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, meaning all member states have equal status in decision-making. The organization focuses on a range of issues including arms control, human rights, and conflict prevention. The OSCE's Secretariat plays a crucial role in supporting the organization's operations and initiatives, ensuring effective communication and coordination among member states and various institutions. For more detailed information about the OSCE's structure and work, you can visit their official website at http://www.osce.org/secretariat.

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 Albanian languages. 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, institutions, and field operations by ensuring the accuracy, consistency, and linguistic quality of the organization's communications. The role involves providing consecutive and/or simultaneous interpretation during official meetings and events, translating various official documents, and offering post-editing and proofreading services to ensure adherence to OSCE standards. The assignments will be consultancy-based and will vary in duration, depending on project requirements, with no guarantee of continuous work.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The successful candidates will be responsible for a range of duties under the supervision of the Supervisor/Hiring Manager. These include providing accurate simultaneous and/or consecutive interpretation between English and Albanian during OSCE meetings and events, ensuring that the delivery reflects the speaker’s intent and tone. Candidates will need to prepare in advance by reviewing relevant materials and terminology, effectively use interpretation equipment, and maintain professionalism and confidentiality. In terms of translation services, candidates will translate official documents and reports, ensuring linguistic accuracy and adherence to OSCE style. They will also conduct terminology research and ensure all deliverables meet established deadlines. For post-editing and proofreading, candidates will review translated texts for grammatical and stylistic accuracy, perform quality assurance, and ensure consistency in terminology and formatting. All deliverables must comply with OSCE standards of accuracy and professionalism.

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 with a mandatory professional certification in translation or interpretation. They should have an excellent command of both English and Albanian, with one as a mother tongue and the other as an active language. A minimum of five years of professional experience in translation, interpretation, and post-editing/proofreading is required, preferably within international organizations or similar environments. For interpreters, at least 30 working days of professional interpretation services over the past three years is necessary, while translators should be proficient in using Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to deliver high-quality translations under tight deadlines, possess strong attention to detail, and have excellent communication and organizational skills.

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 first-level university degree in areas relevant to the OSCE's mandates, provided they have a mandatory professional certification in translation or interpretation. This educational foundation is essential for ensuring that candidates possess the necessary skills and knowledge to perform the linguistic services required by the OSCE.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of professional experience in translation, interpretation, and post-editing/proofreading. This experience should preferably be within international organizations, governmental institutions, or similar multicultural environments. For interpreters, it is required to have provided at least 30 working days of professional interpretation services over the past three years, with a minimum of 10 active working days per year. This level of experience is crucial for ensuring that candidates are well-equipped to handle the demands of the role and deliver high-quality services.

Languages:
The mandatory languages for this position are English and Albanian, with one being the mother tongue and the other an active language. Candidates must demonstrate a proven ability to accurately translate complex texts in both directions. While proficiency in additional languages may be beneficial, the primary focus is on English and Albanian for this role.

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 make final remuneration decisions 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 specified otherwise. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.