Job Description

Top Skills' Details

1. Phonetician that can understand and Annotate in the International Phonetics Alphabet (IPA)

2. Degree in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics, or Cognitive Science. Preferably holding a Masters or PHD

3. Collaborative, proactive, accountable, adaptable, resourceful, and results-driven attitude/mindset

Strong Plus if they are native Spanish, French or Mandarin speaking

Linguist – IPA Annotation Specialist

About the Role

We are looking for a skilled Linguist with expertise in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to join our team as an Annotation Specialist. In this role, you will produce high-quality phonetic transcriptions and annotations to support speech and language technology development.

Responsibilities

Perform narrow and broad phonetic transcriptions of speech data using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

Annotate audio recordings with accurate IPA representations, including segmental and suprasegmental features (stress, tone, intonation, length)

Review and quality-check annotations produced by other team members

Follow and contribute to annotation guidelines, style guides, and labeling conventions

Collaborate with engineers, researchers, and project managers to clarify annotation requirements and edge cases

Flag ambiguous or problematic data and propose principled resolutions

Maintain high accuracy and consistency while meeting throughput targets

Participate in calibration sessions and inter-annotator reliability exercises

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree (or higher) in Linguistics, Phonetics, Speech-Language Pathology, or a closely related field

Demonstrated proficiency in IPA transcription (both broad and narrow)

Strong understanding of articulatory and acoustic phonetics

Familiarity with phonological theory and its relationship to phonetic realization

Experience with at least one annotation tool (e.g., Praat, ELAN, Audacity, or similar)

Excellent attention to detail and ability to work systematically through large datasets

Strong written and verbal communication skills in English

Skills

International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA, Linguistics, Linguist, team player, spanish, french, mandarin

Top Skills Details

International Phonetic Alphabet,IPA,Linguistics,Linguist

Additional Skills & Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Master's or PhD in Phonetics, Phonology, or a related subfield

Experience annotating speech data in a production or research environment

Familiarity with multiple languages or dialects beyond English

Knowledge of prosodic annotation frameworks (e.g., ToBI, IViE)

Experience with forced alignment tools or automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems

Prior work with speech technology teams (TTS, ASR, voice assistants)

Training or certification in phonetic transcription (e.g., IPA exam, SPS certification)

Nice to have

Scripting skills (Python, R, or similar) for data processing or automation

Experience with corpus linguistics tools and methodologies

Familiarity with Unicode IPA input methods and font standards

Background in sociolinguistics or dialectology

Opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge speech and language technology

Collaborative, linguistically-informed team environment

Professional development and training opportunities

Experience Level

Intermediate Level

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Menlo Park, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $45.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 3, 2026.

About TEKsystems

We're partners in transformation. We help clients activate ideas and solutions to take advantage of a new world of opportunity. We are a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 clients, including 80% of the Fortune 500, across North America, Europe and Asia. As an industry leader in Full-Stack Technology Services, Talent Services, and real-world application, we work with progressive leaders to drive change. That's the power of true partnership. TEKsystems is an Allegis Group company.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

About TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services

We’re a leading provider of business and technology services. We accelerate business transformation for our customers. Our expertise in strategy, design, execution and operations unlocks business value through a range of solutions. We’re a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 customers, including 80% of the Fortune 500 across North America, Europe and Asia, who partner with us for our scale, full-stack capabilities and speed. We’re strategic thinkers, hands-on collaborators, helping customers capitalize on change and master the momentum of technology. We’re building tomorrow by delivering business outcomes and making positive impacts in our global communities. TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services are Allegis Group companies. Learn more at TEKsystems.com.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.