Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

The Work

Translators in the various EU institutions and bodies work in a challenging, multi-cultural environment, and help 500 million Europeans in different EU countries understand EU policies.

EU linguists play an essential role in the development of EU policy and legislation, and support and strengthen multilingual communication in Europe.

Working to some strict deadlines, the job may involve:

• Translating a broad range of political, legal, financial, scientific and technical texts

• Providing wide-ranging linguistic advice to colleagues.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Follow ethical codes that protect the confidentiality of information.
• Translate messages simultaneously or consecutively into specified languages, orally or by using hand signs, maintaining message content, context, and style as much as possible.
• Listen to speakers' statements to determine meanings and to prepare translations, using electronic listening systems as necessary.
• Compile terminology and information to be used in translations, including technical terms such as those for legal or medical material.
• Refer to reference materials, such as dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, and computerised terminology banks, as needed to ensure translation accuracy.
• Check translations of technical terms and terminology to ensure that they are accurate and remain consistent throughout translation revisions.
• Identify and resolve conflicts related to the meanings of words, concepts, practices, or behaviors.
• Compile information on content and context of information to be translated and on intended audience.
• Adapt translations to students' cognitive and grade levels, collaborating with educational team members as necessary.
• Check original texts or confer with authors to ensure that translations retain the content, meaning, and feeling of the original material.

Further Information

• Translator - EU - from: EPSO [Podcast]
• Translator - EU - from: DG Translation [YouTube Channel]
• Translator - EU - from: European Commission [pdf]
• Translator - EU - from: An Coimisún Eorpach [pdf]
• Translator - EU - from: European Union [pdf]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Linguistic

The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Translators in the EU must have:

• Perfect command of one European language and a thorough command of at least 2 others (one of your languages must be English, French or German).

• A Degree in any discipline.

Higher Education CAO Entry NFQ level 8 Search CAO courses.

The selection procedure for translators will focus on your language knowledge and skills in translating, as well as the core competencies required of all EU officials.

Translator selections are launched each year check EU Job opportunities for an announcement about the languages we are looking for in the current year.

Find out more about the selection procedure for EU jobs here. You may also find the sample tests area useful.

Useful publications for those interested in Translation and Interpretation Careers with the EU:

Translation Traineeships at the European Parliament

For those interested in gaining a foothold in the field of translation, The European Parliament offers the opportunity to undertake translation training placements to those who have obtained a secondary-school leaving certificate/technical course of study.

Such placements are intended in particular for applicants who are required to complete a training placement as part of their course of study, provided they have reached the age of 18 by the first day of the training placement.

Applicants for a translation training placement must:

• be nationals of a Member State of the European Union or a candidate country ;
• be aged 18 or over on the traineeship start date
• have a perfect knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union or the official language of a candidate country and a thorough knowledge of two other official languages of the European Union
• not have been awarded any other traineeship or have been in paid employment for more than four consecutive weeks at the expense of the European Union budget.

Placements are awarded for a period of between one and three months.

The placement is open to applicants between:

• 15 June - 15 August for those wanting to start in January
• 15 September -15 November for those wanting to start in April
• 15 December - 15 February for those starting in July and
• 15 March - 15 May for those wanting to start in October

Translation Traineeships at the European Commission

DG Translation offers a small number of traineeships each year. Traineeships are offered for a period of five months and are open to graduates looking to gain some professional translation experience within the European Institutions.

During the traineeships, trainees are assigned to a translation unit made up of translators with the same mother tongue or main language.  As a trainee you do the same work as staff colleagues – translating into your mother tongue from at least two official EU languages.

Trainees receive a grant of about € 1,000 per month.

To be eligible for this traineeship, you must:

• Hold a full university-level degree;
• Be able to translate into your mother tongue or main language from two EU official languages (one of which must be French, English or German).

The deadlines for applications are:

• 30 August for traineeships starting in March each year

• 3 February for traineeships starting in October each year

Search EU Careers & Traineeships

The Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union

The Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CDT) is located in Luxembourg. 

The Centre’s mission is to meet the translation needs of the EU’s decentralised agencies. It also participates in the Inter-institutional Committee for Translation and Interpretation.

To visit the CDT Website click here.

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €27k - €54k

Salary depends on locaiton factors, contract type (permanent / contract basis), role, duties, and experience. 

Data Source(s):
EU Salary Scales EPSO

Last Updated: July, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The changes in classification as a result of the introduction of the new Labour Force Survey in 2017 are partly responsible for the strong employment growth rate for this occupation, although employment also grew strongly between 2019 and 2020, and continued to grow in 2022. Those employed are primarily female (69%), working full-time (90%), and over half (55%) held third-level qualifications. With a higher than average share of persons employed aged 55 years and older (31% compared to 19% for all occupations), replacement demand is likely to result in opportunities opening up for these roles even if employment growth slows.

There was a significant number of vacancies advertised online for clerical officer roles across the civil service and Government administration roles. However, recent job hires for 2022 far exceeded employment growth indicating that job churn is a feature of this occupation. While job openings are set to continue, upskilling and reskilling may also be required for those already employed in these occupations in order to reach targets set out in the Civil Service Renewal Plan 2024 in areas such as in digital skills.

• EU Careers - European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)

  • Candidate Contact Service, Office C-80 00/40, B1049 Brussels
  • 00800 6789 1011
  • Click Here

• European Movement Ireland

  • 8 Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2,
  • (0)1 662 5815
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Public Appointments Service

  • Chapter House, 26/30 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 C7W6
  • (01) 858 7400 or Local: 1890 44 9999
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• European Commission (Ireland)

  • European Union House, 18 Dawson Street, Dublin 2
  • (01) 634 1111
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• European Parliament Information Office in Ireland

  • 43, Molesworth Street, Dublin, 2
  • 01 - 605 7900
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here