Language Specialist - Japanese

Our linguists are language and industry experts whose work shapes the products millions of DeepL users rely on to communicate. As a Japanese linguist, you’ll work at the intersection of Research and Product—shaping how our technology understands and produces language, one nuanced decision at a time. You’ll test features before they launch, dig into ambiguous or complex language data, and turn linguistic complexity and industry know-how into insights that stakeholders across the company can act on. Alongside a global team of language specialists, you’ll help define what “good” translation means for Japanese, guide our freelance linguist network, and use AI to work smarter and faster. It’s a role built for someone who’s as comfortable explaining a subtle grammatical point to a non-linguist as they are debating error patterns in machine output with a researcher.

Responsibilities

Serve as a linguistic consultant for your language across the company, interacting with a wide range of stakeholders from Research to Product to Sales and beyond and helping to develop products and features that redefine work in the language industry; Test and evaluate DeepL’s products and their features both before and after launch; Assess the linguistic quality of data generated by both humans and machines; Design tests and examples to help DeepL identify the right freelancers for linguistic projects; Evaluate work done by freelance linguists and provide them with actionable feedback based on project needs and expectations; Work with ambiguous and/or highly complex language data in your language plus at least one foreign language; Investigate and evaluate language complaints submitted by users and offer your linguistic analysis; Partner with stakeholders on experiment and evaluation design, bringing linguistic and user-expectation reasoning to help inform what to test, what to validate, and how to measure it; Experiment with AI to accelerate individual and team processes; Explain linguistic phenomena to a wide range of target audiences, from those with little to no linguistic expertise to fellow linguists

Requirements

Deep familiarity with the cultural and professional context where the language is natively spoken, typically gained through education or substantial working experience in Japan, ideally native-level speaker of Japanese; English fluency (C1+); Bachelor’s degree in linguistics, translation, foreign languages, language teaching, or a related field; At least 2 years of experience working in translation, localization, linguistics, education, or a related field; Demonstrated ability to break down complex linguistic matters in a way that anyone can understand, including non-speakers of that language; Deep knowledge of and familiarity with reputable linguistic resources for Japanese; Expert understanding of research best practices; Experience working with machine translation and identifying error patterns common to machine output; Exceptional communication skills, both written and spoken; Experience with AI prompting or a basic understanding of LLMs, NLP, AI or experience in AI-led workflows; Comfortable working in a dynamic environment and adapting to new circumstances; The ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Benefits

Diverse and internationally distributed team: joining our team means becoming part of a large, global community with people of more than 90 nationalities. We're more than just colleagues; we're a group of professionals with a shared mission to connect diverse cultures. Our global presence is growing–we've doubled in size nearly every year, with our employees based in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the US, and Japan, and we continue to expand our network.; Open communication, regular feedback: as a language-focused company, we value the importance of clear, honest communication. We value smooth collaboration, direct and actionable feedback, and believe that leading with empathy and growth mindset makes us better together.; Hybrid work, flexible hours: we offer a hybrid work schedule, with team members coming into the office twice a week. This allows you to engage directly with your team and experience the unique energy of our workspace, while still enjoying the flexibility and comfort of working from home. With flexible working hours and trust in your productivity, we are in sync with your team’s general locations and time zones to foster effective and seamless collaboration.; Virtual Shares - An ownership mindset in every role. We believe everyone should share in our success, and that’s why every employee receives Virtual Shares, linking your contribution directly to DeepL’s growth and rewarding you with a stake in our future.; Regular in-person team events: we bond over vibrant events that are as unique as our team, from local team and business unit gatherings, to new-joiner onboardings, to company-wide events that bring us all together–literally.; Monthly full-day hacking sessions: every month, we have Hack Fridays, where you can spend your time diving into a project you're passionate about and get the opportunity to work with other teams–we value your initiatives, impact, and creativity.; 20 days of annual leave: we value your peace of mind. With 20 days off (excluding public holidays) and access to mental health resources, we make sure you're as strong mentally as you are professionally.; Competitive benefits: just as our team spans the globe, so does our benefits package. We've crafted it to reflect the diversity of our team and tailored it to align with your unique location, to ensure you feel supported every step of the way.