Fbi Translator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Opening: 67516
Opening Date: 9/9/2026
Closing Date: 9/23/2026 at 11:59 p.m. (ET)
Job Title Language Specialist GS 11/12 Full Performance Level GS-13 Division Criminal Division Location Merrifield, VA Working Hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Job Type 1 year NTE Who May Apply Current FBI Language Specialists Number of Positions Available 1 Questions Email: HR Specialist Britton at rbritton@fbi.gov Salary GS-11: $85,447.00--$111,087.00
GS-12: $102,415.00--$133,142.00
Not to Exceed (NTE): This position will be filled by detail or through temporary promotion. Incumbent selected for this position will be returned to his/her former position or other comparable grade or location after the assignment is completed. If this position is filled through temporary promotion, the selection may be made permanent without further competition. Temporary promotion may be terminated at any time at the discretion of management.
Required Language: Chinese Mandarin
Additional selections may be made from this announcement to fill positions within the same division when the position includes substantially the same duties, responsibilities, and qualifications.
UNIT DESCRIPTION
The Criminal Division (CRM), FBIHQ, Merrifield, VA has two Language Specialist positions at the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), National Coordination Center (NCC).
The HSTF focuses on Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) that present increased and varied threats and engage in multiple forms of organized criminal activity, including drug trafficking, violence, terrorism, corruption, human smuggling, human trafficking, weapons trafficking, money laundering, complex financial crimes, extortion, kidnapping, and other TCO-related violations where there is or may be a federal investigative interest. The work supplements NCC and HSTF efforts supporting priority HSTF cases and initiatives.
KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a current, permanent FBI employee
• Must be able to obtain an SCI clearance
• Some travel may be required
• Selectee will be required to complete form FD-887, Request for Access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
• Selectee will be required to complete the FD-918 Worldwide Mobility Agreement
• Selectee will be required to complete a Security Financial Disclosure Form
• Selectee must have successfully passed the FBI's Foreign Language Battery Test as a Core, Core +1, or Core +2 level

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Work is primarily sedentary; however, some physical exertion and stress due to prolonged periods of concentration may be experienced.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Work is generally performed in a secure office area although locations outside of the office may be required. Office space is often cramped and has warm temperatures due to bulk and heat emanation from the tape playing equipment.
MAJOR DUTIES
GS-11:

• Serves as a Language Specialist in HSTF, NCC and is responsible for handling all requests for translations and interpretation from within other field offices, HQ, Legal Attaches, state, local and federal government agencies (particularly the Department of Justice).
• Produces full, fluent translations of written and recorded material at all levels of difficulty including highly complex and sensitive legal, economic, political, scientific, financial, medical, diplomatic, technical, intelligence or military documents often for subject matter experts.
• Composes cover communications for transmittal of translation to field offices and/or other parties requesting translation. Final product is grammatically correct, logical and in perfect form.
• Performs necessary research to find correct terms and to understand the nature of the material translated.

GS-12:

• Serves as a Language Specialist in HSTF, NCC and is responsible for handling all requests for translations and interpretation from within other field offices, HQ, Legal Attaches, state, local and federal government agencies (particularly the Department of Justice).
• Produces full, fluent translations of written and recorded material at all levels of difficulty including highly complex and sensitive legal, economic, political, scientific, financial, medical, diplomatic, technical, intelligence or military documents often for subject matter experts.
• Composes cover communications for transmittal of translation to field offices and/or other parties requesting translation. Final product is grammatically correct, logical and in perfect form.
• Performs necessary research to find correct terms and to understand the nature of the material translated.
• Serves as an expert source of information to investigative personnel regarding various facets of the foreign language, as well as the history, culture, and more of its corresponding countries.
• Provides explanatory information on data that has multiple meanings or coded terminology, when such information would be helpful to the user. May be required to testify in court as to the accuracy of translated material.

QUALIFICATIONS & EVALUATIONS
Please ensure that your specialized experience and requirements are clearly identifiable in your resume. Your application will be evaluated using the FBI's Candidate Rating Procedures. Your resume and supporting documents will be reviewed to verify that you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement. Applicants must meet the qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
If you are found minimally qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.
The first five competencies/The competencies will be used in a Structured Resume Review to objectively evaluate applicant resumes. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies identified below. Your resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies.
Competencies :

• Analytical Thinking
• Communication
• Initiative
• Interpersonal Ability

FBI's Foreign Language Test Battery: In additional to the required specialized experience and education, listed below, an applicant's Foreign Language Test Battery results will be considered when determining the qualifying GS level.

