Position Information

Apply your fluent bilingual (English/Spanish) skills to the County of Sonoma Public Defender’s Office as an Interpreter/Translator II!

Join our dedicated legal services team, where your language skills will help ensure fair and effective legal support by bridging language gaps.

Starting salary up to $36.16/hour ($75,470/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

About The Position

As an Interpreter/Translator II, you will provide professional interpretation and translation services to support legal proceedings and client communication. This role requires the ability to interpret in multiple modes including simultaneous, consecutive, sight, and translate complex written materials accurately. Additional responsibilities include:

Providing interpretation services between attorneys and clients during jail visits
Translating petitions, letters, medical records, and inmate requests between Spanish and English
Reviewing and translating interactions captured on body worn camera footage or other case related videos
Transcribing and translating audio and video recordings
Utilizing Microsoft Office, case management systems, Axon, and Rev.com

As an ideal candidate, you will possess many of the following:

Fluency in Spanish and English (speak, read, and write at a fluent level in both languages)
Familiarity with legal terminology and documentation
Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain confidentiality
Experience in transcription, video review, or legal interpretation
Proficiency in using Microsoft Office software

Work Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Work Environment: Office-based; business-appropriate attire required

The Public Defender's Office

The Public Defender and their Office have the mandated responsibility of defending any person who is not financially able to employ counsel and who is charged with the commission of any contempt or offense triable in the superior or municipal courts. Additionally, the Public Defender represents qualified individuals in probate and welfare proceedings and may represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in proceedings relating to the nature or conditions of detention prior to adjudication.

What We Offer

Benefits

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
Bilingual Premium Pay* - An additional $1.50/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for basic/fluent bilingual positions
County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education
Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill an Interpreter/Translator II fluent, bilingual position in the Public Defender's Office. Bilingual positions require English and Spanish skills at the fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. Applicants who wish to be considered for a bilingual position must indicate their level of skill in the required supplemental questionnaire. An examination will be conducted prior to employment in a bilingual position to confirm the level of skill in this area. Bilingual premium pay is $1.50/hour for fluent skill sets.

The employment list established from this recruitment may also fill other full-time, part-time, and extra-help bilingual English/Spanish positions that may occur during the active status of the employment list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: A combination of experience, training, and education which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. A typical way to qualify is:

One (1) year of full-time experience, or its equivalent lived experience, providing interpreting and/or translation services requiring skills to fluently speak, read, and write from English into another specified language(s), as well as other specified language(s) into English.

AND

Experience and/or training which demonstrates competency to interpret for hearings, interpret medical terminology, explain medical procedures in clinical settings, and/or translate difficult regulatory or legal guidelines.

License: Possession of a valid driver’s license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Thorough knowledge of: English and other specified language(s) syntax, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and terms.

Ability to: retain and quickly interpret/translate information into English from one or more specified language(s), and vice versa, in an accurate, clear, concise, and understandable manner to individuals with various educational and social backgrounds; accurately interpret/translate idioms and other characteristics of specified language(s); understand and carry out written and oral instructions; establish and maintain harmonious work relationships with employees and the public; interpret legal or medical terminology and explain related procedures with minimal reference to resource materials or others for further explanation; comprehend and interpret or translate information rendered in lengthy sentences with numerous multi-syllable words and various dependent clauses; work with persons in a variety of environmental settings, such as urgent care and/or detox centers; detention, mental health, and/or social services facilities; residences; and legal and/or business offices; and work days, evenings, nights, weekends, and/or holidays as required.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The Selection Procedure Will Consist Of The Following Examination

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CA

HR Technician: VH

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: General*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired.

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution. For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

01

How did you first learn about this opportunity?

Careers in Government
College or University
County of Sonoma Human Resources Office
DiversityJobs
Employee of Sonoma County
Facebook
Glassdoor
GovernmentJobs.com
Handshake
Indeed
Instagram
Job Fair
La Voz
Latino Service Providers
LinkedIn
Los Cien
Press Democrat
sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
Start Here!
X (Twitter)
Veterans Services Office
Other Internet Site
Other Publication

02

Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Check all that apply.

I would also like to be considered for future part-time positions
I would also like to be considered for future extra-help positions
I am only interested in full-time positions

03

This eligible list may be used for future bilingual (English/Spanish) positions. Please indicate if you are interested in bilingual positions and your level of proficiency.

Yes, I have basic (conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
Yes, I have fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
No, I do not have English/Spanish bilingual skills, and/or I do not wish to be considered for a bilingual position

04

For this question and all subsequent questions, please provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.

Do you have at least one (1) year of full-time (2080 hours) experience, or equivalent lived experience, providing interpreting or translation services in both English and Spanish?

05

Please describe your experience providing interpreting and translating services in English and Spanish. Include the total duration of your experience, the types of interpretation and translation you performed (e.g., simultaneous, consecutive, written), and the setting (e.g., legal, medical, social services). Provide an example that demonstrates your ability to speak, read, and write fluently in both English and Spanish.

06

Please describe your experience and or training that shows your ability to:

Interpret during hearings or formal proceedings
Translate complex regulatory or legal documents

Provide specific examples, and describe your role.

07

Please describe your experience that demonstrates your attention to detail and ability to maintain confidentiality. Share a specific example of a situation where accuracy and discretion were important in your work.

Required Question

County of Sonoma

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Interpreter/Translator II - (English/Spanish)