Interpreter/Translator II (English/Spanish) - Extra-Help

Position Information

Bring your fluent bilingual (English/Spanish) skills to the County of Sonoma's Public Defenders' Office.

Starting salary up to $35.10/hour and an additional $1.50/hour bilingual premium.*

Please note: This extra-help (temporary) position requires English and Spanish skills at the fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. Applicants who wish to be considered for bilingual positions must indicate their proficiency level in the required supplemental questionnaire. An examination will be conducted prior to appointment to a bilingual designated position to confirm the level of skill in this area.

T he 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.
About the Position

In this position, your primary responsibilities will include:

• Interpreting between attorneys and clients during jail visits
• Translating (text messages, letters, medical documents, petitions, inmate request forms) from Spanish to English and from English to Spanish
• Reviewing body worn camera footage or other case related videos and translating interactions
• Audio and video transcriptions and translations

Public Defender Interpreter/Translators work as a team to assist clients in person and over the phone, in support of the mission of the Public Defender’s Office. Interpreter/Translators work in an office environment and are required to wear business appropriate attire. Work hours are typically Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm, with a one-hour lunch. Telework is not available for this position.

In addition to fluent bilingual skills, including the ability to speak, read, and write in both English and Spanish, our ideal candidate will thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced, customer service-focused environment and possess the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other Public Defender staff, departmental representatives, court officials, the public, and clients.

Join the County

The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides our communities, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov and sonomacountyconnections.org .

EXTRA-HELP EMPLOYMENT

Extra-help employees relieve or augment permanent staff. Temporary, extra-help employees are not in the classified civil service and do not have property rights to permanently allocated positions. In addition, they do not receive most employee benefits such as long-term disability insurance coverage; accrual of vacation; participation in the County retirement program; or eligibility to take promotional examinations. Temporary, extra-help employees are limited in their employment to a maximum of one calendar year. These employees must be off of work for three months before they can be re-employed on an extra help basis. Extra-help employees who meet the eligibility requirements may qualify for a County contribution toward medical coverage.

This employment list may also be used to fill future bilingual (English/Spanish) extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. The Civil Service title of this position is Interpreter/Translator II.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE 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.

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 your employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application and should 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 application, examination, and department selection processes.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.



Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. 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.


The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (pass/not pass) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's combination of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position to ensure satisfaction of the minimum qualifications for this position. Candidates who possess the minimum qualifications for the position will be placed on an extra-help employment list and referred to the department. The department may contact candidates from the employment list who possess the most appropriate job-related qualifications for further consideration.

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 on-line 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 bulletin 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: DP
HR Technician: EV

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 and sick leave accruals; 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 generousCounty 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 https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 4/29/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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