What Does An Interpreter Do?

WHAT DOES AN INTERPRETER DO?

Published: Oct 10, 2025 - The Interpreter ensures effective communication across language barriers by translating spoken and written content in meetings, interviews, training, and daily operations. This role supports supervisors and managers in conveying information to team members, translates key materials, including medical and safety information, and aids in employee engagement and orientation. The interpreter also maintains confidentiality and a strong presence across all production areas.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Interpreter

1. Interpreter Duties

Interpretation Services: Provides interpretation services effectively, with accuracy of meaning through the use of medical, business, and general terminology.
Patient Communication: Interpretation for patients, family members, visitors, LEP employees of LMC, and any person providing care or treatment on behalf of LMC and its affiliates.
Professional Standards: Follows the guidelines of the National Council on Interpreting in Healthcare (NCIHC).
Sight Translation: Provides sight translation of pertinent materials for patients and families.
Cultural Mediation: Serves as a cultural mediator to enhance communication between staff and patients or family members.
Language Proficiency: Monitors language and interpreting skills, takes the initiative to maintain and improve, and stays abreast of linguistic meanings and regional variances of both languages.
Continuing Education: Participates in Continuing Education opportunities to maintain certification.
Request Management: Monitors, accepts, and responds to requests through ServiceHub.
Crisis Adaptability: Adapts to adverse situations, handles high-pressure, or emotionally intense scenarios.

2. Interpreter Responsibilities

Candidate Management: Serves as the primary contact for all interpreter candidates during the recruiting process, from initial contact through offer.
Candidate Experience: Ensures that all candidates have a positive experience.
Recruitment Quality: Ensures the highest level of candidate quality by diligently following the established recruiting process within areas of responsibility.
Candidate Evaluation: Administers and evaluates candidates based on behavioral interview and pre-employment language and education experience, as well as preliminary language test results.
Hiring Decisions: Routinely makes the final decision to hire or not to hire a candidate for an interpreter position.
Decision Guidance: Seeks guidance about hiring decisions when in doubt.
Candidate Communication: Provides candidates with information regarding compensation, policies and procedures, etc., in order to ensure the candidate is well informed and a positive image is promoted.
Issue Resolution: Ensures swift resolution of candidate questions and issues.
Legal Compliance: Adheres to state and federal employment laws in the selection process.
Database Management: Maintains accuracy of candidate status in the applicant tracking database throughout the entire recruiting process.
Performance Accountability: Be accountable for key metrics such as positions filled per month, time to fill positions, number of interviews conducted, number of offers extended, number of candidates contacted, among others.
Quality Support: Support LLS’ Quality Management System (QMS) to continually improve the Division’s processes, procedures, and services, and thereby increase efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction.

3. Interpreter Accountabilities

Cultural Engagement: Contributes to a culture that promotes respect, equity, inclusion, and innovation, and models anti-racist and accountable behaviours.
Content Knowledge: Maintains a high level of knowledge and familiarity with the Museum’s content.
Education Delivery: Delivers onsite and virtual education programs to school-aged children from grades K-12.
Public Tours: Delivers onsite and virtual public tours on a variety of human rights-related themes to a wide variety of audiences.
Event Facilitation: Delivers various activities and events, including talks, demonstrations, workshops, and hands-on interactions in the Museum to school groups, professional groups, and the general public.
Specialized Presentations: Delivers targeted presentations and activities on specific topics for specialized audiences, partners, and stakeholders.
Dialogue Facilitation: Facilitates discussion and dialogue and employs appropriate techniques to de-escalate emotional situations.
Program Leadership: Leads and delivers programs employing informal and formal learning pedagogy, dialogue techniques, and approaches.
Visitor Assistance: Assists visitors in navigating the Museum’s mobile program and other in-gallery media programs to participate in digital content offered on various platforms.
Program Feedback: Provides feedback on the quality and effectiveness of programs to leadership.
Program Development: Participates in program development and evaluation, as well as idea generation activities, and provides program delivery expertise in various stages of program development.
Operational Support: Provides operational support for programs and activities throughout all Museum spaces.

