and receive training to help you grow in this position.

• Interprets in a variety of settings involving deaf/hard of hearing employees and hearing persons who are not familiar with sign language and the interpreting process.
• Simultaneously and consecutively interprets/transliterates, with equal facility in rendering from American Sign Language (ASL), Contact Variety Sign (CVS), and Manually Coded English (MCE) to English and from English to the aforementioned sign languages.
• Uses oral forms of communication to provide communication access for oral deaf or hard of hearing individuals and uses tactile forms of English, ASL, CVS and MCE to interpret/transliterate for individuals who are deaf-blind as needed.
• Interprets/transliterates for deaf/hard of hearing employees and hearing persons engaged in specialized meetings, seminars or training programs that utilize technical vocabularies and terminology unique to those fields (technical tax terminology, computer technical language).
• Interprets/transliterates for deaf/hard of hearing employees and hearing persons engaged in formal and informal meetings and other discussions with supervisors and staff members.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Probationary Period - All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• U.S Citizenship - Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• Selective Service Registration - Males born after December 31, 1959 are required to be registered with the Selective Service System or prove they are exempt from having to do so.
• Personal Identity Verification (PIV) - Must provide 2 forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired original or certified copies .

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS SHOWN IN QUALIFICATIONS OR ADDTIONAL INFORMATION SECTIONS

Qualifications

Federal experience is not required. Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or through Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Individual Occupational Requirements

Education

Undergraduate and Graduate 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.

The following are 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.

Language requirement: This is a bilingual position. Applicants will be required to demonstrate proficiency in Sign Language and English. You must be able to speak, read, and write English and be able to interpret and transliterate American Sign Language (ASL), Manually Coded English (MCE) and Contact Variety Sign (CVS) to English, and from English to the aforementioned sign languages to be considered proficient. You may be assessed at some point in the hiring process to determine if you possess the required level of proficiency. If you are unable to demonstrate proficiency, you will not be qualified for this position.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GRADE-11: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service: Specialized experience for this position must be sufficient to demonstrate: Experience with English, American Sign Language (ASL), Contact Variety Sign (CVS) and Manually Coded English (MCE) to perform Sign-to-English and English-to-Sign interpretation;

• Using interpreting processes to determine the most effective means of communication for each deaf/hard of hearing employee;
• Assisting in the development of training curriculum and utilizing current methods and materials in the instruction of sign language courses;
• Utilizing telecommunication devices, assistive listening devices and other related technology for deaf/hard of hearing employees;
• Dealing with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Code of Ethics in order to maintain ethical standards for professional interpreters;
• Utilizing resources and procedures for contracting sign language interpreter services; and effective written and oral communication skills.
  Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Interpreting for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals in meetings or training; Coordinating schedules for contract interpreters by arranging, and tracking hours and allocated funds; Assisting with the development and implementation of training for sign language instruction for employees; and Identifying barriers and resolving communication problems between supervisors and deaf/hard-of-hearing employees.

OR EDUCATION:

A course of study that includes 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Sign Language Interpreting or a related field of study.

or LL.M., if related.

OR

An equivalent amount of combined education and experience as described in paragraphs above.

AND

You must also meet the following requirements:

• MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: Minimum age for federal employment is 18 years old, or at least 16 years old and have:
  • Graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or
  • Completed a formal vocational training program; or
  • Received a statement from school authorities agreeing with your preference for employment rather than continuing your education.
• BILINGUAL POSITION: Applicants will be required to demonstrate proficiency in Sign Language and English. You must be able to speak, read, and write English and be able to interpret and transliterate American Sign Language (ASL), Manually Coded English (MCE) and Contact Variety Sign (CVS) to English, and from English to the aforementioned sign languages to be considered proficient. You may be tested at some point in the hiring process to determine if you possess the required level of proficiency. If you are unable to demonstrate proficiency, you will not be considered for the position.

For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards .

Education

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here (Section 3, Explanation of Terms) or here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions.

We recommend choosing an evaluator from a member organization of one of the following national associations of credential evaluation services: National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE).

Additional information

Suitability Requirements:

• Prior IRS Employment - Former employees will be subject to a screening of their prior conduct with the Service. The Taxpayer First Act of 2019, 26 U.S. Code 7804, prohibits the IRS from rehiring certain former employees who were removed from service.
• Tax Check - Must undergo a review of income tax verification. To check the status of your tax record go to: ( If you are not in compliance, you will be determined unsuitable for employment with IRS.
• Fingerprint/Criminal History Check - This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information regarding your rights refer to Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).

Additional Information:

• In the event that a building is closed due to rent management, new hires may be placed in a local commuting location.
• Additional jobs may be filled from this announcement or any other source to fill these vacancies.
• Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours may be available.
• Salary: General Schedule (GS) Locality Pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.