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U.S. Pacific Fleet

LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

Department of the Navy · Yokosuka, Japan

Salary
$76,463 - $99,404 per year
Pay grade
GS-12
Schedule
Full-time
Appointment
Permanent
Opened
Nov 3, 2026
Closes
Nov 9, 2026
Remote
No
Telework eligible
No
Openings
1
Security clearance
Secret
Promotion potential
12
Announcement
ST-13102955-27-HDB

Who may apply: Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) · Family of overseas employees · Individuals with disabilities · Internal to an agency · Land and base management · Military spouses · Veterans

Apply on USAJOBS

Applications are submitted on USAJOBS.gov, not on Careers.org. Always confirm details in the official announcement.

Summary

You will serve as a LANGUAGE SPECIALIST in the U.S. SEVENTH FLEET ofCOMMANDER, 7TH FLEET . ***ACCESS TO MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE IN JAPAN IS EXTREMELY LIMITED. Please see Additional Information section below.***

Duties

  • You will provide consecutive/simultaneous interpretation for various bilateral and multilateral engagements.
  • You will act as the primary interpreter for planning conferences and other day-to-day requirements in operations, but will also support all of the codes and Special Assistants as directed.
  • You will accompany senior members of the command, principle staff, and actions officers and serves as interpreter/translator for various engagements.
  • You will provide interpreting service to the Public Affairs Office in a variety of situation to include but not limited to receiving, escorting and hosting media representatives aboard USN ships/aircraft/submarines/facilities.
  • You will interpret between a wide range of people with diverse voices, accents, and speaking tempos and personality.
  • You will translates documents and other material from English to Japanese and vice versa.
  • You will review Japanese news for articles and issues pertaining to the command, U.S. Navy, defense, politics, other local acencies, and the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Japan.
  • You will speak in public and interpret from English to Japanese and vice versa in the presence of a large group of high ranking officials, news media, and/or citizens.
  • You will utilize knowledge of Japanese customs, culture and political affairs to provide the current tone and meaning to translations and interpretations and to provide valuable advice.

Qualifications

Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: performing interpretation, military liaison, or bilateral reporting translations between English and Japanese by completing quick and accurate deliverables to ensure efficient execution of a Japanese language program (i.e. serving as a Japanese Language Specialist, Military Foreign Area Officer (FAO), or Japan Liaison Officer). Selective Placement Factor: Ability to translate, interpret, and manage professional correspondence, demonstrating proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking both Japanese and English. The Structured interview will be conducted in Japanese and English to evaluate the candidates' specialized language skills. Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1000/language-specialist-series-1040/ Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

Continued Additional Information: ICTAP Applicants: To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority as an ICTAP candidate, displaced Federal employees must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a rating in the highly qualified category (score 85) or higher. ICTAP candidates must provide copies of all of the following documentation at the time of application: 1) agency notice; 2) most recent performance appraisal; and 3) most recent SF-50 or notification of personnel action that includes position, grade level, and duty location. Applicants who do not provide this documentation will not receive consideration as an ICTAP candidate. For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/ Military Spouse Preference applicants will be placed at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined Best Qualified (BQ). A BQ military spouse possesses knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies comparable to others who meet the competitive referral criteria for the specific position. Only Military Spouse Preference/PPP applicants currently occupying positions for which a comprehensive training plan has been developed and authorized are entitled to exercise their priority status for this announcement. The most common formal training positions are apprentices, formal interns, and scientist and engineering interns. Upward Mobility Positions that have equivalent training plans are also included when the positions have been pre-identified in an Affirmative Action or similar plan. You must provide documentation supporting you are in a formal training plan (e.g., SF50 and official signed training agreement between you and your command). This position is subject to work an uncommon tour, including nights, weekends, and holidays to meet mission requirements. Overtime or night differential pay an…

Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM. Retrieved Nov 4, 2026, 6:13 PM EST.