Freelance Translator (part-time). See my freelance site
This is an expanded description of my previous employment, including responsibilities and salary history.
Summary:
Before graduation (1994)
23 May 2006 - 13 July 2007
Technical Translator. Olympus NDT (Québec City, Québec, Canada).
Job description:
1. Translate manuals, software and marketing materials (from English and French into Russian) dealing with the technology of non-destructive ultrasound testing.
2. Test the software on the ultrasound equipment, ensuring correctness and visibility of the translation on the screen, as well as proper functioning of all menus.
3. Develop and update the terminological database and the style guide.
Software used: MS Office, Acrobat, FrameMaker, Win-Trans, DéjàVu, TomoView.
All meetings, training and other intracompany communications were held in French, which is the official language in Québec.
Full-time. Salary: 18,3 to 18.8 CAD per hour (approx. 14 euro/hour at the exchange rate of that time).
In addition to salary, the company provided free language courses. I took courses in French and Spanish.
Related section: Québec
15 May 2001 - 31 Dec. 2005
Freelance Translator (part-time). See my freelance site
Job description: Translate and interpret in various areas (technology, law, certificates, etc.) for clients mainly in Sweden and Russia. Work in Russia until 2003, then in Québec.
The main translation language pairs were EN-RU and SV-RU. Other translation pairs were RU-EN, SV-EN, FR-RU. I did not use any translation memory software, except for a large car-making project (over 50,000 words), when the company provided me with their own CAT tool.
Although I did mainly written translations, there were also several interpretation projects (EN<>RU): coloured flakes for paints, crown caps (beer caps), cable & pipe penetrations sealing, and a marketing project for Kodak cameras.
Some of the companies I worked for: Tranflex AB (formerly English Partner), CBG Konsult AB, Adekvat AB (all of them in Sweden), Tongue Tied Ltd. (UK), The Russian Linguist Agency (UK), Nitek (Moscow, Russia, manufacturer of crown caps), Kodak (Canada).
Part-time. Salary: my earnings were very varied (from $0 to $1200 per month, approx. $300 on average).
11 Mar. 1999 - 20 Aug. 2000
Socio-therapist (live-in). Föreningen Staffansgården (Delsbo, Sweden).
Job description: Working and living in a community for mentally handicapped (a Camphill village), went with them to various cities in Sweden and to Italy (Sept. 1999).
Responsibilities:
1. Medical: provide personal care and hygiene, administer medicines, help in epileptic fits.
2. Socio-therapeutic: work together with mentally retarded (e.g. firewood provision, gardening, animal farm, weavery, cooking), encourage out-of-work activities (reading, playing, walks), accompany for outings, trips home and abroad.
Language: Swedish.
Full time. Compensation: free accommodation, meals, medical and dental services. Pocket money: 1000 sek/month in the first 6 months (usd 115), then about 2500 sek/month (usd 280). All taxes were paid by the employer.
Related section: Sweden
20 Nov. 1996 - 30 Sept. 1998 (plus two weeks in Oct. 1996 on a separate contract)
Translator. Procter & Gamble - Novomoskovsk Bytkhim. Now called OOO "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk" (Novomoskovsk, Tula Region, Russia). See also P&G site in Russia.
Job description: Translation and office work for the Product Supply (detergent making, enzyme hygiene, dust control, quality assurance) and Finance departments at the detergent plant in Novomoskovsk.
Responsibilities:
1. Interpretation: interpret department and plant meetings, talks with shop employees, contractors, Russian state authorities (inspectors) and research institutes;
2. Translation: translate letters, technical documentation, action plans, meeting minutes, etc. for the Detergent Making and other departments.
3. Office work: update shift/day personnel lists, make organisational charts, track the department budget, file documents.
4. Assistance to the Manager: during the absence of the department Manager, attend daily meetings, take notes and e-mail them to the Manager, be available for the Manager's phone calls to gather information and pass orders to the department.
5. Organisation: reserve hotel and transportation, arrange meals at the canteen, deal with small purchases.
6. Training: give training to new translators.
Languages: English and Russian.
Full-time. Salary: USD 111 per day gross (USD 86 per day gross + reimbursement for meals in the first 6 months; a lower $/rouble rate was used in August 98 due to the rouble devaluation). The contract was renewed each month, and I had no paid holidays.
27 Nov. 1995 - 10 July 1996
Purchasing Manager. Moscow Country Club - Russia (Nakhabino, Moscow Region).
