The Translating Division of the Office of Language Services provides translation services to the Department of State, the White House, and other U.S. Government agencies. We assist in handling the foreign-language components of the written record of diplomacy: correspondence, treaties, reports, speeches, course materials, briefing slides, biographical sketches, conference agenda, media items, laws, and forms. The team of staff translators, assisted by a corps of vetted contractors, offer their services in some 140 language combinations. LS translators work closely with negotiators when certifying that foreign language versions of treaties and international agreements have the same meaning as the English—a painstaking process that requires attention to nuance and the ability to separate linguistic issues from policy differences. Typically, several rounds of certification are needed to achieve substantive conformity.
A translation project may also be a website, a set of subtitles, a desk-top published brochure, an embedded .pdf image, a handwritten sworn statement, or an audio transcript. Helping the Translating Division cope with the demands of these formats is a team of Translation Project Managers who coordinate each assignment, from initial intake to final delivery, and who will help with all your logistical concerns. U.S. Government agencies can request assistance with translating projects by e-mailing us at translation@state.gov.
Are you interested in working for us? Please visit our Information for Freelance Linguists page. In the Translating section, you will find information about translating for the Office of Language Services, as well as translation test guidance. Permanent direct-hire interpreter and translator positions are very rare. When available, openings for staff positions will be published on www.usajobs.gov .
To request translation (written) assistance for documents and agreements, please e-mail translation@state.