Linguistics Expert

Overview We are seeking a highly experienced Linguistics professional to serve as a consultant on AI training data projects for leading AI model builders and enterprises. The role focuses on defining success criteria, reviewing outputs, and providing targeted guidance to improve quality and speed, directly contributing to the successful delivery of domain‑specific annotated datasets that meet the highest technical standards. Responsibilities Technical Standard Setting, Quality Control, and Process Improvement Define domain‑specific quality success metrics (e.g., accuracy of transcription, consistency in linguistic annotation schemes, phonetic transcription accuracy, adherence to grammatical frameworks, correct use of linguistic markup standards such as IPA or Universal Dependencies). Develop project‑specific SOPs, QA rubrics, and reference materials to meet client technical standards. Review project outputs against technical standards, flagging and correcting defects before client delivery. Perform structured QA passes on daily/weekly deliverables; flag, track, and resolve defects quickly to hit delivery deadlines. Return work to contractors with precise remediation notes. Provide advisory input on tools, workflows, and processes to meet quality benchmarks. Handle specification changes and edge‑case scenarios, drafting acceptance criteria or workarounds. Curate example libraries of “gold standard” linguistic data for calibration and comparability to agreed reference samples. Talent Vetting & Output Improvement Participate in vetting and assessing technical contractor talent for specific projects. Review sample work from contractors and provide precise, actionable written feedback. Create targeted training or calibration resources such as phonetic transcription guidelines, morphological analysis instructions, and disambiguation procedures. Project Delivery Support Advise on technical scoping and requirements during project setup. Provide expert guidance for edge cases, technical exceptions, and specification changes. Contribute to post‑project reviews to capture lessons learned. Identify and summarize client model observations and insights. Build dashboards or trackers with defect categories to surface production insights that improve project outcomes. Conduct post‑mortems, analyze defect trends, and propose process tweaks or training refreshers. Target Profile Advanced degree (ideally PhD) in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, or a closely related field. 5+ years professional expertise in linguistic analysis, annotation standards, and language data quality control. Proven ability to set, enforce, and maintain high technical standards in linguistic data creation projects. Strong communication skills for delivering clear technical guidance. Experience producing technical documentation, quality rubrics, or training resources. Ability to work within fixed project timelines and scope. Strong attention to detail, documentation discipline, and commitment to accuracy and consistency. Fluency in spoken and written English; additional language proficiency preferred. Example Data Annotation – Potential Scope Field of Study: Linguistics, Register enforcement, dialect fidelity, orthography consistency. Sociolinguistics: Dialect/register policy setting, code‑switch handling. Phonetics & Phonology: Transcription accuracy, disfluency policy, prosodic annotation. Applied Linguistics: Script/orthography/romanization standards, tokenization. Computational Linguistics: Named entity handling, punctuation conventions. Corpus Linguistics: Metadata completeness, defect tracking, IAA monitoring. Translation & Localization: Policy compliance checking, edge‑case arbitration. Language Technology: Validator creation, automation of QA checks. Psycholinguistics: Prompt/script design, scenario coverage. Language Documentation: Gold‑standard library curation, reviewer calibration. Language Studies: Multiscript/multimodal transcription QA. Compensation & Engagement Pay range: $25‑$100 per hour, with the exact rate determined after evaluating your experience, expertise, and geographic location. Rates may vary within the listed range. This is a contract role; contractors supply a secure computer and high‑speed internet. Company‑sponsored benefits such as health insurance and PTO do not apply. Job Details Title: Linguistics Expert (SME)Employment type: ContractWorkplace type: RemoteSeniority level: Senior Level #J-18808-Ljbffr