Somali Cultural/Political Advisor

About the role

Culmen International is seeking a Somali Cultural/Political Advisor to support a U.S. Government customer in Somalia. The advisor will provide real‑time Somali↔English interpretation and translation while delivering cultural, political, and operational context for senior leader engagements and mission execution.

Key responsibilities

• Provide accurate, on‑the‑spot Somali‑to‑English and English‑to‑Somali interpretation and written translation.
• Advise JSOTF‑SOM leadership on Somali culture, politics, and operational environment.
• Facilitate engagements between U.S. personnel and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS).
• Analyze foreign‑language materials and produce written intelligence products.
• Coordinate with U.S. and Somali counterparts to develop briefing materials and reports.
• Maintain awareness of campaign plans and military objectives to align advisory support.

Required profile

• U.S. citizen with an active TS/SCI clearance.
• Minimum ILR Level 3 proficiency in Somali and English.
• 3+ years of cultural advisory experience in Somalia and 5+ years as a linguist/cultural advisor.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Willingness and ability to deploy within the AFRICOM AOR and work in austere environments.
• Ability to pass U.S. government pre‑deployment medical and psychological screenings.

Required skills

• Windows operating system
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint

What we offer

• Opportunity to support high‑impact U.S. government missions in Somalia.
• Exposure to senior military and diplomatic leadership.
• Competitive compensation and benefits commensurate with experience.