FBI Offers Job Opportunities for Foreign Language Speakers
FBI Foreign Language Job Fair to be Held Saturday, June 16, 2012

The FBI is seeking to hire foreign language speakers and will host its first foreign language job fair in the DFW Metroplex in Grapevine, Texas on Saturday, June 16, 2012. The job fair will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Grapevine Convention Center located at 1209 South Main Street in Grapevine, Texas, 76051.

“FBI linguists play an extremely important role in supporting the FBI’s mission by performing interpretation and translation assignments, as well as providing nuances of cultural awareness to FBI agents, intelligence analysts, and other FBI employees,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin F. Kolbye. “It’s a job opportunity that celebrates a high retention rate, promotes a great sense of job satisfaction, and promises to be both challenging and rewarding.”

The FBI has nearly 1,500 linguists nationwide supporting over 100 different foreign language requirements. Over 95 percent of the FBI’s linguists are native speakers in the foreign language for which they are hired. All linguists begin as contract employees, but the position may lead to full-time employment. Contract linguists are able to work part-time hours and are paid between $29 and $41 per hour, depending upon the language and level of proficiency. Candidates offered a contract can expect to provide services from their local FBI field office.

Qualified candidates must have the following:

1) Strong oral and written communication skills in English and a foreign language needed by the FBI;

2) Basic computer applications skills;

3) United States citizenship; and

4) Physical residence in the United States for three of the last five years. Currently, the foreign languages most needed by the FBI are Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Dari, Hebrew, Farsi, Korean, Pashto, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, and Urdu. Individuals with proficiency in other languages are also encouraged to attend.

FBI language managers and linguists will be at the job fair to discuss the position and will pre- screen potential candidates. Additional information about FBI job opportunities may be found at www.fbijobs.gov.