The company is now called Le Meredien Moscow Country Club. It features Russia's first 18-hole golf course. Moscow Country Club was managed jointly by GlavUpDK (Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps under the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts (a subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide).
Job description: Overseeing all F&B and certain non-food purchases (e.g. buying freezers), inventory control, occasionally translating. Managing four employees. In the absence of the department head carrying out his duties.
The purchasing department as of July 1996, when I left the MCC, consisted of a F&B purchasing group which I supervised (purchasing agent, driver, store supervisor, and store worker), and also of a non-food purchasing agent, a general storekeeper, and a customs expert. The position of Head of the Department was vacant. I reported to the Managing Director and his Deputy.
Responsibilities:
- order food and beverage supplies for F&B department, make smaller purchases in town;
- inventory control of F&B and other goods,
- ensure proper receipt and issue procedures, payment of the invoices;
- translation for the needs of the F&B department.
Languages: English and Russian, some Swedish.
Full-time. Salary: USD 600 net (two months were unpaid).
01 Nov. 1994 - 31 Aug. 1995
Translator and Assistant. Radonezhski Foundation (Moscow).
Job description: Translation of investment projects for Russian enterprises in various industries (mining, metallurgy, airspace and automobile industries, etc), preparation and translation of correspondence, interpreting negotiations, arranging visa support. A business trip to Germany (August 1995).
Description of the business trip: In August 8 - 17, 1995, together with the group of the Foundation employees, I went in Germany to conduct negotiations on satellite communications with major German companies in this field. In the course of this visit I provided all oral and written translation.
Companies visited: East-West Bank (Berlin), Lufthansa (Frankfurt), Alcatel (Stuttgart), Daimler-Benz (Sindelfingen), Dornier (Friedrichshafen), Rohde & Schwarz (Munchen).
Languages: English and Russian.
Part-time (2 -3 days/week). Salary: voluntary work (no salary). In Germany: paid expenses for hotels, travel and meals plus pocket money (DM 500).
Several months in the early 1990s
Interpreter. (Moscow).
I worked part-time for missionaries in Moscow, who represented various churches (Resurrection Church, Unification Church, Perimeter Church). The payment was about $1 per hour, which was much higher than the average salary in Russia at that time.
01 Mar. 1991 - 20 Jan. 1993
Cleaner. Rastorguyevo station, Moscow Railway (Russia).
Responsibilities: clean railway platforms of the Kalinina railway station, especially from snow and ice in winter time. Wash the flow in the ticket office.
Part-time. Salary: less than 10 dollars (a normal salary then).
28 Oct. 1987 - 12 Aug. 1988
Post-office operator, 1 class. International General Post Office (Moscow).
Responsibilities: fasten and seal bags with correspondence, sort bags according trains, etc.
Full-time. Salary: an ordinary worker's salary (I do not remember the amount).
27 July 1985 - 26 July 1987 (in fact, until the end of August)
Soldier. Soviet Army, Turkestan military command (Turkmenistan, then the Turkmen SSR).
Branches: vehicular troops in Ashgabat (1985), contstruction corps (unit No 12607) in Nebit Dag (now Balkanabat) and Kizyl-Arvat (1985-87).
Responsibilities: cleaning (barracks, canteen and the territory around them), construction work (supplying concrete, installation of timbering, plastering), guarding the checkpoint, canteen work (dish-washing, peeling vegetables), military and sports training.
This was an obligatory service. Accommodation and meals were provided. I also received 8 roubles per month as pocket money (about $1).
My rank was private. After studying at the military department of the Linguistic University (1989-93), I received an officer's rank. In the mid 1990s my rank was captain. Since then I have not had any more contacts with the Russian armed forces.
01 Sept. 1984 - 14 June 1985
CNC operator (apprentice). Technical School No. 38 and Moscow Tool Plant - MIZ (Moscow).
Study at the technical school for the profession of a CNC operator and practical work at the plant as a turner and a miller (every second day).
01 Aug. 1983 - 31 Aug 1983
Post-office labourer. (Serebryanye Prudy, Moscow region).
Unskilled work during school vocations, such as roughing down telegraph poles and painting numbers on them. I numbered all poles on the road between Serebryanye Prudy and Zaraisk (30 km). I do not remember my salary.
Late 1970s - early 1980s (approx. 6 months in total)
Agricultural worker. (Serebryanye Prudy, Moscow region).
Remunerated work with the school class: planting and weeding cabbage, picking up potato, fodder beet and apples. The money was used for school activities, such as trips.