Freelance Interpreters, Translators and Post-editors/Proofreaders

Job Posting Organization:
The Organization for security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world’s largest regional security organization, comprising 57 participating States. Established to foster peace, security, and stability in Europe, the OSCE operates on a consensus basis, ensuring that all member states have equal status in decision-making processes. The organization focuses on a wide range of issues including arms control, human rights, and conflict prevention, and it engages in various activities to promote cooperation among its member states. The OSCE's Secretariat, which plays a crucial role in supporting the organization's operations, is located in Vienna, Austria. The organization is committed to upholding democratic values and fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity within its workforce, encouraging candidates from all backgrounds to apply for positions within the organization.

Job Overview:
The primary objective of this assignment is to establish and maintain a roster of qualified freelance interpreters, translators, and post-editors/proofreaders who can provide high-quality linguistic services between English and Russian languages, and vice versa. This roster will serve as a pool of pre-vetted language professionals who may be engaged on Special Service Agreements as needed. The successful candidates will support the OSCE Secretariat, its institutions, and field operations by ensuring the accuracy, consistency, and linguistic quality of the organization’s written and oral communications. The role requires flexibility and responsiveness to the varying demands of the OSCE's mandates, which encompass politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions. Rostered experts will be expected to deliver services that include interpretation during official meetings and events, translation of official documents, and post-editing of translated texts, all while adhering to the OSCE's standards of professionalism and quality.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The successful candidates will be responsible for providing simultaneous and/or consecutive interpretation services during OSCE meetings, conferences, and events, ensuring accurate and context-appropriate delivery that reflects the speaker’s intent. They will prepare in advance by reviewing relevant materials and terminology, and utilize interpretation equipment effectively for both on-site and remote events. Additionally, they will translate official OSCE documents, reports, and training materials, ensuring linguistic accuracy and adherence to OSCE style and formatting standards. The role also includes post-editing and proofreading services, where candidates will review translated texts for grammatical and stylistic accuracy, ensuring consistency in terminology and tone. All deliverables must meet established deadlines and quality benchmarks, and candidates must maintain professionalism, confidentiality, and impartiality at all times.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a first-level university degree in interpretation/translation studies, linguistics, or a related field, or a degree in areas relevant to the OSCE's mandates, along with a mandatory professional certification in translation or interpretation. They must have an excellent command of both English and Russian, with one language as a mother tongue and the other as an active language. Proven ability to accurately translate complex texts in both directions is essential. A minimum of five years of professional experience in translation, interpretation, and post-editing/proofreading is required, preferably within international organizations or similar multicultural environments. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools and possess strong attention to detail, editorial judgment, and computer literacy, including experience with Microsoft Office Suite.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a first-level university degree in interpretation/translation studies, linguistics, or a related field. Alternatively, candidates may hold a degree in areas relevant to the OSCE's mandates, provided they also have a professional certification in translation or interpretation. This educational foundation is crucial for ensuring that candidates possess the necessary skills and knowledge to perform effectively in the role.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of professional experience in translation, interpretation, and post-editing/proofreading. This experience should ideally be within international organizations, governmental institutions, or similar multicultural environments. For interpreters, a minimum of 30 working days of professional interpretation services over the past three years is required, with at least 10 active working days per year. This level of experience is essential to ensure that candidates can deliver high-quality services under tight deadlines and in high-pressure environments.

Languages:
Candidates must have an excellent command of both English and Russian, with one language as a mother tongue and the other as an active language. This bilingual proficiency is mandatory for the role, as the position requires accurate translation and interpretation between these two languages. Additional language skills may be considered an asset but are not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy-based assignments will be issued on an as-needed basis, with the duration of each assignment varying depending on project requirements. Engagement under this roster does not constitute a continuous or full-time contractual arrangement, and there is no guarantee of assignments. Candidates are required to indicate their proposed rates for the services in the pre-screening section of the application. The OSCE reserves the right to determine the final remuneration based on the complexity of tasks and the expertise required. It is important for candidates to confirm in their application that they can provide services in their individual capacity, not as part of a business entity, unless they clarify otherwise. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.