Hourly Interpreter - Pool

Position Purpose

The Hourly Interpreter plays a pivotal role in fostering an inclusive and accessible educational environment by providing proficient interpreting services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a classroom or related instruction setting and/or activities.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Interpret spoken English into American Sign Language (ASL) or other manual sign systems, and vice versa, in classroom settings, tutoring sessions, meetings, and campus events.
• Utilize specialized signs and accommodate diverse language preferences to accurately convey technical or specialized subject matter and vocabulary.
• Maintain a high level of accuracy in conveying the register, tone, intent, and content of the speaker's message.
• Adapt communication strategies based on the specific requirements of instructional settings and academic content.
• Facilitate effective interaction between deaf or hard-of-hearing consumers and hearing participants in academic and non-academic environments.
• Uphold professional standards and adhere to the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) code of professional conduct, maintaining confidentiality and neutrality in all interpreting assignments.
• Handle sensitive information with discretion and maintain confidentiality regarding student records, accommodations, and interactions.
• Seek feedback from consumers, peers, and supervisors to improve interpreting techniques and effectiveness.
• Stay informed about advancements in assistive technologies and resources that support deaf and hard-of-hearing accessibility in educational settings.

Scheduling Support

• Communicate effectively with faculty, staff, and students to clarify interpreting needs and facilitate smooth interactions.
• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive student information and interpreting assignments.
• Affiliate with scheduling and coordinating interpreting services for university-wide events and activities as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Any combination of formal training and relevant documented interpreting experience that demonstrates assurance of the skills appropriate for the level of the assignment(s) is required.
• Typically, sufficient interpreting training or experience requires graduation from an interpreter training program and/or relevant documented interpreting experience.
• A wide acquaintance with academic higher education through attendance at a postsecondary educational institution may be essential to fully comprehend and accurately interpret the concepts, language, and vocabulary used in the assigned instructional, academic, and/or administrative situations.
• Working knowledge of the process on interpretation.
• Working knowledge of ASL and/or English sign system as required by the student(s) or the assignment.
• Working knowledge of the methods and techniques used in communicating with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing consumers.
• Working knowledge of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) code of professional conduct.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Deaf Culture.
• Ability to hear spoken English and use ASL, Signed English, and/or another manual sign system to effectively generate language.
• Ability to interpret and transliterate between the ASL and sign systems and spoken English at a speed required by the assignment, which may involve a variety of settings such as a classroom, conference, and/or one-on-one meeting.
• Ability to work with students from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two (2) years of experience interpreting in a higher education setting.
• Bachelor's degree.
• National certification by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, or National Association for the Deaf.
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment possessing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.