We are a part of the judicial branch, one of the three separate branches of the federal government. We independently set our own employment policies such as remote work and performance management. We value our employees' individualism and continue to strive towards a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.

The Clerk’s Office of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado is accepting applications for a Court Interpreter. The Clerk’s Office provides effective and efficient administrative and case management support to the Court’s judicial officers and to all others requiring services of the Court.    

The Court Interpreter (Spanish/English) provides consecutive and simultaneous interpretation and sight translation for all court proceedings including arraignments, motions, trials and sentencings. The interpreter translates documents to and from the Court for distribution to other parties and assists non-English-speaking individuals in person, by video and by telephone. Additional duties may be assigned when not interpreting, provided they do not compromise the interpreter’s ability to devote full attention to interpretation services. The Court Interpreter reports to the Chief Deputy through the Court Operations Supervisor.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The representative duties of this position include but are not limited to:

• Provide simultaneous and consecutive interpreting (Spanish/English) and sight translation services for in-court and remote proceedings (trials, hearings, etc.) by transferring the message from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English. 
• Provide interpretation and translation services for out-of-court proceedings for Probation/Pretrial Services.
• Provide interpretation and translation of case-related documents, including legal documents, medical and other forensic reports and records.
• Prepare for interpreter assignments, including reading case files and conducting terminology research, as necessary.
• Interpret both in person and remotely by video or telephone.
• Assist in scheduling and coordinating staff and/or contract interpreters, including interpreters for the Telephone Interpreting Program. Assist in coordinating with clerk's office and chambers staff regarding scheduling needs of the court. Assist in preparing and distributing work schedules for interpreters.
• Assist in identifying interpreters of languages other than Spanish using relevant databases and other resources. Update local rosters of interpreters with current contact information, including security clearances.
• Assist manager/supervisor of Interpreter Services and/or court procurement staff in preparing purchase orders and other paperwork and processing payments for contract interpreters.
• Assist in initiating mandatory Federal Bureau of Investigation checks on contract court interpreters according to established procedures. Assist in preparing statistical data and reports on interpreter usage, as required by the court and the Administrative Office.
• Answer questions from members of the bar and others seeking information regarding the interpreting profession and translation services.
• Serve as a resource to judges and senior managers on issues relating to court interpretation, such as answering questions regarding statutes, policies and regulations applicable to court interpreting. Write memoranda, reports, prepare training and orientation material and other documents.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Successful completion of the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination (FCICE) is required for all staff court interpreters.

In addition to meeting the certification requirement, applicants for court interpreter positions must meet the experience requirements shown in the table below:

Specialized experience: Experience that has provided the interpreter with the knowledge, skills and abilities to accurately and idiomatically render a message from the source language into the target language without any additions, omissions, or other misleading factors that in any way alter the intended meaning of the message from the source language speaker in a courtroom or legal environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

In addition to the minimum qualifications stated above, preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate:

• Experience interpreting in a Federal Court;
• Extensive knowledge of legal, highly technical, and colloquial vocabulary in English and Spanish;
• Experience working with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, and socio-economic levels;
• Prior or current membership in a professional interpreter/translator association;

The incumbent will be able to effectively manage deadlines and adapt to shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment. The incumbent will demonstrate strong communication skills and consistently maintain high professional standards when working with judges, court staff and members of the public. Initiative, reliability, sound judgment and a collaborative, team-oriented approach are essential to success in this role.

BENEFITS

A generous benefits package is available and includes the following:

• 13 days of paid vacation leave for first three years (increases with tenure)
• 13 days of sick leave
• 11 paid holidays
• 12 weeks paid parental leave after one year
• Retirement benefits and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government match up to 5%
• Health and group life Insurance, dental and vision
• Flexible spending accounts (Health, Dependent, Parking)
• RTD Eco Pass (if budget permits)
• On-site fitness facilities
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Student loan forgiveness to qualified persons, pursuant to the terms of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

See the complete list of benefits on our employment website here

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Employees must adhere to a Code of Conduct. This position is subject to a mandatory Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll direct deposit. Employees are considered at-will and are not covered by federal civil service classifications or regulations. Immigration law requires public employers to hire individuals who are lawful permanent residents (i.e., green card holder) seeking U.S. citizenship. Candidates are not required to complete questions 18-20 on form AO-78 regarding criminal history. Criminal history is not in itself disqualifying. All available information, past and present, favorable and unfavorable, about the reliability and trustworthiness of an individual will be considered when making an employment suitability determination. All compensation and promotions are subject to final approval by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Applications must be submitted through our website. If there are technical issues with the application portal, candidates may submit  a single pdf document via email to: cod_hrd@cod.uscourts.gov.  Please note “Vacancy Announcement: 2026-16-USDC” in the subject line of the email.  Incomplete applications or those received after the preference date may not be considered.

THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER