Linguist - (Mandarin

Title:

Mandarin Linguist |

Location:

San Diego, CA | Security Clearance:
Public Trust (or ability to obtain) |

Schedule:

This is an as‑needed, part‑time essential services position with work contingent upon available projects. When assigned to a project, linguists are expected to support the effort through completion and are typically scheduled to work up to 40 hours per week. Assignments may require day and/or night shifts, including weekends and holidays.

Hourly rate: $40.00. Travel to client sites is required.

Our linguists perform real‑time and/or recorded transcription from Mandarin to English in support of sensitive law enforcement work. The role requires capturing accurate, court‑ready written products; identifying, decoding, and documenting colloquialisms, slang, and coded language; and extracting and communicating pertinent information to law enforcement personnel.

• Listen to live or recorded communications in Mandarin and produce verbal and written synopses and transcriptions, as required by the project.
• Communicate pertinent information to the Client (law enforcement personnel) in a timely manner when supporting live monitoring.
• Build and maintain a master list of slang terms and codes used by a particular group/organization for the duration of the project/case.
• Build and maintain a voice library for the duration of the project.
• Transcribe and translate pertinent calls and documents, as assigned by the supervisor.
• Produce court‑ready (accurate, clearly formatted, and complete) transcriptions of pertinent calls, chats, and documents in the required format.
• Use project reference tools and materials developed during the project to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Transcribe a minimum of 16 minutes of recorded conversation in an 8‑hour day, per required format and quality standards.
• Operate specialized government‑provided software and equipment (e.g., JSI voice box, Pen‑link, Comverse, and other communications‑collection tools) used at the assigned site.
• Maintain a daily productivity log in accordance with project requirements.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum one (1) year of translation experience in Mandarin.
• Knowledge of Mandarin colloquialisms, slang terms, and regional expressions.
• Familiarity with SMS shorthand, social media terminology, and web chat communications.
• Excellent verbal and written skills in the target language, including accurate grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Ability to meet the position requirement of a score of 3 or better on a third‑party language assessment (Listening/Speaking/Reading/Writing) in English and Mandarin.
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast‑paced environment and communicate effectively with management and law enforcement personnel.
• Strong prioritization and time‑management skills; ability to meet deadlines, balance multiple tasks, and work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to take technical direction and incorporate feedback from multiple sources.
• Must type 45 words per minute.

• Applicants selected may be subject to a government background investigation and may be required to meet the conditions of employment below.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Public Trust eligibility as a condition of employment.
• Favorable credit check, as applicable to the required Public Trust eligibility.
• Successful completion of a background investigation and drug screening.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Must have lived in the U.S. for 3 of the past 5 years.