Posted on Fri, 12 Jul 2024, 11:38

Deadline on Thu, 31 Jul 2025, 23:59

Are you a phytosanitary expert and a native speaker of Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish? Do you have a passion for language and a keen eye for detail? Joining the pool of IPPC expert proofreaders will not only support the translation of more IPPC guides and training materials but will also help ensure that translations are not just accurate, but impeccable!

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is soliciting:

• Nominations for phytosanitary experts to contribute to proofreading translations of IPPC guides and training materials translated to either Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish, on an on-going, ad-hoc basis.

Language verification process for IPPC guides and training materials:

The IPPC Secretariat will invite members of the relevant language pool to proofread an IPPC guide, e-learning course or other training material after it has been translated.

The phytosanitary language expert is expected to:

• Confirm their availability to review a translation or proofread a document and submit comments to the IPPC Secretariat within the specified timeframe;
• Compare the translated document to the original English version to ensure completeness, no editing or formatting errors, and no missing or duplicated text;
• Ensure the terminology and phytosanitary language in the translation is consistent with ISPM 5 (Glossary of phytosanitary terms), other relevant ISPMs, and the IPPC Style Guide;
• Check for consistency in the use of vocabulary, especially phytosanitary terms and common names of organisms;
• Verify that the translated document follows grammatical conventions (spelling, grammar, syntax, capitalization, etc.) and uses accepted formats for numbers, dates, and measurements;
• Ensure the translation is clear, easy to understand, and appropriate for the target audience;
• Submit all comments and suggested changes to the IPPC Secretariat within the agreed timeframe so they can be sent to the translator and the document finalized and published;

Recognition and appreciation:

• Certificate of Appreciation: The IPPC expert proofreader will receive a certificate of appreciation, signed by the IPPC Secretary, in December of the year that the translated product is published.
• Recognition: The work of the IPPC expert proofreaders will be recognized at the meeting of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures the year following the publication of the translated product.

What we are looking for:

• Knowledge of the IPPC, ISPMs and CPM Recommendations, practical experience related to plant health and working experience in an NPPO, RPPO or international organization.
• A native speaker of one of the following FAO official languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish.
• A strong understanding of English, since the original documents are most often written in English.

How to apply:

The IPPC Secretariat will accept applications directly from applicants, provided the head of their country’s NPPO, RPPO or international organization is copied on the email. All the submissions should be sent to the IPPC Secretariat by e-mail ([email protected]), with copy to [email protected] and [email protected], including “Expert to proofread IPPC guides and training materials” in the subject line. Nominations are accepted all year around.

Nomination must be accompanied by the following documentation:

1. Completed Nominee details and summary of expertise form. A clear description of the nominee’s expertise is required. MS Word version of the document is preferred.

The file should be named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_Summary.

1. Completed and signed Statement of Commitment - this should be read carefully by each nominee and discussed between the nominee and their employer. The form should then be signed by the nominee and a senior person in authority from the organization that employs the nominee and submitted with the nomination (as a file such as PDF). Retirees may sign their own. The file should be named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_commitment.

2. The nominee’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) – electronic copy of the nominee’s CV (only as a word processing file such as MS Word) with the file named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_CV. MS Word version of the document is preferred.

If you’re ready to apply your skills to ensure flawless translations, we’d love to hear from you!

For further information: Please contact Rokhila Madaminova ([email protected]) and Maki Iizuka ([email protected]).