Analytical Linguist

SOS International LLC (SOSi) is seeking an Analytical Linguist in Virginia to support our federal law enforcement customer. Our job is to provide live monitoring, translation, transcription, and interpretation support for our customer’s ongoing and upcoming investigations. The ideal candidate will be a “self-starter”, capable of hitting the ground running and flexible to support assignments on very short notice.  

• Monitor: Listen to or read foreign language communications, lawfully intercepted, to perform immediate verbal summaries, then subsequent written or type summaries into English language.  
• Transcribe: Render the spoken word of a language into the written form of the same language, then save the results on a government-owned computer storage device and or in printed format.  
• Translate: Render the spoken word or written word of one language into the written form of another language, then save the results on a government-owned computer storage device or other storage media and or in printed format.  
• Interpret: Translate spoken words orally and simultaneously or consecutively from a foreign language into English or to translate spoken words from English into a foreign language. 
• Validate: Perform a review required to be conducted by someone other than the individual performing the original translation, transcription, or the quality control review of the specified original work to attest to the accuracy of the final work. 
• Summarize: Provide a typed concise and accurate synopsis of oral or written communications intercept that contains the identity of the speakers or correspondents and allocations and events mentioned that pertain to the subject of the communication. 
• Deconfliction Analysis: Perform the process of checking for target numbers and or devices or other contacted telephone numbers and or devices in one investigative case on the system having contact with target numbers and or devices or other contacted telephone numbers and or devices in a separate investigative case on the system. 
• Voice Library: Be familiar with the applicable “Library” consisting of voice exemplar references where persons have identified themselves or been identified during a phone conversation. The exemplar is used for future voice comparisons. 
• Source Data: Be capable of working with the classes of data requiring linguist services. Classes of data are verbal or written. Verbal Source Data typically is derived from audio or video recordings. Written Source Data is typically derived from official documents, transcripts, emails, maps, etc.
• Minimization: Be capable of complying with legal instructions given by the Court or Prosecutor to the analytic linguist, which identifies the types of "privileged" communications that the analytic linguist may not listen to and or capture electronically.  In addition to performing the basic Translator Duties described above, Analytic Linguists under this contract must also be capable of analyzing intercepted data and performing the following Analysis Requirements.
  • Methodically examine in detail the intercepted information to uncover the true meaning by deciphering any codes used in communication by drug traffickers to describe drugs, weapons, associates, activities, and law enforcement in attempts to defeat intercept surveillance. 
  • Process incoming data to determine the relationships between multiple targets, as well as determine the structure of Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO). 
  • Utilize data to determine the significance and hierarchy of targets involved. 
  • Cross reference current and past intelligence data to establish target patterns and connectivity with on-going intercepts.
  • Create and utilize target and involvement lists and associational charts for use in cross referencing of information

A minimum of one (1) year combined work and/or school experience in

translating, interpreting, or other work requiring the use of English and another language; resulting in equal foreign language and grammatical skills or equivalent experience. Such work/school experience shall have been within the last five (5) years and shall enable the Linguist (s) to comprehend, write and speak the required language at native or near-native level.

• An excellent command of the English language with the ability to provide clear and concise oral and written communication.
• Ability to understand basic elements of speech in a standard dialect.
• Skills necessary to listen and comprehend the required foreign language(s) with native or near-native ability; and ability to follow accurately the basic elements of conversations and telephone calls. 
• Skills necessary to read and comprehend the required foreign language with native or near-native ability, and to read and understand various text-types. 
• Ability to comprehend slang and colloquial expressions in the required foreign language and translate them into their English equivalent.
• Effective understanding of face-to-face speech with sufficiently broad vocabulary that paraphrasing, or explanations are unnecessary.
• Ability to work well under pressure to meet specific deadlines.

• Normal office working conditions with possible requirement to lift and/or move objects or packages of up to 25 lbs.
• Periods of non-traditional working hours including consecutive nights or weekends may be necessary.
• Typical schedule may be 9:30am – 6:00pm.
• All work is performed at the customer’s site in Lorton, VA