4. Interpreter Job Description

Language Mediation: Facilitates effective communication between two parties that do not speak a similar language by converting one spoken or written language to another to mediate discussions.
Conference Translation: Attends conferences and meetings and acts as an official translator.
Resident Translation: Translates for residents so they can understand the center officials.
Concept Relay: Relays concepts and ideas between languages.
Text Conversion: Converts written materials from one language into another, such as books, publications, or web pages.
Content Reproduction: Creates a new text that reproduces the content and style of the original.
Text Editing: Edits and proofreads text to accurately reflect language.
Assignment Management: Receives and submits assignments electronically.
Reference Utilization: Uses dictionaries and glossaries for references.
CAT Tools: Utilizes computer-assisted translation.
Resident Communication: Facilitates communication for residents with limited English proficiency.
Legal Interpretation: Translates at meetings such as attorney-client meetings, preliminary hearings, arraignments, depositions, and trials.
Terminology Interpretation: Interprets both legal terminology and colloquial language.
Document Reading: Reads aloud documents in a language other than that in which they were written.
Healthcare Translation: Provides language services to healthcare residents with limited English proficiency.
Material Translation: Translates resident materials and informational brochures issued by the medical facility.
Resident Assistance: Accompanies the resident and facilitates communication between the receiving party and visitors.

5. Interpreter Details and Accountabilities

Medical Interpretation: Provides complete and accurate interpretation for patients, families, and facility or hospital staff in order to facilitate communication.
Adaptive Communication: Uses communication methods appropriate for the patient's developmental age and mental condition.
Sight Translation: Assists patients, families, and staff with sight translation of forms and is familiar with the most commonly used medical terminology.
Cultural Sensitivity: Demonstrates cultural sensitivity and renders an unbiased interpretation to ensure an accurate exchange of information.
Ethical Compliance: Adheres to accepted norms of professional ethics and Standards of Practice for Medical Interpreters, as well as Intermountain Policies, Title VI, ADA, Section 1557 of the ACA, HIPAA, and Joint Commission requirements.
Time Management: Manages time productively, displaying a proactive approach to the job.
Request Response: Responds to requests (pagers, calls, Vocera, etc.) promptly, even when actively interpreting, and provides staff with an estimated time of arrival for interpretation assignments.
Service Referral: Refers staff to phone or video conferencing interpretation per guidelines.
Record Keeping: Keeps timely, accurate records of all interpretation encounters.
Technical Proficiency: Uses computer, software, and internet tools for research, data entry, and other communication purposes within the work environment.
Translation Services: Provides translation services from the source language to the target language and vice versa, and completes translation assignments promptly and with a high degree of accuracy.

6. Interpreter Roles

Message Accuracy: Renders all messages accurately and completely, without adding, omitting, or substituting.
Documentation Management: Fills out the Interpreter Service Form each day.
Appointment Scheduling: Schedules follow-up appointments for patients and departments.
Material Translation: Translates hospital materials on an as-needed basis.
Schedule Flexibility: Covers for other interpreters and remains flexible with scheduling.
Project Assistance: Assists the Manager of Interpreter Services with projects and initiatives.
Staff Education: Educates staff members on how to contact Interpreter Services.
Interpreter Advocacy: Educates staff on why they should use trained interpreters instead of family members.

7. Interpreter Additional Details

Telephone Interpretation: Provides interpretation by telephone for State Farm associates.
Bilingual Communication: Interprets conversations clearly and concisely in both languages.
Glossary Utilization: Uses in-language State Farm glossaries to assist in preventing a communication breakdown.
Issue Reporting: Recognizes consistent problem areas and reports them to management.
Service Resolution: Recognizes unusual events affecting customer service and works with management to resolve them.
Process Improvement: Suggests methods to update, simplify, and enhance processes, procedures, and technologies.
Language Proficiency: Speaks the source and target language at Advanced High or Superior ACTFL Proficiency level.
Peer Support: Assists less experienced Interpretation Service Representatives with procedural issues, unusual customer requests, and minor system or equipment problems.

