Japanese Translator - Historical Documents

Description

Build your career with Heritage Auctions, the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, Heritage Auctions has spent five decades connecting collectors with extraordinary objects and the stories behind them. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with offices across the United States and around the world, Heritage serves more than 50 auction categories, including Coins, Sports, Comics, Entertainment, Historical, Jewelry, Fine and Decorative Art, Luxury Accessories, Wine, and many more. Join a collaborative, fast-paced company where curiosity is valued, expertise is celebrated, and every day offers an opportunity to work with remarkable pieces of history and culture.

SUMMARY: Heritage Auctions is seeking a Japanese Translator to work alongside our Catalogers to translate Japanese documents, scripts, and correspondence into English. This temporary position will help uncover the meaning, historical context, and significance of materials associated with auction lots, supporting accurate and informative catalog descriptions.

The materials are almost entirely handwritten, and many use older Japanese writing styles that can be challenging even for fluent contemporary readers. Complete fluency in written Japanese is required, along with demonstrated ability to decipher and interpret older handwritten materials. Conversational fluency alone is insufficient for this position

SCHEDULE: This is a temporary, part-time position working onsite in our Dallas office three to four days per week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The anticipated assignment runs from mid-November 2026 through February 2027.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Read, decipher, and translate handwritten Japanese documents, scripts, letters, and other correspondence into clear, accurate English.

· Interpret older writing styles, historical language, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references while preserving the original meaning and tone.

· Collaborate with Catalogers to explain how translated materials relate to individual auction lots.

· Research names, dates, terminology, and references to support accurate translations and catalog descriptions.

· Clearly identify illegible passages, uncertain readings, and alternate interpretations for further review.

· Organize translation notes and findings so they can be readily referenced during catalog preparation.

· Handle original materials carefully and maintain confidentiality regarding consignments and unpublished auction information.

· Manage assigned work to meet catalog and auction production deadlines.

Requirements

 QUALIFICATIONS:

· Complete fluency in written Japanese and strong English reading and writing skills.

· Demonstrated proficiency reading older handwritten Japanese, including cursive forms and historical writing conventions.

· Experience translating Japanese documents into accurate, readable English.

· Strong research skills, attention to detail, and sound judgment when interpreting ambiguous or incomplete text.

· Ability to explain linguistic and cultural nuances to colleagues who do not read Japanese.

· Ability to work collaboratively and manage deadlines.

· Availability to work onsite in Dallas for the duration of the assignment.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

· Experience with historical Japanese correspondence, manuscripts, archival materials, or comparable primary sources.

· Familiarity with classical Japanese, historical orthography, and cursive scripts such as kuzushiji.

· Background in Japanese studies, translation, history, literature, archival research, or a related field.

· Experience supporting museums, auction houses, libraries, or collections.

Heritage Auctions welcomes and encourages applications from women, minorities, veterans, mature workers, and persons with disabilities. EOE