Linguist Intern / Contract

About BoldVoice

BoldVoice is an accent training app that helps the 1 billion global non-native English speakers speak English with clarity and confidence. The app gives users video lessons from Hollywood accent coaches and instant feedback from speech AI. Founded by immigrants who have felt the pain of being misunderstood or overlooked due to their accents, our mission is to empower every non-native English speaker to speak with their clearest, boldest voice.

Today, BoldVoice is one of the top Education apps on the App Store and helps non-native speakers of 100+ different language backgrounds all over the world. The company is backed by Y Combinator and VC investors, and has been featured on TechCrunch and Forbes.

Role and Responsibilities

We are looking for a Linguist Intern to support our speech recognition and accent training efforts. If you have a strong background in phonetics, excellent attention to detail, and a passion for helping people communicate better, this is the role for you.

Responsibilities include:

• Transcribe speech samples using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) with high accuracy
• Identify and document specific pronunciation patterns and variations across different language backgrounds
• Create and maintain evaluation datasets for training our speech recognition models
• Analyze user recordings to identify common pronunciation challenges and mispronunciation patterns
• Collaborate with our dialect coaches and linguistics team to verify transcriptions and annotations
• Support the development and validation of our speech recognition model improvements

Qualifications:

• You are a student pursuing your BA, BS, MS, or PhD in Linguistics, Phonetics, or a related field
• Strong proficiency in IPA transcription and phonetic analysis
• Excellent ear for detecting subtle pronunciation variations and accent features
• Experience with or knowledge of common pronunciation challenges for non-native English speakers
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and ability to work independently
• Must be a US-based candidate. Non-US based candidates will not be considered.

Compensation & Perks

• You will be paid an hourly rate
• Work remotely and/or in-person in our office in Noho, NYC
• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge speech technology and make a real impact on users' lives

How to Apply Email founders at boldvoice .com with:

• Your resume
• Download the app, complete the SpeechScan (the speech assessment that comes right after the onboarding questions), and provide specific observations about the pronunciation feedback accuracy.