The OSCE Mission to Moldova is hiring a Senior Interpreter/Political Assistant for its Tiraspol office, a G6 position paying €1,342.75 a month tax-exempt, with applications closing on 5 October 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we read the vacancy in full because this role sits somewhere most translation jobs never go: inside one of Europe's few remaining frozen conflicts, doing political analysis alongside the interpreting.
Tiraspol is the administrative centre of Transdniestria, the breakaway region of Moldova, and this post is one of the OSCE's direct channels for understanding what is actually happening there.
What the Post Actually Does
🗣️ The purpose of the post is to provide translation and interpretation services, Russian to English and English to Russian, and to assist in preparing analysis of political-economic developments in the Transdniestrian region, as well as gather and distribute information internally in the interest of the Mission.
📰 The goals and objectives include monitoring media, translating and distributing edited news, and preparing informative reports on developments in Transdniestria.
Who You Would Work For
🧑💼 The Senior Interpreter/Political Assistant is supervised by the National Programme Officer as first-level supervisor, and the Deputy Head of Mission as second-level supervisor.
🧭 The direct supervisor provides advice and guidance on the general strategic priorities of the Mission's Tiraspol office, part of the Office of the Head of Mission Programme. Much of the routine work is carried out independently, following generally applicable guidelines for the translation and interpretation side. For the political support work, the supervisor defines general objectives agreed with the Deputy Head of Mission, the Political Officers and the Mission's Spokesperson. The incumbent is expected to ask for assistance whenever necessary.
The Four Areas of Work
🗣️ Interpretation and translation: provides English-Russian and Russian-English translation and interpretation services for the Mission's leadership, for the Mission as a whole, and for visiting delegations, and prepares and translates correspondence, documents, publications and other material.
📊 Informative support: drafts analysis of political, political-economic and media issues related to the Transdniestrian settlement process and internal developments in the region, for the Mission's leadership, Political Officers, Spokesperson and other Mission Members, and monitors Transdniestrian media, investigating relevant political issues.
📡 Media monitoring: compiles, translates and distributes news from international, Transdniestrian and Russian news agencies and Transdniestrian broadcast media on events relevant to the Mission's activity, translates urgent and important news items for special attention, and gathers open-source information of interest to the Mission.
🗂️ Logistical support: assists the National Programme Officer and other Mission Members in organising events, negotiation meetings, official visits and other activities in the Tiraspol office, drafts memos on the results of such events, maintains a library of relevant documents, and assists other Mission Programmes when needed.
What You Need
🎓 Completed secondary education, supplemented by formal studies in modern languages and specialised training for translation or interpretation.
🕕 At least 6 years of working experience as an interpreter or translator, including some experience in political analysis and office administration, preferably in an international organisation or embassy. A university degree in a relevant field may be considered as a substitute for up to two years of that experience, but only for determining eligibility.
🗣️ Excellent oral and written communication skills in both English and Russian.
⚖️ Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, with the ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities.
🤝 Ability and willingness to work as part of a team with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds, genders and political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity.
💻 Computer literacy, with practical experience using Microsoft applications.
Pay and Appointment
💶 Monthly remuneration, subject to social security deduction, is €1,342.75. OSCE salaries are exempt from taxation in Moldova.
🩺 Social benefits include participation in the Cigna medical insurance scheme and the OSCE Provident Fund.
📊 Appointments are normally made at Step 1 of the applicable OSCE salary scale. In exceptional cases, an initial appointment at up to Step 3 may be considered, depending on factors such as relevant experience exceeding the minimum requirements or higher previous remuneration. Any such request must be reviewed and approved by the OSCE before appointment.
⚠️ For this position specifically, the OSCE does not reimburse expenses such as travel in connection with interviews, tests, visas and relocation, which is worth factoring in if you are applying from outside Moldova.
Who Can Apply
🌍 Vacancies at the OSCE are open for competition only among nationals of participating States, and all 57 participating States, Türkiye included, qualify under this notice.
🎂 The OSCE applies an age limit of 62 years at the time of appointment, since the incumbent is normally expected to carry out a two-year contractual obligation, and mandatory retirement is 65 for contracted general service, professional and director-level positions.
🩹 Appointments are subject to medical clearance.
The Process, and the Roster
📨 Applications go through the OSCE's online application system.
🔄 The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise or re-post the vacancy, cancel the recruitment, offer an appointment at a lower grade, or offer an appointment with a modified job description or a different duration.
📞 Only candidates selected to move to the next stage of recruitment are contacted.
🗒️ Candidates interviewed and found suitable will be placed on a roster of suitable candidates, valid for three years, for fixed-term posts, should a matching opportunity arise. Placement on the roster does not guarantee a future appointment.
🚫 The OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a university degree to apply?
Not necessarily. Completed secondary education with formal training in modern languages and translation or interpretation is the base requirement, though a relevant university degree can substitute for up to two years of the required experience.
How many years of experience do I need?
At least 6 years as an interpreter or translator, including some experience in political analysis and office administration, preferably in an international organisation or embassy.
Is Russian really required, not just English?
Yes. Excellent oral and written communication in both English and Russian is a stated requirement, since the role interprets between the two directly.
Will my travel costs for interviews be covered?
No. The vacancy specifically states that for this position, the OSCE does not reimburse travel, visa or relocation expenses connected to interviews or tests.
Who can apply based on nationality?
Nationals of any of the OSCE's 57 participating States, which includes Türkiye.
What does the role actually involve day to day?
A mix of live interpretation and document translation, drafting political analysis on Transdniestria, monitoring and translating regional media, and logistical support for Mission events and visits.
Deadline
⏳ 5 October 2026
Applications close on 5 October 2026. Find more Jobs on Youth Works Hub.
