Personnel Needs

Short-term and career positions are available

It takes a diverse team of many individuals to translate God’s Word efficiently and effectively into the unwritten languages of the world. Translators, linguists, and literacy workers are needed in addition to a variety of technical support personnel. JAARS provides opportunities for ordinary people to use their skills to support the Bible translation effort.

Positions are available for a specified term of service or career membership. (JAARS has no “members.” Wycliffe personnel are assigned to JAARS or receive training at JAARS in order to take an overseas assignment.)
Many of the departments use the assistance of short-term and long-term volunteers as well.
Check our critical needs list to see if your skills might be a match.
Wycliffe Bible Translators and JAARS providing internship opportunities for college students.
JAARS offers short-term missions trips to expose individuals to missions work overseas.

JAARS Training

JAARS Field Service Orientation
Three-month work/study program designed to help you serve effectively in your future assignment.
Intercultural Communications Course (ICC)
A 4-week course designed to help develop basic interactive skills which are essential for successful WBT service.
JAARS Technical Evaluation
An assessment of your skills may be required, depending on the level of expertise required by the specific job category.
Field Training Course
Three-month training specific for the geographic area of service (not required for stateside assigned members).
Other training may be required in certain job categories.

Some JAARS Job Categories

Click on any of the highlighted words below to learn more:

To find out more about these or other opportunities for service:

Call 800-890-0628
Monday – Friday, 8AM – 4:30 PM EST.

E-mail:
Recruiting_JAARS@SIL.org

Contact:
JAARS Human Resources Department
Box 248,
Waxhaw NC 28173-0248
704-843-6150

Accounting and Bookkeeping

Being good stewards of the funds God entrusts to our care is very important to us. JAARS complies with all requirements of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

Financial staff is needed to:

Accurately receipt and disburse funds.
Account for them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
Wisely invest any funds available.
Provide financial services to JAARS staff, such as assistance with banking, insurance, or personal finance.

Offices located overseas and stateside each maintain their own financial records. Personnel are needed to accurately record, summarize, and report financial transactions. Most offices use computerized accounting packages which range from small systems on personal computers to large, sophisticated systems on computer networks.

Needed are people skilled in bookkeeping, accounting, insurance, and financial management.

Administration and Management

Overseas and at home, the need for administrators grows as the task of Bible translation expands into additional countries around the world.

General responsibilities include:

Normal management functions (planning, organizing, coordinating, staffing, and achieving accountability) within the context of an evangelical mission organization.
Helping fellow missionaries and nationals effectively fulfill their responsibilities.
Working in coordination with other administrators to facilitate the work of Bible translation.
Training nationals in management.

Qualifications include:

A degree in Business Administration would be helpful.
Equally valuable is management experience in a business context.

Electronic Media

Have you ever wondered where missionaries get those creative videos and PowerPoint presentations they show their churches? Or maybe you have seen others’ and wished someone would please help them with what we call “constituency media.” Other media include audiotapes, CDs and DVDs.

These methods of communicating the need for Bible translation are important for keeping the whole team motivated and especially those at home who pray and give.

Production specialists plan and produce video and audio materials, as well as still photographs. They may also write scripts, create story boards and operate high-end video camera systems.

Needed are producers, camera persons, editors, audio engineers, videographers and post-production assistants.

Facility Operations

Individuals with a servant heart are needed to provide a variety of services at support centers in the states and overseas. Others are needed to manage or coordinate these services and keep things running smoothly.

Some examples are:

Child care worker
Conference and event coordinator
Grounds maintenance
Guesthouse host/hostess
Housekeeping personnel
Housing coordinator
Kitchen personnel
Mail clerk
Switchboard operator
Travel coordinator

Printing Personnel

Printing Bible portions, literacy books and other materials is an important part of the work of Bible translation. The publication process involves many different tasks: automated composition, lithography, printing and book-binding. It may involve using equipment as small as a mimeograph or as large as a two-color Heidelberg press.

Printshops or desk-top publishing systems in many countries help provide printed material including newsletters, brochures, literacy primers, manuals, books and Bibles.

Needed are:

Skilled computer typesetting specialists and programmers.
Graphic artists
Lithographers
Press operators
Trained book finishing specialists

Secretarial/Receptionists

In the team effort of Bible translation, secretaries represent indispensable links. Anyone who has been around an office knows how essential secretaries are in keeping the operation running. JAARS secretaries may serve anywhere from the tropics to the cool highlands, in modern cities or remote sites, stateside or overseas. Length of service may be from two years to career length.

Responsibilities range from traditional office roles such as filing, typing, and correspondence to more direct handling of linguistic, literacy and translation materials. Those working overseas may enjoy working with national workers. Many areas call for imagination, ingenuity and initiative as well as a deep sense of commitment to the Lord and to the worldwide task of Bible translation.

Writers

Right here in the U.S. and in international offices around the world, good writers are needed to tell about the exciting task of Bible translation. Needed are technical writers, journalists, and inspirational writers.

Technical writers work closely with linguist-translators, helping them write up their linguistic and ethnographic research, and editing papers for academic publications. They also prepare reports for governmental and other agencies.

Journalists report on translation work to sponsors and friends, and inform the public about what is being accomplished. Assignments might include writing articles, brochures, bulletins and scripts for both print and non-print media.

Inspirational writers compose and work on newsletters, books, articles and video scripts, reporting to and encouraging the extended Bible translation partnership team.

Formal training in writing is desirable, but experience is just as valuable. Interested writers should submit samples of their work.