Customer Service Translator Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Summary
WHAT IS TAXPAYER SERVICES? A description of the business units can be found at: https://www.jobs.irs.gov/about/who/business-divisions

• Position(s) are to be filled in following area(s):

- TS- Customer Assistance Rltshp/Ed, Media and Publications, Tax Forms & Publications
This job (or announcement) is open to current permanent IRS competitive service employees in all business units
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.

• Translates material for use in Spanish-language taxpayer information publications, tax forms and instructions, taxpayer education publications, training or other documents, including public information releases such as flyers and posters, memorandums, and correspondence. Translations may be from English into Spanish or from Spanish to English and are considered final and authoritative.

• Writes material in Spanish or English from rough drafts to final form. Materials may involve varied and legal and other specialized terminology. Ensures clarity and proper grammar, syllabification, punctuation, spelling, and format. Translations made are into language as easily understood as possible, explaining often difficult and highly complex provisions of tax law.

• Translates charts, tabulations, and other materials for use in technical publications and in reports and other documents.

• Proofreads technical publications, tax forms and instructions, and other documents written in Spanish or English.

• Provides translation support for Spanish-language TV and radio programs, tax literature, and other material prepared by Public Affairs, Communications, other Service divisions, or other government agencies.

STANDARD POSITION DESCRIPTIONS (SPD): PD23084, PD23083, and PD23082
Visit the IRS SPD Library to access the position descriptions.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• Probationary Period - A person who is required to go through a probationary period and then is transferred, promoted, demoted, or reassigned before he or she completes such period is required to complete the remainder of the probationary period in the new position.
• Government Credit Card - Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS SHOWN IN QUALIFICATIONS SECTION
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: To qualify for this position, you must meet the qualification requirements outlined below:
IOR BASIC REQUIREMENTS: 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
AND
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-09: To be eligible for this position at this grade level, you must meet the following requirements. In addition to the basic requirements, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:

• Experience translating material from and into the language;
• Experience with tax law, Publication 850, and language translation reference websites to perform research;
• Experience assisting in writing documents using correct grammar, syntax, spelling and use of both non-technical and technical vocabulary;
• Experience with oral and written techniques to communicate effectively with the intended audience.

OR Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field of study.
OR Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field of study.
OR LL.B. or J.D., if related
OR A combination of qualifying education and experience.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-11: To be eligible for this position at this grade level, you must meet the following requirements. In addition to the basic requirements, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:

• Experience translating material involving subject matter such as technical publications, tax forms and instructions, correspondence and training material from and into the language;
• Experience with tax law, Publication 850, and language translation reference websites to perform research;
• Experience with various software programs (i.e. MS Office, Adobe) to create written material;
• Experience writing documents using correct grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation, syllabification and use of both non-technical and technical vocabulary;
• Experience providing clear and accurate oral and written techniques to communicate effectively and prepare written material for the intended audience.

OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field of study
OR Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a graduate degree in a related field of study. One year of graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
OR LL.M., if related
OR A combination of qualifying education and experience.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-12: To be eligible for this position at this grade level, you must have one (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position must include:

• Experience translating material involving difficult subject matter such as technical publications, tax forms and instructions, correspondence and training material from and into the language;
• Experience with tax law, Publication 850, and language translation reference websites to perform research;
• Experience with various software programs (i.e. MS Office, Adobe) to create written material;
• Experience writing documents using correct grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation, syllabification and use of both non-technical and technical vocabulary;
• Experience with providing clear and accurate oral and written techniques to communicate effectively and prepare written material for the attended audience.

You must also meet the following requirement(s):
TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT (TACA): Current civilian employees must have completed at least 90 days of federal civilian service since their latest non-temporary appointment from a competitive referral certificate, known as time after competitive appointment. For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where you applied to and were appointed from an announcement open to "All US Citizens".
TIME IN GRADE (TIG): For positions above the GS-05, applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the grade you are applying for. For positions at the GS-5, you cannot advance to the GS-05 if you have held a GS-02 in the past 52 weeks. There is no TIG restriction for GS-02, 03, or 04 positions.
BILINGUAL POSITION: Applicants will be required to demonstrate proficiency (ability to speak, read, and write) in both English and Spanish. 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

• Consider each location carefully when applying. If you are selected for a location, that location will become your official post of duty.
• 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.
• Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA): Puerto Rico includes COLA. See COLA Rates 2026.

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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.
Benefits
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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.
As a current employee, you know the great benefits we offer. Should you have any questions about benefits, please contact the Employee Resource Center (ERC) at 1-866-743-5748 option #1 for ERC.
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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.