Entry Level Interpreter Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

Requisition No: 876971 

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: INTERPRETER OPS - 60957312

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 60957312 

Salary:  $25.00 Per Hour 

Posting Closing Date: 08/04/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the state of Florida's social services agency. The agency oversees services for child safety, fostering, adoption, domestic violence, adult protective services, refugees, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, childcare providers, human trafficking and public assistance. The agency's mission is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Within DCF, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Program office is recognized as the single state authority for substance abuse and mental health services. The Office of SAMH is statutorily responsible for the planning, evaluation, and implementation of a comprehensive statewide system of care for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of children and adults with serious mental illnesses or substance use disorders.

North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center (NFETC) is a 216 bed, all male, forensic, mental health rehabilitation facility. The Center is located in northeast Gainesville, Florida on 639 picturesque acres with regular sightings of deer, turkey and other wildlife. NFETC employs a variety of entry level to leadership positions including food service, maintenance, direct care, nurses, counselors, rehab therapists, medical doctors, security, psychiatrists, and psychologists.

NORTH FLORIDA EVALUATION AND TREATMENT FACILITY IS A TOBACCO FREE FACILITY.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POSITION RESPONSES TO THE QUALIFYING QUESTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND MUST BE VERIFIABLE BASED ON YOUR SUBMITTED APPLICATION.

This is a highly responsible and professional position serving as the Interpreter OPS within the Rehab Services Team. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative team player who works seamlessly across all sections within the program office. This role requires the use of independent judgment, a proactive approach to responsibilities, and exceptional attention to detail. If you are driven, organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• The incumbent in this position is responsible for the delivery of daily living support services and advocacy for assigned persons served in need of Spanish language interpretation and translation.  Meets with persons served hospitalwide as assigned to translate and interpret documents such as Assessments and Admission Forms, Service Implementation Plans, Programming Material, Recovery/Behavior Plans, and any other documents needed to assure the persons served comprehension and understanding in Spanish.  Assists persons served in seeking resolution to issues/concerns including filing grievances.  Maintains a working knowledge of the hospital's mission statement, vision, values, long term strategic objectives, annual business plan objectives, organizational structure and DCF and NFETC operating procedures relevant to assigned duties and responsibilities.  Complies with DCF and NFETC Operating Procedures and Administrative Directives.  Assists persons served who need interpretive language services to understand and attain competence in completing Activities of Daily Living (ADL's), including but not limited to bathing, proper hygiene, social interactions, orientation to living areas,  unit activities, recreational activities, appointments, and obtaining proper clothing.  Provides instruction in Spanish to assist persons served in gaining language skills and competencies.
• Escorts persons served in need of interpretive services to scheduled activities, x-ray, laboratory, dental and medical appointments on and off campus.  Escorts and/or drives, as necessary, in urban areas to take persons served to outside facilities for appointments and to observe persons served on a 1:1 status.  Attends Community Meetings, Patient Life Meetings, Multidisciplinary Rounds Meetings, case management meetings, competency staffing meetings and other meetings as needed to provide interpretive assistance.  Serves on specialized committees as needed.  Participates in meetings with families/community stakeholders as needed.
• Attends treatment teams as directed to provide interpretive services in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of plans and goals to assure continuity of care for persons served.  Assists in group/individual therapy programs such as behavioral modification, recreational/occupation therapy to ensure language comprehension.  Documents and reports any pertinent information concerning persons served. 
• Assist physicians and nurses in providing care to individuals in need of translation as directed.
• Attends training sessions and maintains certification in  MANDT Techniques, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, First Aid, Infection Control, Customer Service and Workforce Diversity, etc. as required.
• Assists in the escorting and monitoring of the people we serve.  Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Provide translation services verbally and in writing to and from English and Spanish.
• Performs additional duties as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of one of the allied health field disciplines or one of the rehabilitative sciences. 
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques. 
• Ability to interview clients to identify needs. 
• Ability to plan and conduct rehabilitation therapy programs. 
• Ability to prepare reports. 
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments. 
• Ability to write evaluation and progress reports. 
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others. 
• Completion of required training to include Onboarding, MANDT, CPR, First-Aid, Mandatory Online training, and Customer Service Training.
• Ability to lift up to 30 pounds with the use of a safety lift belt.
• Ability to walk extended distances across campus.
• Physical interventions with combative individuals served may be required.
• Physical ability to push, pull, bend, stoop and perform housekeeping related duties as needed.
• Ability to operate a computer using various software programs (i.e. Microsoft Office Suite, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Lotus Notes, etc.)
• Ability to speak, read, and write Spanish. 
• Ability to give directions in Spanish.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Class E Florida Driver's License required within 90 days of employment.
• Ability to translate verbally English/Spanish

Candidate Profile (application) Requirements:

Candidate Profile (application) must be complete in its entirety.

Work History - entered with the most recent/current listed first:

Any and all State of Florida jobs

Any and all Florida University jobs

All periods of employment

Periods of unemployment

Gaps 3 months or more*

Education

Volunteer Experience

Include supervisor names and phone numbers including current place of employment.

*Gaps 3 months or more must be addressed - you will need to account for and explain any gaps in employment including unemployment. You can either list these in your application under Period of Employment or attach a word document listing your gaps.

Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.

If claiming Right to First Interview, candidate MUST attach a copy of your official layoff letter when applying. This only applies to employees laid off from Career Service positions.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287.

Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

DCF EMPLOYMENT DISCLOSURES

US CITIZEN REQUIREMENT Only US citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers will be hired.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM REGISTRATION All selected male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS).  Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire.  For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov.

RETIREE NOTICE If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

BACKGROUND SCREENING It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.