8. Interpreter Essential Functions

Language Facilitation: Facilitates effective communication between two parties that do not speak a similar language by converting one spoken or written language to another.
Meeting Translation: Attends meetings and acts as an official translator to mediate discussions.
Concept Relay: Relays concepts and ideas between languages.
Document Translation: Converts written materials and conversations from one language into another, such as advertisements, rules, policies, and investigation reports.
Applicant Support: Translates information for applicants during interviews and with hiring paperwork.
Medical Assistance: Assists the clinic with the translation of medical information and safety.
Training Support: Assists in new employee orientation and annual training requirements.
Production Communication: Assists the front-line supervisor on the production floor and helps with communication with their team members.
Supervisor Assistance: Assists supervisors and managers at all times in effective communication with team members.
Employee Engagement: Supports the plant with employee engagement initiatives.
Confidentiality Compliance: Maintains the highest levels of confidentiality.
Operational Presence: Maintains a strong presence in both fabrication and slaughter operations/floor.

9. Interpreter Role Purpose

Document Translation: Translates a wide variety of written materials from Japanese to English and English to Japanese, including emails, memos, postings, forms, handbooks, job descriptions, presentations, and training materials.
Meeting Interpretation: Provides consecutive and simultaneous interpretation for internal and external meetings, individual meetings, teleconferences, communication meetings, ceremonies, events, business trips, Board of Directors meetings, customer visits, and meetings with governmental authorities and industry associations.
Administrative Assistance: Assists Japanese employees with various administrative activities such as finding housing, obtaining Social Security numbers or driver’s licenses, setting up checking accounts, and initiating utility services upon arrival in the United States, as well as providing assistance when returning to Japan.
Personal Support: Acts as a point of contact between Japanese employees or their families and landlords, bankers, doctors, schools, car dealerships, and utility services, assisting with general daily life activities during their stay in the U.S.
Call Management: Answers and makes phone calls for Japanese employees and their families, including weekends.
Travel Coordination: Makes travel arrangements for Japanese employees and accompanies them on trips.
Board Meeting Interpretation: Interprets during the annual board meeting and translates the documents used during the meeting.
Engineer Support: Accompanies FTL engineers to the mother plant in Japan as their interpreter.
Purchase Requisition: Submits purchase order requisitions for items purchased through TPR via the Fiori system.
Order Processing: Retrieves PO numbers from the purchasing department, creates purchase orders, and sends them to TPR.
Logistics Coordination: Works with freight forwarders, customs brokers, and transportation companies to provide necessary documentation promptly for shipment movement.
Shipment Monitoring: Monitors shipments until delivered to the destination.
Document Organization: Organizes shipping documents, invoices, and the shipment calendar.

10. Interpreter General Responsibilities

Industry Knowledge: Studies all relevant vocabulary and basic knowledge of the HVAC industry, equipment, and technologies.
Document Translation: Performs written translation of documents in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF, including email communications.
Accurate Interpretation: Provides accurate and comprehensive interpretation that enables effective communication between listeners and speakers.
Message Rendering: Renders messages from one language to another accurately, without omissions or additions, maintaining message content, context, and style.
Professional Conduct: Maintains a professional demeanor in presentation and communication style.
Meeting Coordination: Assists with creating and editing presentations and coordinating meetings.
Conflict Resolution: Identifies and resolves conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
Information Integrity: Operates with a high level of integrity and ensures proper handling and protection of sensitive and confidential information.
Terminology Proficiency: Understands industry-specific terminology, referencing glossaries and training materials.

