Senior Medical Interpreter - Vietnamese
About the role
This role is essential in ensuring clear, accurate, and culturally appropriate communication between Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients and SMC medical staff. You will use your advanced language skills—particularly in Vietnamese—to support high‑quality, patient‑centered care through professional on‑site interpretation and translation services.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide accurate and impartial on‑site spoken language interpretation services in two or more languages/dialects and/or translation in one or more languages, with emphasis on Vietnamese.
- Demonstrate advanced proficiency in oral and written English and at least one foreign language or dialect, preferably native or near‑native fluency in the language of interpreting.
- Maintain fluent English pronunciation to ensure clarity and professionalism.
- Deliver professional‑level medical interpreting and apply strong knowledge of medical vocabulary to support LEP patients and SMC medical personnel.
- Ensure linguistically appropriate care by facilitating effective communication in clinical and patient‑care settings.
Required Qualifications
- National Certified Medical Interpreter – National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters — or Washington Social Services Interpreter – Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (upon hire).
- 1 year of interpretation experience in a medical clinic or hospital setting.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree.
- Continuing education and/or training in medical interpretation competencies, translation, and medical terminology/phrases.
- 3 years of interpretation experience in a medical clinic or hospital setting.
- 2 years of experience translating English and the source language; training and education in translation competencies preferred.
- Must pass a competency exam and skills assessment.
- Professional training in translation or equivalent experience.
- Experience with TMS translation memory systems (SDL Trados or MemoQ).
- Experience with Adobe or InDesign.
- Prior video‑interpreting experience.
- Experience in training adults.
Benefits
- Retirement 401(k) Savings Plan with employer matching.
- Comprehensive health care benefits (medical, dental, vision).
- Life insurance and disability insurance.
- Paid time off benefits including parental leave, vacations, holidays, and health‑related leave.
- Voluntary benefits and well‑being resources.
- Additional resources to support professional growth and financial security.
Pay
Base pay range: $31.43 – $48.08 per hour. Additional compensation may be available such as shift differentials, standby/on‑call pay, overtime, premiums, extra‑shift incentives, or bonus opportunities.
Schedule
Full‑time, Day shift.
About the Team
Providence Swedish is the largest not‑for‑profit health‑care system in the greater Puget Sound area, comprising eight hospital campuses (Ballard, Edmonds, Everett, Centralia, Cherry Hill (Seattle), First Hill (Seattle), Issaquah, and Olympia), emergency rooms and specialty centers in Redmond and Mill Creek, and a network of 190+ primary‑care and specialty‑care locations. The team is dedicated to improving the wellbeing of rural and urban communities by expanding access to quality health care for all.
About Providence
Providence’s strength lies in its Promise of “Know me, care for me, ease my way.” With more than 120,000 caregivers serving over 50 hospitals, 1,000+ clinics, and a full range of health and social services across ten states, the organization continues a 100‑year tradition of serving the poor and vulnerable. Providence provides best‑in‑class benefits and fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and every employee is essential, heard, and respected.