Job Details for Fully Certified Spanish Language Interpreter
| Court Name/Organization | Arizona Federal Public Defender |
| Overview of the Position | The Federal Public Defender for the District of Arizona is accepting applications for the position of a full-time Spanish interpreter, to be stationed in Tucson. More than one position may be filled from this announcement. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006A, to provide federal criminal defense by court appointment to individuals unable to afford counsel. The District of Arizona has offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff. |
| Location | Tucson, AZ |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 02/11/2026 - 02/27/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 9 - JSP 14 |
| Salary | $62,893 - $128,162 |
| Announcement Number | 26-05 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
The interpreter supports the assistant federal public defenders in various aspects of trial preparation by interpreting/translating legal documents, correspondence, transcripts, treaties, foreign documents, legal provisions, and other case-related documents. This position will assist with litigation support and help prepare clients for trial. This position will require heavy document translation, transcription of audio and videotape recordings and interpreting for attorney-client meetings, witness interviews, telephone conversations, jail visits, office court proceedings, pre-sentence interviews and interviews with other government officials as permitted by the court, and other duties as assigned. The position requires confidentiality of all interpreted communications be maintained at all times. Extensive travel may be required to meet with clients at detention centers.
Qualifications
To qualify for the interpreter position, a person must be a high school graduate or equivalent, be federally certified by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for Spanish<>English, and have at least five years of federal interpreting experience, or comparable experience with an advanced degree. The applicant must have the ability to analyze, evaluate and apply relevant policies and procedures to office operations, exercise good judgment, general knowledge of office practices and legal processes, and the ability to type and use a personal computer. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation.
Employee Benefits
The starting salary for the interpreter will be fixed commensurate with experience and qualifications of the applicant within a range of JSP-9, Step 1, to JSP-14, Step 1, currently yielding $62,893 to $128,162 per annum. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does include regular Government employment benefits including health and life insurance, Federal Employees’ Retirement System, telework opportunities and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit). All positions are at will and subject to the availability of funds.
Miscellaneous
The interpreter supports the assistant federal public defenders in various aspects of trial preparation by interpreting/translating legal documents, correspondence, transcripts, treaties, foreign documents, legal provisions, and other case-related documents. This position will assist with litigation support and help prepare clients for trial. This position will require heavy document translation, transcription of audio and videotape recordings and interpreting for attorney-client meetings, witness interviews, telephone conversations, jail visits, office court proceedings, pre-sentence interviews and interviews with other government officials as permitted by the court, and other duties as assigned. The position requires confidentiality of all interpreted communications be maintained at all times. Extensive travel may be required to meet with clients at detention centers.
Application Info
Qualified persons may apply by sending a letter of interest, résumé, and copy of your federal court interpreter certification to the Personnel Administrator, Federal Public Defender, District of Arizona, at azx_hr@fd.org. (Letter of interest, references, and certification must be included.) Announced: Feb. 5, 2026; Closes: Feb. 27, 2026.
All applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age, are encouraged to apply.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.