• Core - Eligible at the GS 7/9/11 levels
• Core +1 - Eligible at the GS 7/9/11 levels
• Core +2 - Eligible at the GS 7/9/11/12 levels

Specialized Experience (SE)
GS-11: Applicants must possess at least seven (7) years of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level and passing language proficiency test scores. SE is defined as follows:

• Translate to transfer material from one language to another to accurately reflect the meaning of the original.
• Ability to understand idiomatic expressions, colloquialisms, habits, mannerisms, and other data to furnish information of interest to investigative personnel.

GS-12: Applicants must possess at least eight (8) years of qualifying specialized experience at the GS 11 grade level and passing language proficiency test scores. SE is defined as follows:

• Translate material consisting of non-standard terminology, recognizing technical jargon related to intelligence data.
• Perform literature research to determine equivalents to new and unique terms, idiomatic expressions, and/or highly abbreviated material.

Education
All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:
GS-11: Applicant must have a Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related.
GS-12: Education may not be substituted.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.
HOW TO APPLY
For detailed instructions related to applying, uploading documents, withdrawing an application or updating your application, please review instructions on How to Apply . If applying online is a hardship, please use the contact information listed in the vacancy announcement prior to the closing date for assistance.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
To apply to this position, interested applicants must provide a complete application package by the closing date which includes:

1. Utilizing the Resume Builder, outline your relevant work experience and associated start and end dates. Uploaded resumes will not be reviewed or used for qualification purposes.
2. Other supporting documents (if applicable):
   • College transcripts, if qualifying based on education or if there is a positive education requirement

While applicants might see these documents in their profile, HR Specialists may be unable to access them. Therefore, all applicants MUST upload another copy to ensure that staffing units can review the complete application.
Please note: Failure to provide the necessary and relevant information required by this vacancy announcement may disqualify you from consideration. Incomplete applications will not be supplemented with additional requests for information; your application will be evaluated solely on the information you submit. You must complete the application process and submit all required documents by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the announcement's closing date.
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. The Most Competitive candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of your status throughout the process.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Positions with fitness for duty requirements or those that require international travel may require proof of certain vaccinations.
• Management may select at any grade for which this position has been announced. (if applicable)
• Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for an actual assignment and performance of higher-level duties.
• Limited Movement: Policy has been implemented wherein support employees entering a position may be precluded from moving to another position within the Bureau through reassignment or change to a lower grade for a minimum of 12 months. HRD will waive this limited movement policy for qualified employees, who have received an official notification letter that their current position is being relocated due to an organizational restructuring initiative, so those employees can compete for a position elsewhere. Voluntarily leaving a position with a relocation incentive may result in loss of that incentive. Please notate that you have received an official notification letter within your application.
• Probationary employees are precluded from being considered for all job opportunities until 12-months of their 24-month probationary period has concluded. Probationary employees may be considered for competitive vacancies that are advertised within their respective division or field office after serving 90 days within the FBI.
• Candidates will not be considered if currently on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP); a Letter of Requirement (LOR); or have failed a PIP or LOR and are currently awaiting the final action by HRD.

a) Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a 90-day written developmental plan for an employee whose performance on one or more critical elements is rated "Unacceptable."
b) A Letter of Requirement (LOR) is issued when a supervisor identifies leave abuse and/or when frequent absences negatively impact operations of an office.

• Relocation expenses will be borne by the selectee, except FBI employees returning from LEGAT assignment. Employees returning from LEGAT assignments must advise the Staffing and Administrative Unit / International Operations Division of their application for this position.
• Current tax law may impact your transfer by making some of your moving expense reimbursements taxable. Please contact 304-625-9337 (304-625-XFER) for information regarding taxable expenses.
• Employees selected for promotions at the GS 12 level or higher, selected for a supervisory position at any grade level, or selected for positions where a transfer of location is required, will be processed through the name check program prior to being notified of their selection.

Nepotism
Nepotism is the act of favoring relatives in the hiring process and is prohibited by law. Public officials are prohibited from hiring or promoting relatives or relatives of officials in their chain of command, as well as actively or indirectly endorse a relative's appointment or promotion. During the hiring process, all selected candidates and FBI hiring managers will be required to certify they are not related to anyone involved in the hiring process.
Reasonable Accommodation
The FBI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application and/or hiring process, please contact the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs (OEEOA) Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Program by email at REASONABLE_ACCOMMODA@fbi.gov, phone at 202-324-2158, or fax at