11. Interpreter Key Accountabilities

ASL Interpretation: Effectively interprets between American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English.
Regulatory Compliance: Complies with Sorenson standards and policies, FCC regulations, and the RID Code of Professional Conduct.
Attendance Adherence: Complies with Sorenson Communications' attendance policy.
Task Management: Accurately completes assigned tasks, duties, projects, and paperwork promptly and within approved guidelines.
Schedule Flexibility: Maintains a flexible work schedule to meet the demands of the VRS industry.
Technology Adaptation: Quickly learns and implements new and changing technologies.
Performance Oversight: Works effectively in an environment with oversight that may include call monitoring, mentoring, and evaluations.
High-Pressure Efficiency: Works effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and highly regulated environment.

12. Interpreter Roles and Details

Medical Interpretation: Accurately interprets medical and health care information or instructions from physicians, nurses, or other health care staff to Spanish-speaking patients and families in consecutive or simultaneous mode, following the National Code of Ethics for Interpreters in Health Care and departmental standards.
Cultural Mediation: Assists in obtaining patients’ or families’ signatures and provides information regarding health care-related cultural issues or needs of Spanish-speaking patients and families to hospital staff to promote sensitivity.
Document Translation: Possesses advanced and specialized expertise in translating documents from English to Spanish and vice versa, developed through advanced training, education, or extensive experience.
Patient Document Translation: Translates hospital documents such as forms, discharge orders, and patient education materials from English to Spanish or vice versa.
Data Management: Manages and maintains accurate information for each encounter in the Language Access Services EPIC scheduling system.
Team Collaboration: Collaborates with departmental activities and projects and participates in the Language Access Services Team to support employee recognition, continuous education, and after-visit summary translation.
Preceptor Training: Functions as a preceptor for newly hired LAS Representatives, shadowing, training, compiling and organizing materials, and delivering training summaries and evaluations to leads or supervisors promptly.
After-Hours Support: Provides occasional services outside normal working hours, including staff meetings and continuing education.

13. Interpreter Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Attendance Reliability: Keeps all appointments and assignments and reports to the assigned site promptly.
School Interpretation: Assists in the translation and interpretation of school-home meetings.
Confidentiality Maintenance: Maintains and keeps all conferences confidential.
Document Accuracy: Ensures school documents are completed accurately and legibly by translating information appropriately.
Issue Reporting: Informs the Coordinator immediately when interpreting sensitive and/or reportable issues.
Family Engagement: Encourages families to participate in school affairs and promotes school involvement.
Professional Development: Attends and participates in appropriate workshops and in-service training.
Translation Tools: Utilizes translation memory and terminology tools when translating content.
Project Support: Supports other technical writing, translation, and localization projects.

14. Interpreter Duties and Roles

Educational Interpretation: Interprets and translates for individuals with hearing impairments in instructional settings.
Assignment Preparation: Prepares for interpreting assignments by studying subject matter and sign language vocabulary.
Deaf Awareness: Assists in providing information about deafness and the role of the educational interpreter.
Team Collaboration: Participates as a member of the educational team to review assigned student or classroom information and provide input or attend team meetings.
Professional Development: Attends district-provided professional development courses related to educational interpreting and education for the deaf.
Teacher Support: Assists RDSPD teachers with materials and provides clerical support.
Student Supervision: Provides lunchroom supervision and supervises student rest periods.
Bilingual Translation: Translates technical and general communication into both English and Japanese.
Quality Assurance: Proofs the work of other translators to ensure accuracy and quality of documentation.

15. Interpreter Details

Program Development: Develops, creates, and conducts tours, on-site and outreach programs, camps, and workshops.
STEAM Education: Utilizes STEAM-based educational programs for schools and youth organizations.
Partnership Building: Leads collaborative opportunities with schools, museums, and educational partners to support initiatives and build long-term relationships under supervisory guidance.
Cultural Representation: Provides secondary backup and represents SMSC in tribal historic preservation and cultural resource activities, meetings, and discussion groups.
Collection Research: Provides knowledge and conducts research in collaboration with the collections team.
Environmental Education: Assists with land and natural resources education and programming.
Cultural Planning: Assists the SMSC Land Department with cultural initiatives and planning through investigations, research, data analytics, and presentations.
Warehouse Administration: Assists with parts warehousing administration, including stocktake activities.
Sales Reconciliation: Supports the Parts Manager in reconciling daily cash sales.

