Interpreter Services Administrative Support Intern (Summer 2025)

Assist with interpreter services and provide administrative support.

This opening is not available anymore. Do not try to apply for this job.

IRC - The International Rescue Committee

Open positions at IRC
Logo of IRC

Overview

Assist with interpreter services and provide administrative support.

You have:

  • Currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, or recent graduate.
  • Computer literacy in MS Windows and Office Applications and ability to learn new database system quickly.
  • Excellent communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English.
  • Experience working in customer service preferred.
  • Availability to distribute required hours across 3 or more workdays strongly preferred.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attend a volunteer/intern orientation.

• Work as a team member to monitor Fluency Internet Interpreter Scheduling System for interpreter requests and match them with available interpreters.

• Support and correspond with interpreters to assign and reschedule appointments.

• Provide customer support, including answering emails and phone calls, editing and rescheduling appointments in Fluency, and following up as needed.

• Monitor occasional voicemail/phone calls and direct urgent calls to Interpreter Services staff for assistance if necessary.

• Provide tech support for Fluency, Microsoft Office products, and other communication platforms for interpreters and customers.

• Assist with evaluating and training new interpreter candidates, including administering language exams.

• Record hours and submit completed timesheet for each month via the IRC’s online Volunteer Dashboard.

• Work on a variety of ongoing and new projects, including coordinating customer agreements and enhancing operational guidelines, trainings, and structures within this versatile program.

BACKGROUND: Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee is a leading, non-sectarian, non-profit organization providing emergency relief, protection, rehabilitation assistance, resettlement services, and advocacy for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. Domestically, our 28 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency.

SCOPE OF WORK: The Administrative Support Intern is a key contributor to the Interpreter Services team. The Interpreter Services program works to fill the needs of language-minority populations in Charlottesville and Richmond, connecting public and private agencies with IRC’s pool of 70 contract interpreters. In addition, this program serves the global IRC network, including IRC headquarters, with interpretation and translation services.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attend a volunteer/intern orientation.

• Work as a team member to monitor Fluency Internet Interpreter Scheduling System for interpreter requests and match them with available interpreters.

• Support and correspond with interpreters to assign and reschedule appointments.

• Provide customer support, including answering emails and phone calls, editing and rescheduling appointments in Fluency, and following up as needed.

• Monitor occasional voicemail/phone calls and direct urgent calls to Interpreter Services staff for assistance if necessary.

• Provide tech support for Fluency, Microsoft Office products, and other communication platforms for interpreters and customers.

• Assist with evaluating and training new interpreter candidates, including administering language exams.

• Record hours and submit completed timesheet for each month via the IRC’s online Volunteer Dashboard.

• Work on a variety of ongoing and new projects, including coordinating customer agreements and enhancing operational guidelines, trainings, and structures within this versatile program.

Qualifications • Currently pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, or recent graduate.

• Computer literacy in MS Windows and Office Applications and ability to learn new database system quickly.

• Excellent communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English.

• Experience working in customer service preferred.

• Availability to distribute required hours across 3 or more workdays strongly preferred.

This position is unpaid and reports to the Senior Interpreter Services Specialist.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Potential interview questions

Can you describe a time when you had to work on a team to achieve a goal? The interviewer wants to understand your collaboration skills. Provide an example that highlights your role and contributions to the team's success.
How would you handle a difficult customer inquiry? This question gauges your customer service capabilities and coping strategies under pressure. Pro members can see the explanation.
What strategies do you use to prioritize tasks in a busy environment? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Tell me about a time you had to learn a new technology or system quickly. How did you approach this? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Have you ever been responsible for coordinating schedules or appointments? What was your process? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: rescue.org