Associate Interpreter

Job Posting Organization:
The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar ("Mechanism") was established by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 39/2, adopted on 27 September 201

• Its mission is to investigate serious international crimes such as crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide, as well as other violations of law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">international law. The establishment of the Mechanism was welcomed by the General Assembly in its resolution 73/264, adopted on 22 December 201
• The Mechanism operates with a focus on accountability and justice for victims of serious human rights violations in Myanmar, and it is based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Job Overview:
The Associate Interpreter position is located within the Language Support Services Section of the Mechanism. The primary function of this role is to provide interpretation services during both internal and external meetings of the Mechanism. The Associate Interpreter will also assist in producing accurate translations and transcriptions of various documents, including witness statements, media articles, and public outreach materials, from the Myanmar language (Burmese) and other languages used in Myanmar into English and vice versa. This position requires a high level of professionalism and the ability to work collaboratively with other team members, including translators, editors, and legal officers, to ensure that all interpretations and translations conform to UN practices and internal protocols. The Associate Interpreter will also be responsible for taking notes during meetings and producing draft records based on those notes, which will be subject to revision. The role demands a commitment to maintaining confidentiality and a flexible approach to the diverse tasks assigned by supervisors.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Associate Interpreter include:

• Providing interpretation services during the Mechanism's internal and external meetings under the guidance of the supervisor.
• Assisting in producing accurate translations and/or transcriptions of written and/or oral witness statements, media articles, public outreach materials, and other documents from the Myanmar language (Burmese) and/or other languages used in Myanmar into English, and vice versa as required.
• Attending meetings as part of a team, taking notes from statements made in the languages of competence or from the interpretation, and subsequently using those notes to produce draft records.
• Consulting and coordinating with associate translators, revisers, editors, analysts, investigators, legal officers, and supervisors within the work unit to ensure conformity and consistency with UN practices and internal protocols.
• Contributing to matters concerning interpretation/translation policy and practice and consulting with relevant sections to clarify ambiguities and rectify substantive errors.
• Performing other duties as directed by the supervisor and the Head/Deputy Head of the Mechanism.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Associate Interpreter position include a good knowledge of interpretation rules and procedures, as well as the ability to grasp the meaning of concepts and terminology to provide rapid, accurate, and idiomatically-correct interpretation services. Candidates should have knowledge of language services workflow, including interpretation, translation, editing, and proofreading, and be familiar with translation memory software. The ability to work with ZawGyi and Unicode fonts is also necessary. Candidates must demonstrate a high level of concentration and attention to detail, and show pride in their work and achievements. Professional competence and mastery of subject matter are essential, along with the ability to meet commitments, observe deadlines, and achieve results efficiently. Candidates should be motivated by professional concerns, show persistence in facing challenges, and take responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives in their work.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) from a university or institution of equivalent status in languages, social sciences, law, or other related fields is required for this position. Alternatively, a first-level degree in one of these fields combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may also be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:
A minimum of two (2) years of experience interpreting and translating from the Myanmar language (Burmese) into English, and vice versa, is required. Experience interpreting and/or translating from another language used in Myanmar, such as Chin, Kachin, Rakhine, Rohingya, and Shan, into English, and vice versa, is desirable. Additionally, experience translating legal documents and providing interpretation or translation services in support of criminal investigations is also desirable.

Languages:
For this job opening, proficiency in English and Burmese is required. Additionally, either Kachin, Rakhine, Haka-Chin, Rohingya, or Shan is desirable. The minimum required level for each skill in these languages is defined according to the UN Language Framework, which can be consulted for further details.

Additional Notes:
The job position is temporary and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The role is full-time and involves working collaboratively with a diverse team. The Mechanism is committed to recruiting individuals from various backgrounds and encourages applications from all qualified candidates. Compensation and benefits details are typically aligned with UN standards and will be discussed during the recruitment process.