16. Interpreter Responsibilities

Legal Translation: Performs ongoing written translations of legal documents prepared for parents of students with disabilities.
Translation Review: Reviews and updates translations, ensuring annual review for ODLSS compliance.
Vocabulary Management: Maintains a multilingual vocabulary directory for commonly used Special Education terms.
Data Reporting: Provides up-to-date data on completed translations and interpretations.
Editing Collaboration: Edits and proofreads translations in collaboration with other team members.
Meeting Interpretation: Serves as an interpreter for parents during CPS IEP meetings, legal proceedings, and other special education-related meetings.
Professional Development: Participates in and supports professional development for bilingual special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service providers.
Team Onboarding: Assists in the orientation and onboarding of new members of the network language services team.

17. Interpreter Accountabilities

Language Facilitation: Ensures effective communication between Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals and CHI Health staff.
Information Accuracy: Optimizes the accurate exchange of information while providing language assistance in person.
Document Translation: Produces high-quality document translations in accordance with organizational standards.
Bidirectional Interpretation: Interprets from English to the target language and vice versa.
Written Translation: Translates a variety of documents from English to the target language.
Sight Translation: Completes sight translations or translates documents from the target language to English.
Service Delivery: Delivers on a service model goal to provide language assistance services that incorporate efficiency, value, and experience.
Client Support: Attends job interviews, orientations, and other appointments with clients to interpret meetings and discussions.
Clear Communication: Provides effective and clear interpretation and communication.

18. Interpreter Details and Accountabilities

Multilingual Interpretation: Acts as an interpreter between a wide range of people with diverse voices, accents, speaking tempos, and personalities.
Concept Conversion: Converts concepts in the source language to equivalent concepts in the target language.
Legal Interpretation: Acts as an interpreter for protection and legal appointments.
Accurate Translation: Provides parties with clear and exact translations of written materials and interpretations of verbal communication.
Member Registration: Translates for registrations of new members and supports other team members.
Appointment Assistance: Accompanies beneficiaries to medical and legal appointments outside of Irida.
Cultural Mediation: Assists the team in being culturally sensitive and serves as a cultural mediator.
Timely Interpretation: Interprets in a timely and accurate manner for consumers and family members in various settings.

19. Interpreter Essential Functions

HR Operations: Supports the daily operational tasks of the HR team.
HR Translation: Provides translation support for HR-related documents, prepares HR reports, and analyzes data.
Pre-Employment Support: Assists with pre-employment processes.
Resume Management: Sorts incoming resumes and logs them into the appropriate tracking spreadsheets.
Interview Coordination: Coordinates candidate interviews, physicals, and testing.
Event Organization: Supports organizing employee engagement activities and works with vendors to follow up on internal events.
Internal Communication: Designs and writes internal communications.
Ethical Compliance: Complies with applicable ethics and professional standards.
Cultural Consultation: Provides information and consultation to health center staff regarding cultural or ethnic issues.

20. Interpreter Key Accountabilities

Service Facilitation: Facilitates the successful delivery of services to linguistically diverse consumers.
Resource Explanation: Explains hospital resources, office protocols, and limitations to clinicians and patients, and makes appropriate referrals.
Cultural Mediation: Serves as a cultural and linguistic resource to both patients and providers to contribute to successful outcomes.
Interpretation Services: Provides accurate interpreting services to patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and providers, either in person, by telephone, or during scheduled call hours.
Cultural Awareness: Explains cultural differences or practices to healthcare providers and patients and communicates any patient’s special needs to providers.
Program Development: Assists in creating programs designed to facilitate the delivery of care to a multicultural patient population.
Confidentiality Compliance: Adheres to the rules of confidentiality required of all school personnel.
Collaborative Relationships: Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with teachers and other school personnel.