Mandarin Interpreter Intern

Arkad is a growing alternative hydrocarbon feedstocks and circular materials company. We produce Tire Pyrolysis Oil (TPO) and Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) from end-of-life tires (ELT) through a thermochemical recycling process, supplying global energy and industrial customers.

As Arkad builds its first production facility, we are looking for a Mandarin Interpreter Intern (paid internship) to bridge communication between our project team and the Chinese engineers who will supervise the construction of our plant equipment on site.

Our Culture

We believe in ownership, accountability, and drive in getting things done. At Arkad, people are trusted to run their areas, make decisions, and be responsible for outcomes—not just processes. We operate in industrial markets, supplying products to global energy and chemical customers. Our feedstocks happen to be waste, which makes the business inherently more sustainable—but we compete on quality, reliability, and execution. As Arkad scales, we expect our people to scale with it.

Role Summary

The Mandarin Interpreter Intern is the communication bridge between Arkad’s engineering and project team, our local contractors, and the Chinese supervising engineers from our technology vendor during the construction and installation of plant equipment. You will interpret between Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia in real time — on the construction site, in technical meetings, and in day-to-day coordination — so that instructions, questions, and decisions are understood accurately by both sides.

This is a paid, full-time, site-based internship. You will spend your time in the field alongside engineers, not behind a desk. An engineering background is not required, but precision is: on a construction site, a mistranslated instruction can quickly become a quality or safety problem. You will be expected to learn the technical vocabulary fast and to ask rather than guess.

Location

Marunda, Bekasi, Jawa Barat.

Duration

Approximately 3 months, full-time on site. This is a paid internship.

Main Responsibilities

1. On-Site Interpretation

• Provide consecutive interpretation between Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia for the vendor’s supervising engineers, Arkad’s project team, and contractors during equipment construction and installation
• Accompany the supervising engineers on site walks, inspections, and installation checks
• Relay technical instructions, clarifications, and corrections accurately and completely — without adding, omitting, or softening

2. Meetings & Coordination

• Interpret in daily coordination meetings, weekly progress meetings, and technical discussions
• Record key decisions and action items, and prepare short bilingual meeting summaries
• Follow up on open questions between Arkad’s team and the vendor’s engineers

3. Document Translation

• Translate working documents — drawing notes, installation instructions, checklists, punch lists, and correspondence — between Mandarin and Bahasa Indonesia or English
• Build and maintain a bilingual glossary of the technical terms used on the project
• Flag ambiguous or unclear terms to the engineering team instead of guessing

4. Safety Communication

• Interpret safety inductions, toolbox meetings, and permit-to-work briefings for the vendor’s engineers
• Make sure site safety rules and emergency procedures are clearly understood by the Mandarin-speaking team
• Follow all site HSE requirements at all times, including the use of PPE

5. Visiting Engineer Support

• Help the vendor’s engineers with day-to-day communication on site and with Arkad’s administration team
• Support coordination of schedules, site access, and other practical matters related to their work
• Act as a cultural bridge that helps both teams work together smoothly

Qualifications & Requirements

Education

• Final-year student or fresh graduate (D3 / S1) from any major — Chinese Language & Literature or Engineering preferred
• HSK 5 or above, or equivalent proven fluency (for example, a native or heritage speaker, or having studied or lived in a Mandarin-speaking country)

Core Competencies

• Fluent spoken and written Mandarin (Simplified Chinese) and Bahasa Indonesia
• Able to interpret consecutively in live conversation, accurately and at a natural pace
• Comfortable with basic office tools — documents, spreadsheets, and messaging apps such as WeChat and WhatsApp

Relevant Experience

• No prior full-time work experience required
• Previous interpreting or translation experience — internships, campus activities, events, or freelance work — is a plus
• Comfortable working on an active construction site — outdoors, in PPE, field-based and not desk-based

Behavioral Traits

• Precise and honest — asks when unsure rather than guessing
• Fast learner who picks up technical terms quickly
• Confident speaking up among senior engineers and contractors
• Reliable and punctual, available full-time for the whole internship period and flexible with site working hours
• Discreet with confidential technical and commercial information
• Culturally aware and easy to work with

Preferred

• Engineering or technical educational background (mechanical, chemical, electrical, or civil)
• Familiarity with industrial, construction, or manufacturing terminology in Mandarin
• Working proficiency in English, especially for reading technical documents
• Domiciled in, or able to commute daily to, the Bekasi / North Jakarta area

What We Offer

• A paid internship with a competitive monthly allowance
• Hands-on exposure to the construction of a brand-new industrial plant, working directly alongside international engineers
• Real interpreting experience and technical Mandarin vocabulary that are hard to gain in a classroom
• Direct interaction with Arkad’s engineering and senior leadership team
• An internship certificate and reference letter upon successful completion