Medical & Human Services Interpreter - Swahili

About CWS

Imagine waking up every morning with the chance to change someone's life. Imagine knowing your efforts will benefit both your career and our neighbors around the world. At CWS, our team knows they are making a difference every day. Whether you're in our U.S.-based offices supporting refugees, asylees or unaccompanied children ... implementing hygiene initiatives in Cambodia or rebuilding projects in Central America ... or even connecting remotely from your home on fundraising campaigns, grant reports, or critical communications - you have the opportunity to work towards a world where everyone has food, a voice and a safe place to call home. 

Purpose

Provide professional, accurate, and culturally responsive medical interpretation to support equitable access to healthcare. Ensure compliance with national standards and organizational policies while maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and service quality across all interpreting assignments.

Responsibilities

• Provide consecutive and simultaneous interpretation between English and the target language in medical, behavioral health, and community healthcare settings.
• Convey the full meaning, tone, and intent of each message accurately and completely, without adding, omitting, or altering information.
• Uphold HIPAA and organizational confidentiality standards during all interactions.
• Perform sight translation of written documents that clients are required to sign at hospitals and medical offices, following professional standards regarding which forms must be translated only in the presence of a healthcare provider.
• Identify and address linguistic or cultural barriers that may impact understanding between clients and providers.
• Identify when clients’ rights may be at risk or violated,and use professional judgment to determine when to advocate directly on their behalf or escalate the concern to a supervisor, following established organizational protocols.
• Assist clients before each medical appointment in completing patient/client forms, health and/or personal history questionnaires, and other intake materials to ensure accuracy and readiness for the visit.
• Confirm appointment details by calling clients in advance to verify availability and readiness for scheduled services.
• Support logistical coordination by assisting clients in scheduling, rescheduling, or canceling appointments when needed.
• Communicate effectively with healthcare providers, front-office staff, and service coordinators to anticipate needs, clarify expectations, and resolve barriers in real time.
• Advise program management on issues affecting interpretation delivery, client satisfaction, or compliance.
• Contribute feedback and recommendations to improve scheduling, training, and quality-assurance processes.
• Serve as a professional representative of the Interpreter Services Program with external clients and community partners, demonstrating discretion, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity.
• Maintain high standards of service quality across all interpreting assignments.
• Perform all duties in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
• Maintain current knowledge of medical terminology, cultural competence, and emerging standards of interpreter practice through ongoing education and professional development.

Core Competencies:

Communication and Interpersonal Skills. Ability to convey sensitive information with clarity, neutrality, and empathy.

Ethical Practice & Integrity. Maintains professional boundaries and confidentiality in complex settings.

Analytical & Problem-Solving. Anticipates and resolves linguistic, cultural, or logistical issues affecting service delivery. Identifies patterns in recurring communication challenges and proposes actionable solutions.

Cultural Competence & Advocacy. Demonstrates awareness of cultural dynamics in healthcare delivery. Promotes equitable communication and patient empowerment while maintaining interpreter neutrality.

Professionalism & Continuous Learning. Engages in ongoing education in medical terminology, ethics, and trauma-informed communication. Maintains readiness for assignments in fast-paced hospital or outpatient environments.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Certificate of completion of a 40-hour medical interpreter training that adheres to the National Council of Interpreting in Health Care Code of Ethics. Bridging the Gap training is preferred, and others will be evaluated by CWS.
• Valid certificate that demonstrates proficiency in English and at least one target language relevant to the service area.
  • If the candidate does not have valid proof of language proficiency, by applying for this position they acknowledge that CWS will schedule a language test, the cost of which will be covered by the candidate. Please see the list of acceptable proofs at the end of the job description.
• Strong knowledge of interpreter ethics, confidentiality, and national standards of practice.
• Proven ability to manage complex and sensitive interactions requiring discretion and independent judgment.
• Familiarity with electronic scheduling or case-management systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimal 2 years of professional experience as a medical interpreter in hospital, clinic, or behavioral-health settings, especially, experience providing interpretation in hospital inpatient or emergency settings.
• Valid certification through CCHI (Certified Healthcare Interpreter) or NBCMI (National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters).
• Prior experience coordinating with multiple departments or external agencies.

Special Requirements

Work is performed primarily on-site at hospitals, clinics, and community healthcare facilities. The role may involve standing or sitting for extended periods and traveling between service locations within the region. Occasional evening or weekend assignments may be required. The interpreter must adhere to infection-control and safety procedures in clinical environments.

Accepted language proficiency proof:

1.    Proficiency in English

       One of the following:

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, or any other degree from an institution of higher education in the U.S.
• High school diploma from a high school in the U.S.
• One of the following tests (subject to change):

a.    TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 570+ on paper; 230+ on computer version; 90+ on iBT.

b.    FCE (First Certificate in English, Level 3): A

c.     CAE (Certificate in Advanced English, Level 4): B

d.    CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English, Level 5): B

e.    IELTS (International English Language Testing System) 7.0

f.     Parrot: Level ILR 2+ (follow this link https://languagetest.com)

g.    TOEIC 9 or above (out of 12)

h.    ALTA Language Services – ALTA 9

2.    Proficiency in Target Language

       One of the following:

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, or any other degree from an institution of higher education where the Target Language is spoken.
• High school diploma from a high school in a country where the Target Language is spoken
• ACTFL Oral Exams (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages): Advanced Mid-Level (follow this link www.languagetesting.com) - both the OPI (telephonic) and OPIc (computer recording) are acceptable.
• Parrot: Level ILR 2+ (follow this link https://languagetest.com)
• ALTA Language Services – ALTA 9

Compensation: 27 to 30 (USD)